Nick Zimmerman

Last updated
Nick Zimmerman
Nick Zimmerman 2011.jpg
Personal information
Full name Nicholas Zimmerman
Date of birth (1987-05-03) May 3, 1987 (age 38)
Place of birth Tampa, Florida, United States
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Position(s) Winger, forward
College career
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2005–2008 James Madison Dukes
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2009 New York Red Bulls 11 (0)
2009 → Crystal Palace Baltimore (loan) 2 (0)
2010 Philadelphia Union 8 (0)
2010 → Harrisburg City Islanders (loan) 2 (2)
2011–2014 Carolina RailHawks 60 (21)
2015 Wilmington Hammerheads 14 (3)
Managerial career
2015–2018 Columbus State (assistant)
2019–2024 Mississippi State (assistant)
2025 Mississippi State
2026- Florida
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Nick Zimmerman (born May 3, 1987) is an American former soccer player and currently the head coach of the Florida Gators women's soccer team.

Contents

Career

College and amateur

Zimmerman played college soccer for James Madison University from 2005 to 2008. In his four years with James Madison, he appeared in 75 matches scoring 13 goals. He was primarily used as a central midfielder. In 2007, he also played club soccer for a top Florida youth club, HC United. He also played for Brandon Flames and Temple Terrace Spirit.

Professional

Zimmerman was drafted in the third round (44th overall) of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft by New York Red Bulls. His play in pre-season earned him a contract with the Major League Soccer club. He made his debut for the team on 20 March 2009 in a friendly against Portland Timbers which ended in a scoreless draw.

Zimmerman was briefly sent on loan to Crystal Palace Baltimore in the USL Second Division in May 2009. [1] He made his professional debut for Palace on May 15, 2009, in a 1–0 win against Western Mass Pioneers, [2] and made his MLS debut for New York on June 4, 2009, as a second-half substitute in a 2–0 defeat to D.C. United. [3]

Zimmerman was selected by Philadelphia Union in the 2009 MLS Expansion Draft on November 25, 2009. [4] He also spent time on loan with Harrisburg City Islanders in the USL Second Division. He was waived by Philadelphia on March 1, 2011. [5]

He signed with Carolina RailHawks FC of the North American Soccer League in April 2011. [6] In December 2011, Carolina re-signed Zimmerman for the 2012 season. [7] Zimmerman scored 15 goals for the Railhawks in 2012 and was named to the 2012 NASL Best XI. [8]

After an injury-ravaged 2014, Zimmerman left Carolina and signed with United Soccer League club Wilmington Hammerheads on March 12, 2015. [9]

International

In 2001 Zimmerman played for the United States Under-15 national team.

Coaching

Zimmerman began his coaching career in 2015 as an assistant coach for the Columbus State University women’s soccer program, a Division II team in Columbus, Georgia, working under head coach Jay Entlich.

In 2019, he joined Mississippi State University as an assistant coach and was later promoted to associate head coach. He was named head coach of the program on December 3, 2024, following the departure of James Armstrong to Auburn University. [10]

After leading Mississippi State to a 12–7–1 record in his first season as head coach, including three wins over top-10 opponents and an NCAA Tournament berth, Zimmerman was appointed head coach at the University of Florida on December 5, 2025. [11]

Career statistics

Updated 17 August 2011

All-time career performance
ClubSeason MLS U.S. Open Cup MLS Cup CONCACAF Total
AppGoalsAppGoalsAppGoalsAppGoalsAppGoals
New York Red Bulls
2009 11010--120
Philadelphia Union
2010 8010--90
MLS Total19020--210
ClubSeason NASL U.S. Open Cup MLS Cup CONCACAF Total
AppGoalsAppGoalsAppGoalsAppGoalsAppGoals
Carolina RailHawks
2011 196----196
NASL Total19600--406

Collegiate coaching record

Statistics overview
SeasonTeamOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Mississippi State Bulldogs (SEC)(2025–2025)
2025Mississippi State 12-7-15-4-1T-7th NCAA first round
Mississippi State:12–7–1 (.625)5–4–1 (.550)
Florida Gators (SEC)(2026–Present)
2026Florida
Florida:
Total:12–7–1 (.625)

      National champion        Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion        Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion      Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

  1. ↑ "Palace sign two on loan from MLS team Red Bull New York". Photomac Soccerwire. 13 May 2009. Archived from the original on 18 February 2012. Retrieved 2009-05-17.
  2. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2020-08-18. Retrieved 2009-05-17.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ↑ "Major League Soccer: Match Tracker: Main". Archived from the original on 2009-06-12. Retrieved 2009-06-05.
  4. ↑ Union select 10 players in expansion draft Archived 2009-11-28 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ↑ "Union Sign Two, Waive Two | Philadelphia Union". philadelphiaunion.com. Archived from the original on 2011-03-05. Retrieved 2014-05-02.
  6. ↑ "Home | nasl.com". nasl.com. Retrieved 2014-05-02.
  7. ↑ "Home | nasl.com". nasl.com. Retrieved 2014-05-02.
  8. ↑ "Home | nasl.com". nasl.com. Retrieved 2014-05-02.
  9. ↑ "Zimmerman Joins Hammerheads for 2015 Season | Wilmington Hammerheads". Archived from the original on 2015-05-02. Retrieved 2015-03-14.
  10. ↑ "Nick Zimmerman Named Mississippi State Head Soccer Coach". hailstate.com. Mississippi State University Athletics. December 3, 2024. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  11. ↑ "Nick Zimmerman is Gators Soccer Coach". Florida Gators. December 5, 2025. Retrieved December 5, 2025.
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