One of the youngest head coaches in Division I is now the newest assistant in the SEC. Nichole Ellis, who headed the Butler Bulldogs for two seasons, will join the University of Alabama as an assistant coach.

At Butler, Ellis brought new success to a school that closed its pool and eliminated athletic scholarships. Under her guidance, the Bulldogs broke ten school records and crowned their first Horizon League Champion, Mary Beth Arnold, in the 200 breaststroke. In the classroom, Ellis' women's team led the nation last fall with a 3.69 GPA while fifteen swimmers earned Butler Athletic Director's Honor Roll accolades last season.

Ellis remains competitive in the pool. In Master's (USMS) swimming, she earned YMCA national champion honors in five individual events and was part of the All-American YMCA mixed relay team that holds the YMCA national record.

Prior to accepting the position at Butler, she was the assistant coach at IUPUI, her alma mater, during the 2001-02 season.

Alabama coaches Eric McIlquham and Sonya Porter were in meetings all day today and unavailable to comment on their new addition, but they're sure to appreciate on Ellis' recruiting abilities. At Butler and IUPUI, Ellis was responsible for securing the largest and fastest recruiting classes in each program's history.