Senior Season - 2013
Nichols was an All-Ivy League Second Team selection after accruing a career-high 10 points in her final season on East Hill, including a team-high three assists in Ivy League contests. She finished her career with 13 assists, which ranks tied for sixth on the program's all-time list. One of the team's most creative distributors of the ball, Nichols quadrupled her career goal title with three strikes in 2013. The first came in dramatic fashion, when she converted a penalty kick in overtime to cap the Big Red's 2-1 win against Marist on Sept. 13. Nichols then became the team leader in game-winning goals with the first goal in a 4-0 victory over NJIT on Sept. 22. She later added a second goal for good measure, giving her a multi-goal game for the first time in her collegiate career. Once Ivy League play commenced, Nichols set up both goals in a 2-0 victory over Columbia - the Big Red's first league victory in nearly three years.
Junior Season - 2012
Nichols was once again the Big Red's primary attacking midfielder, doling out three assists while finishing second on the team with 22 shots. Her first assist came in the Big Red's season debut on Jaclyn Katz's goal against Georgetown on Sept. 1. Against Niagara on Sept. 23, Nichols' shot was too much to handle for the Purple Eagles' goalkeeper to handle cleanly, allowing Alysse Godino to swoop in for the rebound goal. Nichols' third assist then came in the Big Red's 4-1 rout of Lafayette on Oct. 2. Shortly after the season ended, Nichols helped the Philippines national team win the LA Viking Cup in November.
Sophomore Season - 2011
Nichols was limited to just eight games off the bench due to an injury, but she wasted little time making her mark upon her return. In her first game back, Nichols' throw-in turned into an assist on a Maneesha Chitanvis goal during a 2-0 win over Niagara on Sept. 25. Nichols then recorded her first career Ivy League point with an assist in the team's 2-1 overtime loss to Yale on Oct. 15.
Freshman Season - 2010
Nichols was a key contributor as a playmaker for the Big Red in her first season, appearing in all 15 games and starting in 13 of those. She also scored a goal and added four assists, sharing the team lead in the latter category with sophomore Xandra Hompe. She picked up an assist in the opening game of her career, a 2-1 loss to Delaware on Sept. 3, then added two more two days later in a 7-0 win against Delaware State. Nichols scored her first career goal with a tally in a win against Binghamton on Sept. 22, and added an assist in the win over Manhattan on Sept. 26.
Before Cornell
Nichols earned first-team All-Examiner honors in 2007 and garnered a spot on the All-Metropolitan area and all-region honorable mention lists in 2009. She was a first-team all-district selection in 2009 and earned team most valuable player honors as well. Nichols also helped lead her school to a state championship in 2007. Nichols played club soccer for the Braddock Road Youth Club, winning the state championship four years in a row. She was a five-time member of the Olympic Development Program state team and was twice selected to the ODP Region I pool. Nichols also earned a spot at the U-14 U.S. Women’s National Team Identification Camp in 2006 and was selected to the Super Y ODP National camp.
Personal
Rachel Dennie Nichols is the daughter of John and Wil Nichols and has an older sister. Her father is a 1977 alumnus of Cornell University, while three aunts and a cousin have attended Cornell. She is enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Nichols' Career Statistics
|
|
Overall |
Ivy League Games |
|
Year |
GP/GS |
Goals |
Assists |
Points |
Shots |
GWG |
Goals |
Assists |
Points |
|
2010 |
15/13 |
1 |
4 |
6 |
10 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
2011 |
8/0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
2012 |
16/15 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
22 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
2013 |
16/16 |
3 |
4 |
10 |
27 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
|
Totals |
55/44 |
4 |
13 |
21 |
59 |
2 |
0 |
4 |
4 |
