Nichole Inkel

Nichole Inkel is an LPGA apprentice and coming to Windy Hill from Springfield, IL where she was coming off of her fourth year as head women's golf coach at University of Illinois Springfield and led the program to unprecedented heights.

Under her tutelage the Prairie Stars set the school record for team scores five times along with winning two NCAA Division II tournaments this past season.  The Prairie Stars were ranked in the top half of the NCAA Division II rankings along with beating 8 of 11 GLVC conference teams during the regular 2012 season.  

Before coming to UIS Inkel was the girl’s golf coach at Chatham’s Glenwood High School from 2001-09. During her tenure she led the Titans to six conference championships, a pair of undefeated seasons, a regional championship and the title of the only Sangamon County Tournament ever held.

Inkel, who is a huge junior golf advocate, started and helped instruct multiple junior golf camps, clinics and tournaments for the past 20 years.  Her ability to create a vision along with her commitment to the value of golf is very involved with charity events volunteering her time to multiple golf events throughout the year.  In 2010 she was awarded the Celebrity citizen award by the Mayor of Springfield for her support and contribution to the city.  Nichole is not afraid of a challenge and would like to take the junior and Women’s programs to new heights.
As a player, Inkel has experienced a tremendous amount of success on the links.

As a prep athlete at Springfield High School, she qualified for the state tournament and finished in the top ten as an individual in each of her four years.  Inkel was also a member of the 1984 and 1985 Senator teams that finished as the state runner-up.

Along with her outstanding prep career, Inkel has been a four-time Springfield City Champion and 15-time runner-up, a four-time Central Illinois Amateur champion, 13-time Club Champion at Illini Country Club, eight time Central Illinois Country Club Association Champion, four-time Edgewood Open Champion and four-time Shambolee Open Champion.

Nichole holds the women's course record of 67 at The Rail Golf Course and has posted the women's lowest score in The Round the Town Tournament with a 64.

A pioneer in the Central Illinois golf community, Inkel became the first female to qualify for the boy’s championship flight in the Drysdale tournament as a prep and became the first woman to play in the State Farm Rail Shoot out and first participant to have a "hole in one”.

Inkel is also an advanced personal trainer along with certified sports strength and conditioning coach and certified sports nutritionist. 

Inkel has two daughters, Ashley and Joelie, and a son, Ryan.