University of Maine sophomore midfielder Nicole Sevey has been lighting up the field hockey pitch since she arrived at UMaine, and she doesn’t plan on slowing down.
If Sevey ever went through that shaky transition phase so common with new collegiate level athletes, we must have missed it: She had a great high school sports career, winning three state championships and four Eastern Maine championships at Skowhegan Area High School. She was named Miss Maine Field Hockey her senior year, a prestigious award given out to the player deemed to be the best in Maine. When she arrived at UMaine, she didn’t skip a beat, starting all 20 games in her freshman season to earn a unanimous selection for the America East All-Rookie team.
“I’d say one of the things I’m most proud of is making that transition from high school to college,” Sevey said. “The game speed is much faster and the skill level is higher. I got to play on some turf in high school, but mostly grass, so it was also a huge adjustment to play on turf in college.”
Though field hockey takes up a good chunk of her time here at UMaine, she still finds time to enjoy herself.
“It’s difficult having to balance field hockey and classes, but I love spending time with my teammates in my free time.”
Aside from her teammates, she finds peace off-campus with her family’s horses.
“My family has some horses boarded up a couple miles off campus, so when I can I will go out and ride them, it’s relaxing.”
Even with her busy schedule, she continues to excel in the classroom. Last year she was named to the America East Commissioner’s Honor Roll, finishing her first semester with a 3.5 GPA. Sevey is a business management student and has some plans for her own business when she graduates.
“When I graduate, I would like to stay in Maine and start my own business. I’m not sure what I want to do, but that’s mostly what I’m interested in.”
Her sophomore season has gotten off to a roaring start, with 11 points in seven games, good enough for second on the team. She was named the America East Player of the Week after she scored five goals against Hofstra University in one game and tallied eight points in just one weekend of play.
“Getting America East Player of the Week was huge for me; it was a great honor,” Sevey said. “It was one of my biggest accomplishments.”
She attributes much of her success to her attitude on the field, specifically her confidence.
“Becoming a more confident player is what helped me a lot, especially when I was first trying to make the adjustment to college.”
As long as she keeps playing with the confidence she has, there is no doubt that she will continue to excel for the UMaine women’s field hockey team.
Sevey and her fellow Black Bears play at home against the University of Massachusetts-Lowell in their first conference matchup of the season Sept. 28 at 1 p.m.