Brooke (Marino) Nicholson

Email:  brookemarino@icloud.com

Another true product of Laguna Beach VBC, Coach Brooke Nicholson returns for her 8th season at LBVBC and 11th overall as she continues pass her knowledge and love of the game of volleyball to our new generation of volleyball players. Coach Brooke joined the Laguna Family as a player at the age of 8 when, after spending years in the gym watching her older sister, Danielle, practice she was finally allowed to start participating in clinics. 10 years later Coach Brooke completed her senior season at LBVBC with one of the most successful teams in club history. During her playing career at Laguna Beach VBC and beyond Coach Brooke established a reputation for not only bringing a strong, competitive energy to the gym every day but also for being a great teammate. These qualities helped Coach Brooke achieve great levels of success as a player and each year she emphasizes these qualities to the athletes that she coaches and trains. 

As a player Coach Brooke helped her teams to set new standards of success wherever she went. While at Mission Viejo High School she led her team to the first South Coast League title in program history (2006) and then went on to earn league MVP and 1st Team All-League honors (2009). Following a successful high school and club career, Coach Brooke went on to attend and compete for Concordia University (Irvine, CA) where she became one of the most highly decorated players in program history. At Concordia Coach Brooke led her team to 2 Conference Championships (2011, 2012), 1 Final Four appearance (2009), 1 NAIA Finals appearance (2011), and 1 National Championship (2012). In doing so she earned numerous honors. Coach Brooke was the NAIA Player of the Year (2011), a two-time Golden State Athletic Conference Player of the Year (2011, 2012), three-time All-American (2010, 2011, 2012), and three-time All-Conference Player (2010, 2011, 2012). Last spring Coach Brooke was inducted into the Concordia University Athletics Hall of Fame.

Coach Brooke received her Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise & Sports Science with an emphasis in Athletic Training and Rehabilitation from Concordia University in 2013. She currently teaches Physical Education and Health for the Saddleback Valley Unified School District and is the Head Girls Volleyball Coach at her alma mater, Mission Viejo High School.