RADFORD, Va. – Radford men's basketball head coach Darris Nichols was named to The Athletic's "40 under 40" list on Tuesday, a recognition of the most influential people in men's college basketball under the age of 40 years old.
 
In his search for the very best up-and-comers in the industry, national college basketball writer Seth Davis tabbed Nichols for the exclusive list. He's joined by several notable names including LSU head coach Will Wade, Cincinnati head coach Wes Miller, Oklahoma State head coach Mike Boynton, and more.
 
At just 35 years old, Nichols is the fifth-youngest head coach in Division I men's basketball and he leads a coaching staff that ranks as the youngest in the nation. The Radford, Va. native was hired to return home and lead the Highlanders in April 2021 and is currently in the midst of his debut season.
 
Nichols played his high school basketball at Radford High School and was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame alongside his brother and current assistant, Shane, in October. He then went on to play for Jon Beilein and Bob Huggins at West Virginia before beginning his coaching career.
 
He helped Northern Kentucky to a 23-7 record in his very first year as an assistant coach and then aided in the program's transition from Division II to Division I in his second year. Nichols then spent one season on Mike Young's staff at Wofford in 2013-14 before going to Louisiana Tech for the 2014-15 school year.
 
Nichols really started gaining attention during his six-year stint as an assistant at Florida, where he coached the Gators to a 123-75 record that included four straight 20-win seasons and a trip to the 2017 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.
 
About Nichols, Seth Davis had this to say:
 
 
 
To keep tabs on Nichols and the Radford men's basketball team, follow @RadfordHoops on Twitter, 'radfordhoops' Instagram or Radford Men's Basketball on Facebook.