MADISON, Wis. – In recognition of the late basketball standout Albert "Ab" Nicholas for his philanthropy and impact on his alma mater, Wisconsin Athletics announced on Thursday that beginning with the 2017-18 season, the Kohl Center floor will be known as "Ab Nicholas Court."
"When I think of Ab, I think of a true Badger," Director of Athletics Barry Alvarez explained. "I think of someone who loved this University and was proud of what he accomplished here. I'll always remember him as a friend, a great Badger fan and a great family man."
"Ab always liked to say that he was an average guy who got lucky," UW-Madison chancellor Rebecca Blank said. "But anyone who knows Ab knows that he was exceptional. He was beyond a doubt, one of the most generous and kind-hearted people that I've ever met. His legacy lives on through the people, the programs and the buildings he has helped create."
Originally from Rockford, Illinois, Nicholas earned a bachelor's degree from Wisconsin in 1952 and a master's in 1955. On the basketball court, Nicholas was a three-year starter at shooting guard for the Badgers, earning first-team All-Big Ten honors in 1951 and 1952. As a senior, Nicholas was named a second-team All-American.
In addition to dedicating the court in his honor, UW Athletics will permanently recognize the legacy of Ab Nicholas by hanging No. 8, his basketball jersey number, in the Kohl Center rafters.
Nicholas passed away in August of 2016, but left a legacy that will affect generations of future Badgers. Throughout his life, Ab, and his wife, Nancy, were very active at UW. Nicholas served as a member of the Board of Regents, the School of Business Dean's Advisory Board, the National W Club Board of Directors and was a major donor to the University. The Nicholas' donated $10 million toward construction of the Kohl Center and gave $8 million to the UW School of Human Ecology from which Nancy graduated.
In 2016, the Nicholas Family, announced that they would match $50 million in donations supporting endowed scholarship and fellowship funds.
"His visionary outlook on life was tremendous. The glass with Ab was always half full," head coach Greg Gard added. "He was always so optimistic and so positive in his approach."
"His willingness to give back and better people's lives through education was fantastic," former men's basketball standout Devin Harris said of Nicholas. "He's been a great leader, a great mentor and a guy you can follow in doing the right things in life. I think he'll live on through the other people he's helped."
