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Hank Nichols
Henry Owen Nichols (July 20, 1936 – March 27, 2026) was an American college basketball referee and later supervisor of officials. In 2012, he was inducted as a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Nichols is also a member of the Philadelphia Big 5 Hall of Fame, Villanova Athletic Hall of Fame, the Philadelphia Athletic Hall of Fame, the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame, and the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. He officiated 10 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Final Fours, a record six NCAA Men's Basketball National Championships, three NIT Finals, two Olympic Games and one European Championship. He was also the first official to work with both the NIT and NCAA Championship Basketball Finals in a single year, and the first National Coordinator of Officials. Since 2004, he has worked as an Umpire Observer for Major League Baseball.
Nichols was born on July 20, 1936, in Niagara Falls, New York, where he grew up. In high school, he attended Bishop Duffy High and lettered in three sports. He earned a scholarship to Villanova University, where he played catcher. He also started on the freshman basketball team. In 1995 he was inducted into the Villanova Varsity Club Hall of Fame in the baseball category.
After graduation, Nichols spent two years in the Marine Corps, followed by three years playing minor league baseball in the Cincinnati Reds organization. In his last season (at age 27), he hit .330 as a player-manager in the Western Carolina League.
Nichols earned both bachelor's and master's degrees in education from Villanova, and in 1975 he received a doctorate in education administration from Duke University.
In the fall of 1969, while at Duke, Nichols started his officiating career with six freshman Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) basketball games. He also began officiating varsity games in the ECAC and the ACC.
In 1974, Nichols worked his first NCAA tournament, the first of 13 in a row. That season, Nichols was one of the officials for the 1974 North Carolina State-Maryland ACC championship game. Nichols said that game was the best he ever worked, and NC State's David Thompson as the greatest player he officiated. NC State won the game in overtime, and went on to win the national championship. At the time only one team from each conference made the NCAA Tournament.
"I just remember getting out of everybody's way," Nichols said. "Those players were so good. We just kind of watched them. It was a magnificent game."
In 1975, Nichols worked the first of 10 Final Fours, and the first of six national championships. The championship game was John Wooden's final game as the head coach at UCLA.
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Hank Nichols
Henry Owen Nichols (July 20, 1936 – March 27, 2026) was an American college basketball referee and later supervisor of officials. In 2012, he was inducted as a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Nichols is also a member of the Philadelphia Big 5 Hall of Fame, Villanova Athletic Hall of Fame, the Philadelphia Athletic Hall of Fame, the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame, and the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. He officiated 10 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Final Fours, a record six NCAA Men's Basketball National Championships, three NIT Finals, two Olympic Games and one European Championship. He was also the first official to work with both the NIT and NCAA Championship Basketball Finals in a single year, and the first National Coordinator of Officials. Since 2004, he has worked as an Umpire Observer for Major League Baseball.
Nichols was born on July 20, 1936, in Niagara Falls, New York, where he grew up. In high school, he attended Bishop Duffy High and lettered in three sports. He earned a scholarship to Villanova University, where he played catcher. He also started on the freshman basketball team. In 1995 he was inducted into the Villanova Varsity Club Hall of Fame in the baseball category.
After graduation, Nichols spent two years in the Marine Corps, followed by three years playing minor league baseball in the Cincinnati Reds organization. In his last season (at age 27), he hit .330 as a player-manager in the Western Carolina League.
Nichols earned both bachelor's and master's degrees in education from Villanova, and in 1975 he received a doctorate in education administration from Duke University.
In the fall of 1969, while at Duke, Nichols started his officiating career with six freshman Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) basketball games. He also began officiating varsity games in the ECAC and the ACC.
In 1974, Nichols worked his first NCAA tournament, the first of 13 in a row. That season, Nichols was one of the officials for the 1974 North Carolina State-Maryland ACC championship game. Nichols said that game was the best he ever worked, and NC State's David Thompson as the greatest player he officiated. NC State won the game in overtime, and went on to win the national championship. At the time only one team from each conference made the NCAA Tournament.
"I just remember getting out of everybody's way," Nichols said. "Those players were so good. We just kind of watched them. It was a magnificent game."
In 1975, Nichols worked the first of 10 Final Fours, and the first of six national championships. The championship game was John Wooden's final game as the head coach at UCLA.