No. 16 Rutgers field hockey goalkeeper Emily Nicholls has been named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, marking the team’s first conference weekly honor of the season. Nicholls, a redshirt freshman, played 105 minutes without conceding a goal and made 11 saves as Rutgers opened its season with two wins.
Nicholls appeared in her first two collegiate games over the weekend. She played three quarters in the home opener against Wagner, recording three saves and leaving with Rutgers ahead 4-0. In her first road start on Sunday, she kept Vermont scoreless with eight saves. Vermont is the reigning America East champion and participated in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
Nicholls is the first goalkeeper under head coach Meredith Civico to not allow a goal in her first two career starts during Civico’s 14 seasons at Rutgers. Her eight-save performance at Vermont was also notable; it was the second highest by a Rutgers freshman goalkeeper since 2013 and the most since Gianna Glatz made nine saves against Michigan in October 2017.
A graduate of Camden Catholic, Nicholls redshirted last fall before being named MVP of the Big Apple Tournament in spring. She has also been selected for several honors including participation in the Senior Nexus Championships, U-21 USA Junior Women’s National Team Selection Camp, and placement on the NFHCA Collegiate Watch List.
Rutgers will continue its season this weekend with four consecutive games against teams ranked No. 11 or higher nationally. The Scarlet Knights are scheduled to play neutral site matches in Columbus against No. 11 Syracuse and No. 3 Virginia.
