Middlebury head cross country and assistant track and field coach Nicole Wilkerson has been selected as a member of Rice University's Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2025. Wilkerson, then Aleskowitch, graduated from Rice in 1993 and was a force in the distance events as a member of the track and field team. She was a three-time Southwest Conference Champion in the 3,000, claiming the crown twice indoors and once outdoors and a member of the 3,200 relay squad that hoisted the trophy in 1992. During her redshirt season in 1994, Wilkerson guided Rice to its first top-10 team finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, finishing fourth in the 3,000. Her time of 9:27.89 is the second-fastest in program history. 
 

"We are proud of Nicole for being recognized by her alma mater for her outstanding athletic career," said Director of Athletics Erin Quinn '86. "Nicole has translated her athletic success at Rice seamlessly into a stellar coaching career at Middlebury, and it is exciting to see her receive this recognition for her athletic accomplishments."

 
Wilkerson helped guide women's cross country to five NCAA Championships, while combining for 10 NESCAC Titles between the men's and women's programs. In track and field, she has assisted the men's and women's squads to six conference crowns, most recently in 2025 on the men's side. Wilkerson has been lauded with numerous awards throughout her tenure, highlighted by a trio of United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) New England Coach of the Year honors in cross country, as well as being tabbed the NESCAC Cross Country Coach of the Year four times. In track and field, she has earned USTFCCCA New England Assistant Coach of the Year accolades on six occasions, while being lauded with her colleagues as the NESCAC Coaching Staff of the Year seven times. 
 

"I am very honored by this recognition from my alma mater," said Wilkerson. "Rice has always balanced great academics and athletics, and I am a proud alumnae. It means a lot to me to be recognized in this class and to join the ranks in the Hall of Fame."

 
Wilkerson will be inducted into the Rice University Athletics Hall of Fame alongside six other Owls on Friday, October 24, 2025.