Nico Brands is in his third season as an assistant men's lacrosse coach at Ohio Wesleyan University. He serves as the Battling Bishops' defensive coordinator and was part of a staff that garnered North Coast Athletic Conference Coaching Staff of the Year honors in 2024.
Brands came to Ohio Wesleyan from Wheaton (Mass.) College, where he served as defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator for one year, helping guide the Lyons to a 10-5 record, the team's best in a decade, a national top-10 ranking in clearing, and a top-15 national ranking in man-down defense.
Prior to Wheaton, Brands was an assistant coach at Vassar College for one season and served as defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator at Bard College for 2 years. He began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant in boys lacrosse at Woodstock (Vt.) Union High School during his collegiate years, and later was an assistant boys ice hockey coach at Woodstock Union, helping the team win a state championship.
Brands is a 2016 graduate of Bishop's (Quebec) University, earning a bachelor's degree in sports studies with a concentration in business. He was a 2-time first-team Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association East All-Canadian selection as a defenseman and helped the Gaiters win the Baggataway Cup as the CUFLA national champion in 2011.
He is a native of Woodstock, Vt.
