Name: Emily Nicholson
School: University of Akron
Major: Biomedical Science
Leadership Role: Safety Officer
What sports/clubs were you involved in throughout high school?
Track and Field, Field Hockey, Volleyball
How did you first get involved with the club?
I went to a late night at the rec event where I started playing dodgeball with a bunch of randos and met Nicole who invited me to come to the first practice with her.
How was your first tournament?
My first tournament was very nerve wrecking just because I did not know what to expect. However, it was also super fun getting to see how the game was played out especially by people who were so good at it.
Describe your most memorable tournament moment?
I gotta stick with Cooper Sites double catch against Towson. That was nuts especially seeing it from ten feet away in the sideline.
Who are your role models?
I’ll go with my older brother for life, he is always so calm and collected and he always seems to make the right decisions. As for dodgeball I would have to go with PJ Antalek, he is just someone you’d always want to have your back.
What are you looking forward to this semester/coming years in the league?
I am very excited for the continued growth of the women’s league. I feel that we have already made so much progress in regard to the women’s league and there is still so much to cover but Akron has already gone from 4 girls since I have joined in 2021 to around 15. I know other teams are growing their female numbers as well!
Overall, how would you describe the experience of being a woman in dodgeball?
Being a woman in dodgeball is fantastic. I love being a part of dodgeball especially when there is a chance to integrate more women into the league. The competitiveness and drive that a lot of these guys have is inspiring in a lot of ways and it is super cool to be on a team where a lot of the guys we have truly have their own set of skills which is so cool to see.
Who’s a team you’d like to play at nationals?
For pinch I would love to play JMU… and for no sting I would love to play MSU women’s.
If you could describe your playing style as an animal, what animal would it be?
I think for sure it would be a duck. I feel like ducks are pretty clumsy but sometimes they do something and you’re like oh wow look at that.
What’s your walk up song?
Red Red Wine by UB40