Johnston native Sofia Calabro enjoyed a breakout season with the Nichols College field hockey team and is gearing up for this upcoming ice hockey season for the Bison as well.
The sophomore standout surged from the get-go this fall, racking up individual stats and tallying her first career hat trick among other feats. She finished the season leading the team in points, scoring six goals to go along with six assists and leading the club to five wins.
“I was way more comfortable and confident, way more focused. I know the Nichols system now and the jump from high school is big, the pace is faster and people can shoot the ball from anywhere. Knowing that I could play at that pace made me confident going into this year,” said Calabro of the difference between her freshman and sophomore seasons.
The Nichols roster is a young one, made up largely of underclassmen. Calabro is excited to grow with this unit and to become a leader as her career goes on.
“As a team, we worked well together and we got some new freshmen that really made a difference. We’re rebuilding, we’re young, so that helps a lot knowing we’re getting the same people back. It’s good to know that we have a long way to go and a lot of potential that we haven’t met yet,” Calabro said. “I feel a sense of leadership on the field. I’m just trying to help them win. We have a lot more to learn. We had a lot of players injured which made it hard, so it was about freshmen being in new positions. You can’t focus on yourself and your individual points, it’s about helping the team and everyone around you.”
Calabro has shown off her talent by being a rare two-sport collegiate athlete. The Nichols women’s ice hockey team is approaching puck drop and will also have a young roster that will be in rebuild mode this winter.
“We’re learning every single day, learning step by step. The freshmen we have are really good so we’re hoping to have a big year. I’m just trying to motivate my team. Motivate everybody around me to be better,” said Calabro.
Although being a two-sport athlete presents its challenges, Calabro is grateful for the opportunity and appreciates the support from her teammates in each sport.
“Sometimes it gets stressful but it’s cool to get the opportunity to play both,” Calabro said. “It’s great knowing that I have so many teammates that help me.”