David Nikolic

Head Coach

A familiar name to the Chicagoland and Horizon League soccer communities, David Nikolic (NICK-o-litch) was named head women’s soccer coach for the UIC Flames by Director of Athletics Michael Lipitz on April 29, 2021.

In his first season coaching with the Flames, Nikolic coached the Second-Team Academic All-American, Lena Kurz. Kurz finished with 76 saves on the season, ranking her third in the Horizon League in total saves. Nikolic grabbed his first win as the Flames head coach with a 2-0 home win over Robert Morris on Oct. 7.

In his second year, he found more success, significantly improving the team's record. UIC earned the #3 seed in its inaugural season in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Flames had the opportunity to host the quarterfinals, which ended in a penalty kick shootout that resulted in a loss for UIC. Nikolic coached up five All-MVC honorees during the 2022 season.

A coaching veteran of more than 25 years, Coach Nikolic came to UIC after nine seasons as the associate head coach at Northwestern University. He helped the Wildcats earn four straight NCAA Tournament berths from 2015-18, including a Sweet 16 appearance in 2016. Northwestern also captured the 2016 Big Ten Regular Season Championship.

Prior to his tenure at Northwestern, Nikolic helped guide Milwaukee to 13 Horizon League regular season titles, 12 consecutive Horizon League Championships, and nine NCAA Tournament appearances. In that time, the Panthers amassed 225 total wins and a stellar 97-15-5 (.850) record in League play. He was named National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Great Lakes Regional Assistant Coach of the Year in 2011.

Northwestern broke through in a big way during Nikolic’s fourth season on the bench, reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 17 years. The following season, 2016, the Wildcats matched a program record with 16 victories and posted a record of 7-1-3 in conference play as they secured the first Big Ten championship in program history. The team advanced to the Round of 16 for the first time since 1998.

Nikolic assisted in the development of All-American goalkeeper Lauren Clem in 2016 and a backline that registered 17 shutouts and a goals-against-average of .271 to lead the NCAA in both categories.

Three Wildcats entered the professional ranks in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) under Nikolic’s guidance. Three-time All-Big Ten selection Kayla Sharples was drafted by the hometown club, Chicago Red Stars, with the 26th pick in the 2019 NWSL Draft. That same year, two-time All-Big Ten honoree Marisa Viggiano was drafted by the Orlando Pride with the 30th selection. A few picks later, at 33rd overall, Wildcat Hannah Davison was also nabbed by the Red Stars.

All told Nikolic was on the bench for 82 victories at Northwestern, 37% of the program’s all-time total, and four of the program’s six NCAA Tournament bids.

Before his time in Evanston, Ill., Nikolic was instrumental in building Milwaukee women’s soccer into the Horizon League’s dominant program. From 1994-2011, the Panthers amassed 225 total wins, posted an .850 winning percentage in league play and won 12-straight league championships. The Panthers earned nine NCAA Tournament berths and advanced in three of those years. In Nikolic’s final season at his alma mater, Milwaukee posted a school record 19 victories and was ranked as high as 10th in the NSCAA top-25 poll, and ninth in Soccer America’s national poll.

Nikolic is a USSF `B' licensed coach. He has served as head coach of the Chicago Red Eleven of the USL W-League, was the Region II ODP age group head coach (1992) in 2009 and 2010 and was a head coach in the Wisconsin State Olympic Development Program. Nikolic helped the ODP group become finalists in 1999, 2001 and 2003.

Additionally, Nikolic was the head coach for the Milwaukee Kickers Adult Men's Majors Team from 2004-08 and took the F.C. Milwaukee U-23 men's team to the national semifinal in 2001.

Nikolic earned bachelor's degrees in mass communication and history from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1992. He and wife Brittany have two sons, George (9) and Sebastian (7).