The Tournament of Champions Women’s Leadership Program is proud to recognize Jess Winstanley Nicol, Co-Founder and CEO of Nicol, as its 2027 honoree, with Amy Rosenfeld, Senior Vice President of Olympic and Paralympic Production at NBC Sports, serving as the keynote speaker. The luncheon will be held on Friday, January 22, 2027, in New York City.
An entrepreneur and community builder, Jess has spent more than 15 years creating businesses at the intersection of sport, wellness, hospitality, and human connection. She is the Co-Founder and CEO of Nicol, a racquet sports club company she founded with her husband, former World No. 1 squash player Peter Nicol, MBE.
Under Jess’s leadership, Nicol has grown from its roots in junior squash programming into three clubs: Nicol Squash in New York City, Nicol Rackets in New Jersey, and Nicol Padel in New Jersey. Together, the clubs reflect a vision to make racquet sports more accessible, social, and welcoming to players of all ages and abilities.
Jess is a passionate advocate for the growth of racquet sports, junior development, and creating greater opportunities for women in sport. Central to her work is a belief in the ability of sport to improve lives through physical and mental health, confidence, friendship, and a genuine sense of belonging.
“Jess Nicol’s entrepreneurial drive to make squash accessible, fun and impactful for generations of players makes her a true pioneer in the sport. Squash needs a thousand of her!” said Mollie Marcoux Samaan. “US Squash celebrates and thanks Jess for all that she has done for the game.”
The 2027 Women’s Leadership Program will also feature a keynote address from Amy Rosenfeld, Senior Vice President of Olympic and Paralympic Production at NBC Sports. A six-time Sports Emmy Award winner, Rosenfeld joined NBC Sports in 2022 following 15 years at ESPN, where her responsibilities included coverage of the FIFA Men’s and Women’s World Cups, NCAA Championships, the X Games, and the launch of the ACC Network. At NBC Sports, Rosenfeld has helped lead Olympic and Paralympic coverage for Paris 2024 and Milan Cortina 2026 and is now working toward the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Tournament of Champions Women’s Leadership Program was founded in 2014 by Ashley Bernhard and ToC owner John Nimick to support female athletes, celebrate women in leadership, and advance gender equity in sport. In 2015, the program helped secure full prize-money parity for women at the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions.
The College Squash Association (CSA) will serve as the beneficiary of this year’s Women’s Leadership Program, with proceeds directly supporting the newly launched Sprout
Initiative. The CSA is the governing body for intercollegiate varsity and club squash in the United States.
The Sprout Initiative is a new CSA leadership and career development program designed to help women college squash players pursue opportunities in coaching, teaching, officiating, and leadership after graduation. Through education, mentorship, and professional development, Sprout aims to develop the next generation of women leaders in squash and create pathways for them to remain engaged in the sport.
The luncheon will take place from 12:00–1:30 p.m. on Friday, January 22, followed by a Tournament of Champions session beginning at 2:00 p.m. featuring two professional matches. Tickets for the luncheon and Tournament of Champions session are sold separately.
Join us in celebrating Jess Nicol as the 2027 Women’s Leadership Program honoree and recognizing a career dedicated to growing the game, building community, and creating opportunities for the next generation through sport.
For more information or to purchase tickets and tables, please visit the Women’s Leadership Website.
