Photo by: Rodrigo Jaramillo for PAHF
Field Hockey’s Emily Nicholls Wins Silver Medal with Team USA U-21
Apr 20 | Field Hockey
Nicholls Competed at Junior Pan American Cup
SANTIAGO, Chile – Rutgers field hockey goalkeeper recently completed tournament play as a member of the Team USA U-21 Women's National Team Squad at the Junior Pan American Cup. Nicholls and the Red, White and Blue brought home a Silver Medal from the event. Team USA earned four wins throughout the tournament and qualified for the FIH Hockey Junior World Cup with the result.
Serving as one of two goalkeepers on the roster, Nichols helped Team USA to three shutouts in the event, as the team blanked Canada, Mexico and Uruguay. The Scarlet Knights' biggest moment came in a dramatic semifinal victory for Team USA, when she stepped in and shined during a key moment in a dramatic victory over Uruguay. After regulation, that game was tied at 1-1, and Nicholls came off the bench to step into the cage for the shootout. In that shootout, Nicholls came up huge by denying three shot attempts as USA won the shootout 3-1 and both advanced to the finals and qualified for the Junior World Cup. Nicholls turned aside three of the four shot attempts by Uruguay in that shootout, staying composed and making a series of saves with her blockers on low tries to deny them from goal and push USA to victory.
"It's an honor to represent red, white, and blue—and proud to bring home a medal with this incredible squad and staff," said Lynn Farquhar, U-21 USWNT Head Coach. "The persistence and energy we showed in the finals reflect just how much this group has grown together as Team USA. Qualifying for the Junior World Cup was our mission, and we hope it paves the way for those who come next."
Nicholls completed an excellent redshirt freshman campaign 'On the Banks' this past season. The goalkeeper from Haddon Heights, N.J. was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team after posting a 1.61 goals-against-average and 78.8% save percentage with 108 saves.
The Camden Catholic product was second in Big Ten in 6.0 saves per game and third in Big Ten (sixth nationally) in save percentage and had the most saves in a season for any RU goalkeeper under head coach Meredith Civico. That marked the most stops for a RU goalkeeper since Rosalyn Wentko had 127 in the 2006 season.
Nicholls is the second Scarlet Knight goalkeeper under head coach Meredith Civico to be selected to play with the U.S. U-21 team. Previously, Gianna Glatz was selected to the squad in January of 2019. Glatz traveled to Germany for a tour with the U-21 team in April of 2019 and later traveled to Chile in 2021 to play for Team USA at the Junior Pan American Championships.
Gallery: (4-20-2026) FH: Emily Nicholls Team USA U-21 JPAC
Serving as one of two goalkeepers on the roster, Nichols helped Team USA to three shutouts in the event, as the team blanked Canada, Mexico and Uruguay. The Scarlet Knights' biggest moment came in a dramatic semifinal victory for Team USA, when she stepped in and shined during a key moment in a dramatic victory over Uruguay. After regulation, that game was tied at 1-1, and Nicholls came off the bench to step into the cage for the shootout. In that shootout, Nicholls came up huge by denying three shot attempts as USA won the shootout 3-1 and both advanced to the finals and qualified for the Junior World Cup. Nicholls turned aside three of the four shot attempts by Uruguay in that shootout, staying composed and making a series of saves with her blockers on low tries to deny them from goal and push USA to victory.
"It's an honor to represent red, white, and blue—and proud to bring home a medal with this incredible squad and staff," said Lynn Farquhar, U-21 USWNT Head Coach. "The persistence and energy we showed in the finals reflect just how much this group has grown together as Team USA. Qualifying for the Junior World Cup was our mission, and we hope it paves the way for those who come next."
Nicholls completed an excellent redshirt freshman campaign 'On the Banks' this past season. The goalkeeper from Haddon Heights, N.J. was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team after posting a 1.61 goals-against-average and 78.8% save percentage with 108 saves.
The Camden Catholic product was second in Big Ten in 6.0 saves per game and third in Big Ten (sixth nationally) in save percentage and had the most saves in a season for any RU goalkeeper under head coach Meredith Civico. That marked the most stops for a RU goalkeeper since Rosalyn Wentko had 127 in the 2006 season.
Nicholls is the second Scarlet Knight goalkeeper under head coach Meredith Civico to be selected to play with the U.S. U-21 team. Previously, Gianna Glatz was selected to the squad in January of 2019. Glatz traveled to Germany for a tour with the U-21 team in April of 2019 and later traveled to Chile in 2021 to play for Team USA at the Junior Pan American Championships.
Players Mentioned
GK
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