Chris Nicholls

Height:
5-8
Weight:
175
Class:
Freshman
Hometown:
Brea, CA
High School:
Servite HS

Expected to challenge Jordan Hines at the Z-Back (wide receiver) position and/or Cam Akins at the X-Back (wide receiver) spot at Cal Poly this fall ... also will return punts and kickoffs.

2013 -- A versatile player who rushed, caught and returned the football as a junior ... rushed 34 times for 210 yards and three touchdowns ... season-high 73 yards on nine carries and one score against Northern Arizona and added 67 yards on 10 trips with one touchdown against UC Davis ... also scored on an 18-yard run against Portland State ... caught 15 passes for 161 yards, including a season-high four receptions against San Diego and three more against Colorado State ... returned 15 kickoffs 298 yards, averaging almost 20 yards per return ... longest kickoff return was 51 yards against Eastern Washington ... also returned one punt seven yards against San Diego ... named to College Football Performance Awards punt return and kickoff return watch lists prior to season ... played in 2014 Spring Game, rushing for two yards on five carries and catching one pass for three yards ... also returned kickoffs 13 and 20 yards.

2012 -- Finished 25th in the nation in punt returns (8.47 average) and No. 37 in kickoff returns (24.00) as a sophomore return specialist ... returned 19 punts for 161 yards, including a long of 27 yards against Weber State ... also had a 23-yard return against Portland State ... returned 22 kickoffs 528 yards, the longest a 54-yarder against Eastern Washington ... also notched kickoff returns of 42, 44 and 47 yards ... on offense carried the ball three times for eight yards and, in season opener against San Diego, caught one pass for five yards ... best mark of 10.68 in 100 in track.

2011 -- Played in nine games with four starts as a redshirt freshman ... rushed twice for eight yards, all in the UC Davis game, and caught seven passes for 56 yards, including a 14-yard reception against San Diego State ... season-high three catches for 16 yards against South Dakota State ... first college start was in season opener against San Diego State at Qualcomm Stadium ... also started against South Dakota State, Northern Illinois and UC Davis.

2010 -- Redshirt.

High School -- Nicholls was a versatile offensive performer under head coach Troy Thomas at Servite High School, rushing for 498 yards (7.5 yards per carry) and 15 touchdowns and catching 41 passes for 776 yards and seven more scores ... named most valuable player of the Trinity League as a wide receiver ... selected to play in the Brea Lions Orange County All-Star Game at Orange Coast College ... earned first-team All-Orange County and first-team all-CIF-Southern Section Pac-5 honors ... also named third-team all-state Division III by calhisports.com ... helped Friars to 14-1 overall record, 4-0 for first place in Trinity League, CIF-Southern Section Pac-5 championship and state Division II championship with a 33-30 win over Rocklin at the Home Depot Center in Carson ... avenged lone loss of season with win over Edison in Pac-5 title game ... Servite finished season ranked No. 3 in nation by MaxPreps.com ... also a sprinter on Friars’ track and field team, finishing fourth in CIF-Southern Section Division I 100-meter final ... was second in Trinity League 100 (10.87), third in 200 (22.61) and anchored the winning 4-by-100 relay team.

Personal -- Son of Jack and Patty Nicholls ... one brother, Ryan ... a distant relative of Thomas Paine, author of “Common Sense” ... aspires to be a physical therapist ... lists snowboarding, relaxing and having fun with friends and family as hobbies ... born July 18, 1991, in La Habra, Calif. ... majors in recreation, parks and tourism administration.