The 2010 Gatorade High School Player of the Year in Virginia, Nicholson arrived on Grounds with high expectations and didn’t disappoint. He was the first UVA true freshman to start a season opener at cornerback since 1986 and notched his first career interception halfway through his first game. He would go on to earn a spot on multiple All-ACC and All-American teams that season. The production and accolades would continue to stack up for Nicholson in subsequent seasons as a Cavalier.

Following his playing career, Nicholson shifted his focus to education, where he’s been a coach, teacher, and administrator since 2016. The first member of his family to attend college, Nicholson would go on to earn two Master’s degrees in education. In 2022 he was one of six from across the state to be named as a Pete Warren Student Fellows by the Virginia Counselors Association Foundation. Nicholson’s work and influence continue in his role at the UVA Equity Center, which seeks to address racial and economic inequity in university communities.