Nicole LaVan is the daughter of Alisa C. Foster and the late James LaVan. Although born in Los Angeles, California, Nicole's family relocated to Cleveland, Ohio early in her life. During Nicole's formative years she attended both parochial and public schools before graduating in 1996 from Cleveland Municipal School District's John Hay High School. A real sports enthusiast combined with her natural athletic ability in high school, Nicole pursued her basketball career at Western Illinois University. Her level of play garnered the interest of Coach Melissa Irvin and in 1999 Nicole was offered a scholarship to play for University of the Cumberlands.
During her outstanding career, Nicole competed in 54 games from 1999-2001. Among her accomplishments on the court, Nicole ranks first all-time in field goal percentage making 379 of her 630 attempts for a 60.2% career average. She ranks third all-time in scoring average per game at 16.7 and is 25th all time in total points scored with 902 points. Nicole scored 20 or more points in 16 of her 54 hames. She ranks second for career rebounds with 532 for an average of 9.85 rebounds per game. Nicole recorded her career best by pulling down 19 rebounds on March 3, 2000 versus Campbellsville University.
In 2002, Nicole earned the Bachelors of Science in Public Health degree with a minor in Movement and Leisure Studies from University of the Cumberlands. She immediately returned to her native home of Cleveland, Ohio where she has been employed by the Cleveland Urban Minority Alcohol & Drugs Abuse Outreach Program, one of the 12 U.M.A.D.A.O.P.'s of Ohio mandated to provide alcohol and other drug abuse prevention services to minorities living in the state's urban centers. At U.M.A.D.A.O.P. Nicole serves as the Community Wrap Around Specialist serving at-risk families and aging out foster children living in Cleveland's Hough neighborhoods.
Nicole attests that her life in Cleveland has been filed with the love of a large extended family, her spiritual home at the Hisotric Greater Friendship Baptist Church and scores of loving friends, teammates and coaches.
Other Career/Team Highlights and Awards:
Junior
1999-2000 National Association Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Honorable Mention
1999-2000 Academic All Conference Team
1999-2000 UC Offensive Player of the year
2000 NAIA Player of the Week
2000 Bryant Houston Summer League Champion
Senior
2000-2001 Pre-Season Mid-South Player of the Year
2000-2001 Mid-South All Conference
2000-2001 NAIA Sweet Sixteen
2000-2001 Mid-South All American
2000-2001 NAIA Senior Player of the Year
2000-2001 NCAA 1st Team Kodak All American
2000-2001 NAIA 1st Team All American
2000-2001 NAIA Academic All American
2000-2001 NAIA National Champion Honorable Mention
2001 NAIA Player of the Week
2001-2002 Lady Patriots Team Ranked 2nd in Mid-South Conference
2001-2002 Team Ranked 10th in the Nation in NAIA
