North Carolina Central University (NCCU) head coach Trei Oliver and his recruiting team went into rival territory and came back to the “Eagles Nest” with a familiar former foe to add to the 2023 roster. In recent news, former Norfolk State offensive lineman Andrew Nickens made the switch to NCCU
Nickens went to Twitter back in November 2022 to announce his transfer portal entrance. “I wanted to thank the coaches who gave me a chance and the teammates who became family; with that being said I am now entering the transfer portal with three years of eligibility remaining.”
Since the announcement the Virginia native received a plethora of offers from schools including Winston-Salem State, Fayetteville State, Virginia Union, Bethune-Cookman, Arkansas Pine Bluff, and the list continues.
Andrew Nickens was a duo-athlete while attending Chancellor High School; partaking in both track and football. As a senior, he was recognized as a first-team all-area performer by the Free Lance-Star. In his junior year, he earned second-team all-district honors. For the CHS track and field team, Andrew showcased his versatility by participating in the shot put and discus events.
As a redshirt for Norfolk State, Nickens made his collegiate football debut in a game against Elizabeth City State. After that one game during the 2021 season, the offensive lineman didn’t see any more actions for the Spartans. But showing his commitment to academics, Andrew was honored with a place on the NSU Athletics Director’s Honor Roll during the spring semester.
The yearly Norfolk State and NC Central rivals will meet up on November 11.