Nick Blackwell Named Assistant Coach
January 16, 2026 | Men's Soccer
Blackwell returns to Louisville where he spent 2017-19 as a graduate assistant coach before his stint at CSU Pueblo.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – University of Louisville men's soccer head coach John Michael Hayden announced the addition of Nick Blackwell to the Cardinals' coaching staff, welcoming back a familiar and accomplished coach with a proven history of postseason success.
"Adding Nick Blackwell to our coaching staff is a big step forward for our program," said Coach Hayden. "His experience at Louisville, combined with his success as both an assistant and a head coach, will have an immediate impact on our team."
Blackwell returns to Louisville after previously serving on the Cardinals' staff as a graduate assistant coach from 2017-19. During that stretch, Louisville reached the NCAA Elite Eight in 2017, captured the ACC Tournament championship in 2018, and advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in 2019, helping establish the program as one of the nation's top contenders.
Most recently, Blackwell served at Colorado State University Pueblo, where he was promoted to head coach in 2025 after several highly successful seasons as an assistant. While on staff, CSU Pueblo reached three NCAA Division II Final Fours and advanced to the national championship match twice.
A native of New Albany, Indiana, Blackwell played collegiate soccer at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, where he served as team captain and competed on squads that won two Heartland Collegiate Conference regular season championships and one conference tournament title, including an NCAA Tournament appearance during his playing career.
He earned his bachelor's degree in exercise science with a minor in literature and later completed a master's degree in organizational leadership at the University of Louisville.
