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| School Name: | Nicholls State University |
| Location: | Thibodaux, Louisiana |
| Arena: | Stopher Gym |
| Capacity: | 3,800 |
| Conference: | Southland |
| Head coach: | J.P. Piper |
Nicholls State University, founded in 1948, is a public university located in Thibodaux, Louisiana. Nicholls State is part of the University of Louisiana System of universities. Originally called Francis T. Nicholls Junior College, the institution split from the Louisiana State University System in 1956. The university is named for Francis T. Nicholls, a former governor of Louisiana and member of the Louisiana Supreme Court.
Nicholls State sports teams, known as the Nicholls Colonels for both men and women, participate in NCAA Division I (Football Championship Subdivision or FCS for football) in the Southland Conference. Women's teams had historically used the "Lady Colonels" nickname, but have now dropped "Lady" from their branding.
Nicholls' colors are red and gray (two-tone).
Nicholls currently has no physical mascot. The colonel is still used only in name. President Stephen Hulbert stated that "The Colonel is and will remain the mascot designation for Nicholls State University and its intercollegiate athletics program" on March 31st 2004 while calling the current colonel depiction antiquated and reminiscent of the civil war in the south. A student contest to select a new mascot was not successful.
The Nicholls State University Department of Athletics currently sponsors Men's Intercollegiate baseball, basketball, football, golf and tennis along with Women's Intercollegiate basketball, softball, soccer, tennis, track, golf, volleyball and cheerleading.