BREWER – A former standout athlete is returning to his stomping grounds of Brewer High School this winter.

Andy Nickerson of Holden was named head coach of the girls varsity basketball team Monday evening at the Brewer School Committee meeting.

“The vision he brings is what we need to take our program to another level,” athletic director Dennis Kiah said after the announcement.

Nickerson, a 1984 Brewer graduate, is replacing Mark Savage, who spent four seasons with the Witches. Kiah said Savage stepped down to spend more time with his family and concentrate more on his position as the outdoor education instructor at Brewer.

Ten candidates showed interest in the position and five were interviewed.

“His knowledge and background in athletics, basketball in particular, made him one of our leading candidates,” Kiah said.

Nickerson was a two-time second team BDN All-Maine basketball player. A three-sport athlete at BHS, Nickerson played for the University of Maine football team (1986-88), where he was a standout linebacker.

Although his playing days have passed, the Wight’s Sporting Goods owner has continued his passion through coaching.

Kiah said Nickerson is an active volunteer coach at the youth level and served as an assistant coach for the Brewer boys varsity basketball team during the 2001-02 season.

When Nickerson began that job, he received praise from Brewer boys basketball coach Mark Reed.

“He has a link to Brewer basketball when it was very successful, he’s great with kids and the kids need to hear what it takes to succeed from more people than me,” Reed said in a September 2001 story.

Kiah expects Nickerson to be 100 percent ready when they meet today and discuss plans and goals for the school’s annual summer basketball program.

The Brewer girls finished 3-15 this past season, failing to make one last appearance at the Bangor Auditorium as the Eastern Maine Class A tourney moves to Augusta next year. Savage compiled a 26-64 record in his four seasons as the team’s coach.

Nickerson will be the sixth Brewer girls coach since 1990. The last time the team posted an above-.500 record was in 2000 when it was 12-6 under coach Tim Thornton.

Nickerson, along with Phil Kimball and Steve Smith, helped lead the Brewer boys basketball team to the No. 1 spot in the Eastern Maine Class A basketball tourney in 1984 with a 17-1 record. Lawrence of Fairfield beat Brewer in overtime in the Eastern Maine final.

Nickerson and his wife, Karen, have two daughters. He has been owner of Wight’s Sporting Goods in Bangor since February 1992.

Nickerson and a group of volunteers helped renovate Brewer High’s weight room in fall of 2002. They replaced the old floor, put down carpet and added equipment to the room.

Nickerson could not be reached for comment.