Nicki Cardosa steps down as WHS volleyball coach

Nicole Cardosa, a solid member of the Ritz-Merchant family that has dominated women’s athletics in Wayland for several decades, has given up her varsity volleyball coaching job.

The Wayland school district, on its web site, is advertising for a new head coach for the varsity volleyball program.

Cardosa, who also is assistant varsity softball coach under cousin Cheri Ritz, had been at the helm of the volleyball program for four years. She was assistant coach under Kim Getty in 2012 when the Wildcats made it all the way to the Division 2 state semifinals, losing to eventual champion Pontiac Notre Dame Academy.

Cardosa, the former Nicki Merchant, joined the Wayland High School faculty in 2007. She is a sister to three all-state softball players, Macy, Jessica and Brittini Merchant.

A 2000 graduate from Wayland High School, she was a standout four-sport athlete, in basketball, volleyball tennis and softball. She earned her bachelors of science degree in accountancy from Ferris State University, where she also played softball and earned all-league honors. She coached at Ferris for one year as a graduate assistant.

While at Wayland, she also received the Multer Award two years and graduated in the top 20 of her class.  She took part in Student Council as executive treasurer, National Honor Society, and yearbook as a co-editor.

Cardosa is in her ninth year of teaching business classes at Wayland High Schooland is the Student Council advisor and the co-advisor of the local chapter of Business Professionals of America.

She has been married for nine years to husband Nate. They have a 7-year-old daughter, Raegan, and a 4-year-old son, Landen.