Coach Dickson Inducted into Paris JC Athletics Hall of Fame

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— New Mexico head softball coach Nicole Dickson and her Paris Junior College 2013 softball team were inducted into the Dragons Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday night in Paris, Texas.

Dickson started her head coaching career at Paris JC, leading the Dragons to the national tournament in her first season at the helm in 2013. The Dragons made program history, winning the East Zone Conference regular season championship before going on to win the NJCAA Region XIV Tournament to earn their first-ever appearance at the NJCAA National Softball Tournament.

The Dragons defeated Trinity Valley Community College 5-4 in nine innings to secure their spot in the national tournament, needing to win three consecutive games, including against TVCC twice after losing to TVCC 7-5 earlier in the regional tournament.

As the No. 12-seed in the national tournament, PJC lost 6-4 to Pima CC in its opening game, but kept its season going with another 5-4 victory over Trinity Valley Community College after scoring two runs in the bottom of the seventh. A 15-13 loss to Lake Land College in the third round, in which Lake Land scored seven runs in the top of the seventh, ended the Dragons’ season with a 37-19 record.

Two players earned first team all-region, two were named second team all-region and six players earned First Team All-Conference East Zone that season.

The 2013 softball team is the first softball team to be inducted into the athletic department’s Hall of Fame.

Dickson went on to start the softball program at Tyler Junior College the following year, where she coached for two years before being hired by Stephen F. Austin, coaching the Lumberjacks for six years before being hired by UNM in 2022.