LSU Gold

Nikki Fargas Season 2023-24

LSU
Nikki Fargas
Title
Head Coach
Email
ncaldwell@lsu.edu
Phone
(225) 578-6643
Hometown
Oak Ridge, Tenn.
Alma Mater
Tennessee (1994)

10th Season at LSU in 2020-21

Nikki Fargas knows success and what it takes to be successful. Entering her tenth season at the helm of the LSU Women’s Basketball program in 2020-21, Fargas is driven to keep the Tigers on the national stage.

“We are doing everything in our power to ensure that LSU Women’s Basketball is at that elite level, that we are competing for SEC championships, and that we are positioning ourselves to cut down nets,” said Fargas. 

Fargas has produced five 20-win seasons and an overall record of 168-116 in nine seasons at LSU. Her 168 victories rank her as the second-winningest women’s basketball coach in school history in terms of total wins, behind legendary coach Sue Gunter. In her first nine seasons, LSU secured six NCAA Tournament appearances highlighted by back-to-back trips to the NCAA Sweet 16, and 28 victories over ranked opponents. A seventh appearance in the NCAA Tournament was anticipated before the 2019-20 season was shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fargas, the former Nikki Caldwell who won national titles as both a player and an assistant coach at Tennessee and turned UCLA into a national power in just three years, has that combination of outstanding in-game coaching ability and tremendous recruiting competence. In addition, Fargas has been a leader off the court in the Baton Rouge community, helping the Tigers connect with the city of Baton Rouge while donating their time and efforts to making a difference. She and her Tigers were heavily involved in assisting residents and local church communities following the devastating flood in August 2016 that impacted thousands of people in the area. In recent years, the team has partnered with several entities, including the Gardere School and Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital.

In 2010, Fargas joined the Board of Directors for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund and is currently serving on the Executive Committee as the Vice Chair. LSU women’s basketball was joined by the men’s basketball team and gymnastics team during the 2019-20 season in its efforts to promote awareness and raise funds for resources to assist those in underserved regions gain access to care as they battle cancer through the Play4Kay initiative.

Over the summer of 2020, Fargas became a founding member of Advancement of Blacks in Sports (ABIS) and serves on its Executive Committee. She is also a member of the LSU Athletics Leadership Council on Diversity and Inclusion, and serves as an advisor for LSU’s Black Student-Athlete Association (BSAA).

In 12 seasons as head coach at both UCLA and LSU, Fargas owns a 240-142 overall record and a 115-83 mark in conference play.

The Oak Ridge, Tennessee, native owns an impressive 644-218 record as a player, graduate assistant, assistant coach and head coach dating back to her freshman season at Tennessee.

In the classroom, LSU has been a shining example of the definition of student-athlete. The Tigers have recorded a perfect score of 100 in graduation success rate released by the NCAA during three seasons under Fargas. For players who have exhausted their eligibility at LSU, Fargas boasts a 100-percent graduation rate. In her nine seasons at LSU, the Tigers have earned 28 SEC Academic Honor Roll accolades.

2019-20: The 2019-20 season turned into a season of amazing highs and devastating lows that the Tigers tackled with grace under fire. Heading into the season, Fargas and her staff had delivered the No. 20 espnW/HoopsGurlz recruiting class in the nation to Baton Rouge in the form of Louisiana standouts Tiara Young (Shreveport) and Domonique Davis (DeRidder). Both players would become solid role players throughout their rookie seasons.

The other bright spot heading into the season was the anticipation of a special season for fifth-year senior Ayana Mitchell. Mitchell was named to the Katrina McClain Award, Naismith Trophy and John R. Wooden Award watch lists to go along with her All-SEC preseason honors. As the season began on November 5, Mitchell became the 33rd player in LSU history to score her 1,000th career point in purple and gold. She would go on to accumulate her 900th career rebound and was extremely efficient from the field, leading to a 67.9 percentage. Mitchell was leading the nation in field goal percentage before a knee injury abruptly ended her collegiate career on February 2. Despite the injury, voters around the nation recognized Mitchell’s talent and she would go on to become a Top 30 candidate for the Senior CLASS Award, a Top 10 finalist for the Katrina McClain Award and was named All-SEC Second Team. Mitchell was also named the LSWA Co-Player of the Year and the All-Louisiana First Team.

The Tigers recorded five wins over Top-25 teams during the 2019-20 season, the most by LSU since the 2012-13 season. The first came in the islands as LSU beat then-No. 15 Michigan State, 58-56, in the opening round of the Junkanoo Jam. The Tigers would go on to win the Bimini Division of the tournament with an 89-58 win over Memphis. Junior Khayla Pointer was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament and was joined on the all-tournament team by Mitchell.

The victories in the Bahamas put LSU back in the Top-25 Associated Press rankings since the end of the 2017-18 season on December 2.

LSU went on to pick up four Top-25 wins in SEC play including the first-ever sweep of Texas A&M. The Tigers won the first meeting with its permanent partner, 57-54 on January 9 in College Station when the Aggies were ranked No. 10. A&M was ranked No. 15 coming into Baton Rouge on February 2. The Tigers rallied for a 59-58 victory in the PMAC after Mitchell left the game in the first half.

The Tigers also picked up key home wins over No. 11 Kentucky, 65-59, on January 19 and against No. 25 Tennessee, 75-65, on February 13 to close out a three-game homestand.

Fargas also got strong performances from juniors Faustine Aifuwa and Khayla Pointer as the two set their own career milestones during the season. Aifuwa became the eighth LSU player to record 100 blocked shots in a career and just the third to reach 150. Pointer was the 14th player in LSU history to dish out 300 career assists. Pointer, the team’s leading scorer in 2019-20, was named to the All-SEC Second Team, while Aifuwa earned a spot on the SEC All-Defensive Team. Both players were named to the All-Louisiana Second Team.

Junior transfer Awa Trasi stepped up late in the season to join Aifuwa, Pointer, Jailin Cherry and Jaelyn Richard-Harris in the starting lineup as the group came together to fill the gap left by Mitchell. Trasi earned LSWA Newcomer of the Year honors for her efforts.

LSU advanced to the SEC Tournament quarterfinals and recorded the fifth 20-win season of Fargas’ tenure before the COVID-19 pandemic ended the season and LSU’s chance at a seventh NCAA tournament appearance in her ninth season as head coach at LSU.

The Tigers continued to stay connected during the challenging times of physical distancing through weekly Zoom calls. Even the online activities brought out the competitive nature of the team as breakout teams developed their own universities, did a scouting report on COVID-19, and participated in scavenger hunts and Family Feud. The team also held its annual awards banquet, emceed by 30-year radio play-by-play veteran Patrick Wright, virtually over Zoom. Monthly Zoom calls with alumnae of the program included a celebration of former LSU head coach Sue Gunter.

2018-19: LSU’s scoring defense finished the 2018-19 season ranked 16th in the nation and was tops in the SEC at 56.2 points per game. The Tigers held opponents under 50 points in seven games and under 60 points 20 times during the season. LSU’s 3-point field goal shooting defense finished 18th in the country and also ranked first in the SEC at 27.5 percent. LSU also won or tied in the battle of the boards in 201 of 29 games over the course of the season.

Ayana Mitchell was named First Team All-SEC and finished the season averaging a double-double with 13.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. She ended her junior season ranked 24th in the nation and second in the SEC in field goal percentage at 56.3 percent. Mitchell was rewarded in May 2019 with an invitation to the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.

2017-18: LSU made its sixth appearance in the NCAA Tournament under Fargas’ direction, facing Central Michigan in the First Round. The Tigers finished the season 19-10 and as the No. 4 seed in the SEC Tournament. LSU finished with an 11-5 SEC record, the most conference wins by a Fargas team at LSU. It was the third time in seven seasons that the Tigers were the No. 4 seed.

Senior Raigyne (Moncrief) Louis earned First Team All-SEC honors and the second SEC All-Defensive Team honor of her career. Junior Chloe Jackson was named to the All-SEC Second Team. Both players earned Second Team All-LSWA accolades.

During the season, Louis moved into third place on the LSU all-time steals list with 298 and became the first LSU player with over 1,600 points, 700 rebounds, 300 assists and 250 steals over her career.

2016-17: After a year away, LSU made it back to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in Fargas’ tenure at the end of the 2016-17 season. Raigyne Louis, then Moncrief, was named the 2017 SEC Defensive Player of the Year and was an All-SEC Second Team honoree. She was also named the LSWA Player of the Year. Guard Chloe Jackson earned LSWA Newcomer of the Year honors. LSU finished the season 20-12 overall and faced Cal in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament.

2015-16: The 2015-16 season saw an uncharacteristic stumble for the program due to a rash of injuries that sidelined some of the team’s top talent and ultimately left LSU with just six scholarship players for action during several games. Fargas was forced for the first time in her career to hold a walk-on tryout and added four players in December to bolster the roster at practice and to give players a breather during games.

One thing Fargas learned that season was her Tigers were fighters and refused to throw in the towel even when times were tough. Fargas’ squad gave it their all from the tip-off to the final buzzer every game. Up until the final two SEC regular-season games, LSU held each of their league foes below their scoring average, some by more than 20 points below their average. They also played one of the toughest schedules in the country.

One of the most memorable games of the 2015-16 season was LSU’s 57-56 win over Fargas’ alma mater and eventual Elite Eight participant, 24th-ranked Tennessee, that snapped a six-game losing streak. Alexis Hyder hit two clutch free throws with 3.4 seconds remaining in the game to seal the win. At the end of the season, she was named an honorable mention pick to the Associated Press’ All-SEC Team. Hyder was also selected as the LSWA Newcomer of the Year and to the All-Louisiana team. Senior Akilah Bethel was placed on the SEC Community Service Team.

2014-15: With almost an entirely new squad, Fargas led the 2014-15 Tigers to their fourth-straight NCAA Tournament berth by going on a tear to end the regular season, winning six of the team’s final 10 games of the year to finish 17-14 overall and tied for fourth in the Southeastern Conference with a league mark of 10-6.

Three LSU players were honored at the season’s end. Ann Jones was named to the SEC Community Service Team, while sophomore Raigyne Moncrief was a second team LSWA All-Louisiana selection. Danielle Ballard was a WBCA All-America Honorable Mention, garnering first team All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive Team honors while earning a spot on the all-conference team selected by the Associated Press. Ballard also claimed LSWA Louisiana Player of the Year and first team honors.

2013-14: The 2013-14 season was filled with numerous memorable moments as the Tigers took on the nation’s toughest schedule with 28 of their 34 games against RPI Top 100 opponents. LSU fired out to a 17-4 start highlighted by a Barclays Invitational Championship which included victories over Rutgers and Michigan along with the program’s first victory at Tennessee since the 2007-08 season.

After a six-game losing streak to end the regular season, Fargas and the Tigers regrouped for the NCAA Tournament. LSU came out firing on all cylinders and collected a 98-78 win over Georgia Tech during the opening round. The 98 points were a program NCAA Tournament single-game mark.

The Tigers lost All-SEC Freshman Team guard Raigyne Moncrief to injury during the Georgia Tech game, and senior guard Jeanne Kenney was injured in the first half of LSU’s NCAA Second Round matchup versus No. 7 West Virginia.

Without two of its top four scorers, the Tigers dug deep and put together a 20-4 finishing kick over the last five minutes and scored on their final 10 possessions to come away with a 76-67 victory over the Mountaineers. Danielle Ballard turned in an NCAA Tournament effort for the ages as she racked up 23.3 points and 14.0 rebounds per game over LSU’s three postseason games. At the team’s end of the year banquet, each student-athlete received a courage award instead of individual accolades.

Theresa Plaisance notched a second consecutive All-SEC First-Team selection and was the 18th player in program history to amass over 1,000 career points and 500 career rebounds. Plaisance was joined by Shanece McKinney among the program’s Top 5 in blocked shots. The duo went on to continue their professional careers in the WNBA; Plaisance with the Tulsa Shock and McKinney with the New York Liberty. Kenney finished ranked inside LSU’s Top 10 with 137 three-pointers and 372 assists. 

2012-13: Fargas’ second season in Baton Rouge was a memorable one as the Tigers reached the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time since 2008. LSU recorded double-digit SEC victories for the second straight year and despite a rash of injuries, put together a team with excellent chemistry that finished the season ranked No. 21 in the Coaches poll. LSU’s seven-game winning streak to close the regular season was the longest going into the SEC Tournament since winning seven in a row from 1985-86.

LSU developed the motto “eight is enough” and used it to dominate No. 13 Texas A&M on the Aggies’ home floor by a score of 67-52 in the regular season finale. LSU beat Green Bay in the NCAA first round before claiming arguably the signature win of the Fargas era in the NCAA second round. LSU, without Kenney and dressed with seven players, knocked off No. 8 Penn State, 71-66, in a raucous Maravich Center to reach the Sweet 16.

In addition, Fargas developed Theresa Plaisance into one of the nation’s most improved players as the New Orleans native led the SEC in scoring and became the school’s first league scoring champion since Seimone Augustus.

Fargas recruited Ballard, an All-SEC Freshman Team pick. In her first season, Ballard shattered the LSU single-season record for steals with 100. Plaisance, Ballard and senior Adrienne Webb earned All-SEC honors.

2011-12: Fargas was officially introduced as the school’s seventh women’s basketball coach on April 4, 2011, and revived the LSU program from her opening press conference. A summer full of speaking engagements, building the fan base and connecting with her players led to a season where attendance increased by an average of over 1,500 fans from the previous season.

After missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 13 years a season prior to her arrival, Fargas spearheaded the squad to the 2012 NCAA Tournament second round and its first appearance in the SEC Tournament championship game since 2008. The Lady Tigers reached 23 wins – their highest total since the 2008 Final Four season – won 10 conference games for the first time since 2009 and claimed wins over five ranked teams during the season.

Despite suffering several key injuries, Fargas led LSU to a six-game win streak late in the SEC season and the Tigers twice knocked off SEC regular season champion Kentucky. She met her mentor in the SEC championship game as LSU squared off against Pat Summitt’s Tennessee Lady Vols. Though the Tigers lost, LSU took on Fargas’ persona – that of toughness and a relentless desire to never quit. 

Fargas developed All-SEC forward LaSondra Barrett into one of the nation’s best players. After an NCAA Tournament Second Round appearance against Penn State, Barrett became the first LSU player selected in the first round of the WNBA Draft since 2008 when she was taken 10th overall by the Washington Mystics. Barrett later was named a 2016 SEC Women’s Legend.

USA Basketball: Well respected in coaching circles, Fargas has twice been selected by the USA Women’s Basketball Committee to serve as an assistant coach for USA National Teams. In the summer of 2012, she became the first coach in LSU history to serve on a USA U18 team staff since the squad’s inception in 1988. That team claimed the gold medal at the FIBA Americas Championship.

In the summer of 2013, most of that group reunited to lead the USA U19 National Team to a gold medal at the FIBA World Championships in Lithuania. Fargas is the only coach in LSU history to claim multiple USA gold medals during her tenure as Lady Tiger head coach.

Path to LSU: Fargas has been a part of a championship and winning pedigree at every level of her career. She played, coached and studied under one of the game’s greatest figures, the legendary Pat Summitt at Tennessee and she assisted Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer Debbie Ryan at Virginia.

Widely recognized as one of the nation’s top assistant coaches during stints at Tennessee and Virginia, Fargas took over at UCLA in 2008. In three years with the Bruins, she turned around a UCLA program that had won only one NCAA Tournament game in the nine years prior to her arrival.

UCLA (2008-11): Fargas led the Bruins to a 72-26 overall mark, reached the NCAA Tournament twice and finished second in the Pac-10 Conference in both 2010 and 2011. She was named the Pac-10 Coach of the Year in 2010 after going 25-9 overall and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Her best season at UCLA came in 2011 as she led the Bruins to 28 victories, just one shy of the school mark of 29 set back in 1980-81. The Bruins spent the entire 2010-11 season ranked in the top 20 and they claimed the No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament. UCLA finished the year with just five losses, the fewest in school history during the NCAA era.

The 2010-11 season saw UCLA set school records for regular season victories (26), Pac-10 wins (16), road victories (10) and scoring defense (55.3 ppg). Fargas also signed the nation’s third-ranked recruiting class behind only Tennessee and Connecticut according to ESPN HoopGurlz, and she helped develop junior post player Jasmine Dixon into an Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American.

Fargas made an immediate impact in her first season as a head coach in 2008-09, directing UCLA to a 19-12 overall record and a fourth-place finish in the Pac-10. In addition, for the first time since the 1986-87 season, the Bruins won as many as nine non-conference games prior to Pac-10 play.

Fargas and her staff then proceeded to haul in the 14th-ranked recruiting class in the nation according to ESPN HoopGurlz, headlined by McDonald’s All-American Markel Walker. The staff added another McDonald’s All-American for 2009-10 in transfer Jasmine Dixon.

Her second Bruin team finished with 25 wins, the fourth-most in school history, and advanced to the second round of the 2010 NCAA Tournament. 

After a mid-January setback in conference play, the Bruins lost only to NCAA runner-up Stanford (twice) and No. 4-ranked Nebraska, both of which earned NCAA Tournament No. 1 seeds.

UCLA won 15 of its last 18 contests of the 2009-10 season en route to the school’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2006. The squad won 15 conference games, finished second in the Pac-10 and they limited opponents to then a school-record 55.7 points per game.

Tennessee (2002-08): Fargas broke into the head coaching ranks after serving as an assistant on Summitt’s staff at Tennessee from 2002-08. During that time, she helped the Lady Vols capture a pair of NCAA titles in 2007 and 2008 and reach the Women’s Final Four a total of five times. The Lady Vols compiled an impressive 195-24 mark and won three Southeastern Conference regular season titles during her six years as an assistant coach.

Fargas joined the UT staff for the 2002-03 season and became the recruiting director in the spring of 2003. Her impact was immediate as the Lady Vols signed perhaps the most prolific freshman class in the history of women’s collegiate basketball in the fall of 2003. That class consisted of six 2004 high school All-Americans, including three players of the year. In 2008, Fargas helped sign five players who went on to play in the prestigious McDonald’s All-American Game.

In 2008, the Lady Vols captured a second-straight NCAA championship and finished with a record of 36-2. National Player of the Year Candace Parker, the No. 1 selection in the WNBA draft and the 2008 WNBA MVP, led a group of five Lady Vols to be drafted into the WNBA on the day following the championship.

Virginia (1999-2002): Prior to her return as a coach at her alma mater, Fargas served as an assistant at the University of Virginia for three seasons from 1999-2002. She was responsible for recruiting, scouting, film exchange, player development, camps and monitoring academic progress of student-athletes. Virginia compiled a record of 60-36 in her three seasons in Charlottesville and advanced to the NCAA Tournament each year. She helped develop standout Atlantic Coast Conference players Telisha Quarles and Brandi Teamer, the 2002 ACC Rookie of the Year.

Playing Career (Tennessee, 1990-94): As a player at Tennessee from 1990-94, Fargas was known as a tenacious defender with tremendous three-point shooting ability. She was a 35-percent (128-364) shooter from behind the arc during her career. The Lady Vols posted a 118-13 mark during her four-year career, winning the NCAA title during her freshman season (1990-91) and capturing two SEC regular season championships and a pair of SEC Tournament titles.

Fargas burst onto the scene as a rookie, scoring 20 points in her first collegiate game against Stanford. She earned SEC All-Freshman honors in 1991. In the 1991 NCAA title game victory over Virginia, Fargas’ defense was considered a key in the Lady Vols’ overtime win in New Orleans. She received the Gloria Ray Leadership Award in both her junior and senior seasons at Tennessee.

After Graduation (1994-98): After graduating with a degree in public relations in 1994, Fargas moved behind the microphone as a color analyst on Tennessee games for Fox Sports Net South. She went on to become the color analyst for the SEC’s Game of the Week from 1995-97. Her television exposure opened the door for her to become the hostess of the sports segments for the Knoxville-based cable network show, Shop at Home (1997-98).

Fargas’ television career continued in Los Angeles during her tenure as UCLA coach. She joined CBS2/KCAL’s Jim Hill as an analyst on Sports Central for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament and she was also frequently on Los Angeles Laker pregame and halftime shows. Fargas served as an analyst for ESPN during the 2011 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament.

Graduate School (Tennessee, 1998-99): In 1998, Fargas decided to return to basketball, becoming a graduate assistant for administration at Tennessee. During the 1998-99 season, Tennessee went 31-3 and captured the SEC regular season and tournament titles. Fargas was responsible for assisting the coaching staff in all aspects of basketball operations.

Off The Court: Fargas is a passionate crusader for breast cancer awareness. She and former Tennessee colleague Holly Warlick founded the non-profit organization, Champions for a Cause. Since 2007, they have raised over $300,000 through Cruisin’ for a Cause, a long-haul motorcycle adventure to raise dollars and awareness for a cure for breast cancer. 

In the spring of 2011, Fargas’ journey navigated through the Midwest and ended in California. The 2012 ride began with a fundraiser in Baton Rouge and continued to New Orleans where both Fargas and Warlick visited patients at a hospital. Fargas and Warlick chronicle their cross-country rides on their website, http://www.cruisinforacause.com/. 

Fargas has been prominent in the Baton Rouge community since her arrival, making appearances at the Baton Rouge Food Bank and schools in the East Baton Rouge Parish system. The Tigers show their commitment to service and are involved in numerous community initiatives. A few examples are the Alzheimer’s Services Walk/Run to Remember where the team has served as honorary starters and making regular visits to Charlie’s Place, a respite center for Alzheimer’s patients. 

The Baton Rouge Business Report named Fargas to the area’s “Forty Under Forty,” which recognizes stars in the community. In May 2013, Fargas was elected to the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Board of Directors.

Fargas, was raised in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, by her mother, Jean Caldwell. She and her husband Justin Fargas are the proud parents of a daughter, Justice Simone. Justice was born on March 6, 2012, just two days after the LSU had played against Tennessee in the 2012 SEC Championship game in Nashville. Her father-in-law is actor Antonio Fargas, known for his portrayal of Huggy Bear in the 1970s TV series Starsky & Hutch.

Fargas’ niece Khayla is a senior on the 2020-21 team and the daughter of her younger sister, Simone. Her uncle, Mike Caldwell, played 11 seasons in the NFL as a linebacker. He currently serves as the inside linebackers coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Nikki Fargas File
Birthdate: May 21, 1972
Hometown: Oak Ridge, Tenn.
Alma Mater: Tennessee, 1994 (Public Relations)
Twitter: @LSUNikkiFargas
Instagram: @LSUNikkiFargas
Experience: 10th Season at LSU in 2020-21

PLAYING EXPERIENCE
1990-94, Tennessee, 118-13 record, 1991 NCAA Champions

COACHING EXPERIENCE
YEAR, POSITION, SCHOOL

1998-99, Graduate Assistant, Tennessee
1999-2002, Assistant Coach, Virginia
2002-08, Assistant Coach, Tennessee
2008-11, Head Coach, UCLA
2011-present, Head Coach, LSU

Head Coaching Record

Year School Record Conf. Record/Finish Postseason Notes
2008-09 UCLA 19-12 9-9/5th
2009-10 UCLA 25-9 15-3/2nd NCAA Second Round
2010-11 UCLA 28-5 16-2/2nd NCAA Second Round
Totals   72-26 (.735) 40-14 (.741) Three Seasons
2011-12 LSU 23-11 10-6/4th NCAA Second Round; SEC Tournament Champ. Game
2012-13 LSU 22-12 10-6/4th NCAA Sweet 16
2013-14 LSU 21-13 7-9/t6th NCAA Sweet 16
2014-15 LSU 17-14 10-6/t4th NCAA First Round
2015-16 LSU 10-21 3-13/13th
2016-17 LSU 20-12 8-8/7th NCAA First Round
2017-18 LSU 19-10 11-5/t4th NCAA First Round
2018-19 LSU 16-13 7-9/t8th
2019-20 LSU 20-10 9-7/7th Postseason cut short (COVID-19) prior to NCAA Selection Show
2020-21 LSU
Totals 168-116 (.592) 75-69 (.521) Nine Seasons
Career 240-142 (.628) 115-83 (.581) 12 Seasons

Assistant Coaching Record

Year School Record Postseason Notes
1999-2000 Virginia 25-9 NCAA Sweet 16, ACC Champions
2000-01 Virginia 18-14 NCAA First Round
2001-02 Virginia 17-13 NCAA First Round
2002-03 Tennessee 33-5 NCAA National Runner-Up, SEC Champions
2003-04 Tennessee 31-4 NCAA National Runner-Up, SEC Champions
2004-05 Tennessee 30-5 NCAA Final Four, SEC Tournament Champions
2005-06 Tennessee 31-5 NCAA Elite Eight, SEC Tournament Champions
2006-07 Tennessee 34-3 NCAA National Champions, SEC Champions
2007-08 Tennessee 36-2 NCAA National Champions, SEC Tournament Champs
Totals   255-60 (.810) Nine Seasons

Fargas Coaching Tree
Angel Elderkin (assistant coach, 2013-14; video coordinator, 2011-12) – head coach, Appalachian State
Stacie Terry (assistant coach, 2009-13) – head coach, San Diego State
Darian Riley (manager/Gold Team, 2008-12; graduate assistant, 2012-14) – interim head coach, USC Upstate
Jon Silver (director of operations, 2011-15) – assistant AD of women’s basketball operations, San Diego State
Tasha Butts (assistant coach, 2008-19) – assistant coach/recruiting coordinator, Georgia Tech
Michael Scruggs (assistant coach, 2014-15; video coordinator, 2012-14) – assistant coach/recruiting coordinator, Purdue
Tony Perotti (assistant coach, 2008-16) – consultant, Appalachian State
LaSondra Barrett (LSU player, 2008-12; director of player development, 2017-18; graduate assistant, 2016-17) – director of recruiting operations, Houston
Destini Hughes (LSU player, 2008-12; graduate assistant, 2014-16) – assistant coach, Quinnipiac
Jeanne Kenney (LSU player, 2010-14) – assistant coach, Utah State
Erica White (LSU player, 2004-08; graduate assistant, 2011-12) – head coach, Richland College
Caitlin Kriesel-Bigler (graduate manager, 2017-19) – assistant coach, Millsaps
Hailey Kuhns (manager, 2015-19) – graduate assistant, ULM
Tiffany Morton (graduate assistant, 2013-14) – assistant coach/recruiting coordinator, Georgia State

Fargas Players in the Pros
Yasmine Bidikuindila (LSU, 2016-19)
Shanice Norton (LSU, 2015-19)
Raigyne Moncrief Louis (LSU, 2013-18)
Alexis Hyder (LSU, 2014-17)
Rina Hill (LSU, 2013-17)
Akilah Bethel (LSU, 2013-16)
Anne Pedersen (LSU, 2011-16)
Danielle Ballard (LSU, 2012-15)
Sheila Boykin (LSU, 2011-15)
Shanece McKinney (LSU, 2010-14)
Theresa Plaisance (LSU, 2010-14)
Adrienne Webb (LSU, 2009-13)
Darxia Morris (UCLA, 2007-11)
Angie Bjorklund (Tennessee, 2007-11)
Shannon Bobbitt (Tennessee, 2006-08)
Nicky Anosike (Tennessee, 2004-08)
Alexis Hornbuckle (Tennessee, 2004-08)
Candace Parker (Tennessee, 2004-08)
Lindsey Pluimer (UCLA, 2004-08)
Dominique Redding (Tennessee, 2003-07)
Sidney Spencer (Tennessee, 2003-07)
Tye’sha Fluker (Tennessee, 2002-06)
Shanna Zolman (Tennessee, 2002-06)
Shyra Ely (Tennessee, 2001-05)
Loree Moore (Tennessee, 2001-05)
Tasha Butts (Tennessee, 2000-04)
Ashley Robinson (Tennessee, 2000-04)
Gwen Jackson (Tennessee, 1999-2003)
Kara Lawson (Tennessee, 1999-2003)
Michelle Snow (Tennessee, 1998-2002)
Tamika Catchings (Tennessee, 1997-2001)
Kristen ‘Ace’ Clement (Tennessee, 1997-2001)
Semeka Randall (Tennessee, 1996-2000)
Chamique Holdsclaw (Tennessee, 1995-99)
Kellie Jolly Harper (Tennessee, 1995-99)

What They Are Saying …

“I am absolutely thrilled for Nikki. It’s UCLA’s loss and LSU’s fantastic gain to get a brilliant, rising coach of Nikki Fargas’s caliber. LSU is committed to its women’s basketball program both financially and with the resources they have in place to compete amongst the best teams in the nation. The Southeastern Conference will become much stronger with Nikki joining the league. Her accomplishments in the three short seasons she was at UCLA is indicative of more of what will come from Nikki and her staff at LSU.”
— Pat Summitt, Tennessee head coach and Hall of Famer

“Nikki Fargas is a superstar in our profession. She is the quintessential ‘players’ coach who understands that each player is unique and must be motivated differently to get their maximum effort every night. Nikki has a style and grace that garners immediate attention. She has a great moral compass for the way things ought to be in life. LSU may have hired a coach but they acquired a tremendous person who will achieve greatness beyond the athletic realm.”
— Debbie Ryan, Former Virginia head coach and Hall of Famer

“LSU should get the hire of the year award in hiring Nikki Fargas. When you look at what she did at UCLA in a short amount of time, Nikki is a winner. She works hard. She knows how to relate to people and she is a constant student of the game. There is more than one way to do things and she is going to find the right way that works with the players she has. The folks in the community are going to love her. She’s a Southern girl being from Oak Ridge, Tenn. I am sure she already feels like she is home being now in Baton Rouge.”
— Carolyn Peck, ESPN analyst and former Purdue/Florida head coach and Tennessee assistant coach