Aug. 21, 2007
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Nicki Cutler, one of the cornerstone student-athletes that helped shape Vanderbilt women’s golf into a national contender, today was named assistant coach by head coach Greg Allen.
Cutler played for the Commodores from 1999-2003, earning honorable mention All-America honors and twice making the all-Southeastern Conference team. She was known for her ability to successfully string birdies together and as a result, has her name written throughout the Commodore record book.
“I took pride in the role I played in helping establish Vanderbilt as a national contender,” Cutler says, “Both Greg and I are eager to build upon the great momentum that Martha (Richards) created and we see a national championship as the next step.”
“I’m really excited about bringing a former player on board as our assistant coach,” Allen says. “Nicki was very instrumental during her Vanderbilt playing days helping Martha build this program. She is a great ambassador for this University and has a bright future in coaching. Our team is very fortunate to have her.”
Cutler was the foundation of Coach Martha Richards’ building program. She twice shot 67 in tournament play, once at the SEC Championship in 2002 and once at the Stanford-Pepsi Intercollegiate. Those rounds are just one stroke off the current school mark.
She also set a school record at the time with a 210 score over 54 holes at the Stanford tournament in 2002 and her 211 at the SEC Championship is one of three entries the Denver, Colo., native has among the current school Top 10 tournament achievements.
Cutler joins the program after having served as an instructor at the famous Maidstone Club in East Hampton, N.Y. She was a member of the LPGA Tour in 2005 and the Duramed Futures Tour in 2005 and 2006. Various injuries stymied her playing career.
Nicki gained a wealth of teaching experience with an internship with top-rated golf instructors Lynn Marriott and Pia Nilsson during the winters of 2003 and 2004.
“Lynn and Pia have coached many of the top golfers in the world and their golf school in Phoenix has been rated as the best in the country,” Cutler says. “That experience helped prepare me to coach, a very special experience that will be most helpful here.”
Cutler says she anticipates a “smooth transition” from the Richards era to the Greg Allen era, noting she expects to contribute from the perspective of a former Commodore student-athlete that understands the rigors of the classroom in addition to the challenges on the course.
“I am looking forward to reconnecting with the great Nashville golf community,” Cutler says. “Our entire athletics program here is a big family and a focus of our program will be working with this family for the betterment of our student-athletes.”
Cutler begins her new duties immediately. She is the first addition to the Vanderbilt staff since Allen left the University of Arizona to succeed Richards as head coach last month.
