One of the most sought-after high school soccer players in Nova Scotia will play for the Axewomen this fall.
Acadia Varsity Athletics announced last week that Kings County resident and Central Kings Grade 12 student Emily Nickerson has committed to Acadia.
Nickerson becomes the second member of the Nova Scotia Canada Games core roster to choose to attend Acadia in 2013, joining Bedford native Katie Ross, who had committed a couple of weeks earlier.
A top-level recruit, Nickerson feels a strong connection to Acadia.
“Growing up in the Valley, I consider myself a home-oriented person,” she says. “The size and overall feel of Acadia is the perfect fit for me. I picture Acadia as a comfortable and laid back environment, almost like a second home.”
She added that she’s “thrilled” to join the women’s soccer program.
“I’ve been watching them play through the years and I’m beyond excited to begin playing with them, and hopefully making my community, as well as my new teammates, proud,” she said.
A natural fullback who is equally comfortable anywhere on the back line, Nickerson has been a member of Nova Scotia’s youth provincial teams from an early age.
She’s trained at the National Training Centre-Atlantic since 2009, and on two occasions has been invited to train with the national junior program.
She has represented the Valley United Soccer Club at the Tier 1 level throughout her youth career and was a key member of their 2012 championship season.
An honour roll student at Central Kings, Nickerson played on three straight NSSAF D-2 girls’ provincial championship teams during high school.
Axewomen head coach Amit Batra got to know Nickerson from watching her perform at the Atlantic and Canadian All-Stars in 2011.
“We knew she was talented,” Batra says, “but it became apparent she wanted to combine her soccer and academic goals and represent her community, so Emily and Acadia just made sense.”
Canada Games head coach (and former Axewomen all-star) Cindy Tye feels Nickerson will be a great addition to Acadia.
“She is a solid defender who has spent time with the national program and will only strengthen the team,” Tye said.
Andrew MacRae, her Valley United U-18 coach, agrees.
“Emily’s leadership both on and off the field has been outstanding the past two years I have coached her. Her desire to improve and win makes her and everyone around her that much better.”
Nickerson will enter the kinesiology program at Acadia.
