Nicholas Askew, a native of Kinston, North Carolina, has made an indelible mark on the world of collegiate athletics, revolutionizing the sport of swimming and diving. His journey began early, splashing into his first pool at the age of three and stepping onto the tennis court at seven. By the age of 10, Askew was a dedicated competitor, being groomed as a future Olympic swimmer. His exceptional talent in swimming and tennis earned him the prestigious title of High School Athlete of the Year before graduating.
In 1996, Askew followed in his two older brothers’ footsteps to attend Howard University, where he excelled as a dual-sport athlete in swimming and tennis. During his collegiate career, he broke several swimming records, served as team captain, and earned six conference championships. A four-time Most Valuable Player—three in swimming and one in tennis—Askew distinguished himself as the only Howard student-athlete to earn MVP honors in two sports in the same year. These accomplishments led to Askew being inducted into the Howard University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022.
Askew’s coaching career began in 2001 when he became an assistant coach at his alma mater, recruiting and training top-tier talent. The following year, he expanded his impact by serving as Director of Programs at the Prince George’s Tennis and Education Foundation, where he used sports to teach leadership, discipline, and accountability.
With nearly two decades of professional coaching experience, Askew has developed athletes into district, state, and national champions. His innovative coaching style and commitment to community empowerment have earned him numerous accolades, including Coach of the Week, Coach of the Year in 3 different conferences (CCSA, MEAC, and NEC), and Professional of the Year. In 2020, he was honored with the Maritza Correia McClendon Award from Diversity in Aquatics and named CCSA Men’s Coach of the Year. In 2022, voted on by his peers, he was presented the National Collegiate and Scholastic Trophy.  Additionally in 2023, Askew was distinguished along side Dawn Staley as a Drake Hero Award winner and recognized with Michael Phelps as the Indiana Sports Corp Pathfinder Award winner, further cementing his legacy in the sport.
As Director of Swimming & Diving at the nation's only NCAA Division I Historically Black College and University (HBCU) swimming and diving program, Askew has transformed Howard University’s program into a globally recognized powerhouse. Since his tenure began, the team has seen unprecedented success, including:
- Winning its first dual meet in nearly 15 years by his second season.
- Finishing undefeated at home in his third season.
- Breaking over 200 school records.
- Achieving its best season-ending records in nearly 30 years.
- Competing on the national stage at the National Invitational Championship.
- Producing Olympic athletes
- Producing NCAA Diving Championship Athletes
- Producing NCAA Swimming Championship Qualifiers
- 2023 Northeast Conference Men's Champions (First Conference Championship in program history.
- 2024 Northeast Conference Women's runner-up (Best in program history)
Askew’s innovative leadership has also revolutionized the sport’s culture. In 2022, he created the groundbreaking "Battle at the Burr", a first-of-its-kind swimming and diving showcase held at Howard University’s Burr Gymnasium. The SOLD OUT event has brought international attention to the program, celebrating diversity and inclusion while electrifying the collegiate swimming and diving scene. Special guests have included Olympians Maritza McClendon, Cullen Jones, Simone Manuel, Katie Meili, Rowdy Gaines, and more. At BATBIII, social media influencer, Kyle Sockwell made HU the second stop on his College Dual Meet Tour.
Under Askew's leadership, the program has achieved remarkable academic success as well. Both squads have consistently been named CSCAA Scholar All-America Teams, with the men’s team earning the Highest Team GPA Award at Howard University in two of the past three years. Individual athletes, such as Mohamed Bouzaghrane, Aaliyah Young and Noah Nicholas, have been recognized for earning the highest athlete GPAs at Howard.
A proud Howard alumnus with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Askew resides in Maryland with his wife and fellow Howard graduate, Christie Askew, and their three daughters, Aleena, Avianna, and Aleya. Through his visionary leadership, Askew continues to inspire, innovate, and elevate the world of collegiate swimming and diving. The best is yet to come.
