Russ Rose Then (2007): “I thought that Nicole had an exceptional year last year and is continuing to make strides in improving her overall game in areas where she has weaknesses. She may be the best step-close hitter we’ve ever had here, as far as getting on the ball quickly. Her blocking is improving and the fact she’s a two-time All American after her first two years here is a clear indication of her talents. She is committed to the team and is well-deserving of her role as a leader.”
Russ Rose Now (2025): “Nicole was one of the top recruits in the country and did not disappoint during her career at Penn State. She had a long professional career and was a member of the national team for a long time. She was coaching for a little bit at Ohio State and continues to work for one of the professional leagues in team and player development. In 2008, we won every game during the season, until we lost two games against Nebraska in the National Semifinals. Nicole had a very good jump spin serve, and we’re in the fifth game, and she went to the float serve. And she had success with that float serve, even though she was serving against Jordan Larson and Kayla Banworth, who were both future national team players. It was Nicole’s call to go to the float serve. The players on that 2008 team had such a good run that most of the time they had the green light to make decisions, whether it was to take a risky swing or alter a serve a little bit. Nicole was a warrior who wanted the ball, and that carried over into a very successful national team career after college. She was always ready to play. No excuses. When she was banged up, she was still out there. She understood the role she had, and she embraced it and made us better. She was one of a number of players in those years who really helped elevate the program.”
2007 Season (Junior) Highlights and Awards: 2007 National Champion … AVCA First Team All-America … NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team … AVCA First Team All-Mideast Region … NCAA University Park Regional All-Tournament Team … unanimous First Team All-Big Ten … Big Ten Player of the Week (10/8) … Yale Classic All-Tournament Team … Penn State Classic All-Tournament Team … unanimous preseason All-Big Ten … averaged 4.44 kills/set, good for 2nd on the team and 7th in the Big Ten … finished with a hitting percentage of .313, good for 10th in the Big Ten … surpassed the 1,000 kill plateau in the season-opener against Texas (8/24) and ended the 2007 campaign with 1,512 career kills, good for 5th on Penn State’s all-time list … her career total also made her only the 5th player in Lion history to surpass the 1,500 career kills mark … her 533 kills in the 2007 season ranked 9th on the PSU single-season list … led the team and ranked 2nd in the Big Ten with 47 service aces for the season, a number that more than doubled her previous career total of 40 heading into 2007.
Season Recap: Started all 36 matches of the season and played in 120 of 122 sets … led the team in kills 13 times … recorded double-digit kills in 31 of 36 matches and has double-digit kill numbers in 92 of her 103 collegiate matches … recorded a rally-scoring-era school record 31 kills in the five-set win over Cal Poly (8/31), also setting a new career high … had 6 contests with more than 20 kills …… produced 5 aces against Indiana (11/3) and had 15 multiple-ace contests … recorded 177 digs for the season, including 3 double-digit matches … ranked 5th on the squad with 1.48 digs/set … produced 101 total blocks for an average of 0.84 blocks/set … ended the 2007 season with 278 career total blocks, good for 14th all-time on the Penn State charts … had at least 2 blocks in 24 contests.
NCAA Tournament: Recorded a career-high 11 blocks in the NCAA First Round win over Siena (11/30) … for the NCAA Tournament (20 sets), averaged 4.20 kills/set on .387 hitting with 12 service aces, 22 digs and 26 blocks.
Before Penn State: Four-year volleyball letterwinner and three-year track letterwinner for Benjamin Logan High School in Bellefontaine, Ohio … four-year team captain in volleyball for the Raiders … two-year member of the USA Junior National Team, including the 2004 squad that won the NORCECA gold medal in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada … member of the 2003 USA Youth National Team … 2004 Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year … Volleyball Magazine ‘Fab 50’ … Ohio High Magazine Player of the Year … led the team to 92-13 scholastic record, including three league championships and the district and regional runner-up titles in 2004 … three-time First Team All-Ohio honoree … earned four First Team CBC honors, four First Team District IX accolades and three District IX Player of the Year awards … set the school record for kills in a season four consecutive years … holds the Ohio state record for career kills … regional track high jump finalist in 2004 and 2005 … member of the Team Atlantis Volleyball Club … National Honor Society member … named to the Fall Sport All-Academic Team and the honor roll.