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Eight Nichols School Seniors Sign with NCAA Division I Athletic Teams

Nichols School hosted a National Signing Day ceremony on Friday, November 12 to recognize eight student-athletes in the Class of 2022 who will be playing NCAA Division I athletics next year.
 
This class’s future Division I athletes are Andrew Bigelow ’22 (lacrosse, Johns Hopkins University), Joe Blackley ’22 (ice hockey, Yale University), Kendall Dorn (crew, George Washington University), Mirann Gacioch ’22 (soccer, The Ohio State University), Joey Muldowney ’22 (ice hockey, University of Connecticut), Ava Plata ’22 (lacrosse, University of Connecticut), Ellie Simmons ’22 (ice hockey, University of Vermont) and Sara Waszkielewicz ’22 (ice hockey, Lindenwood University).
 
“I have had the opportunity to watch these kids grow, not just as future Division I athletes but also as students, leaders and people,” Nichols School Director of Athletics Rob Stewart said. “Each is a great representative of Nichols School and our community and we are extremely proud of all of them. We look forward to watching them finish their senior years at Nichols and to following their collegiate athletic careers in the years ahead.”
 
Andrew Bigelow ’22 – Lacrosse, Johns Hopkins University
 


Bigelow is known for his combination of power and speed which makes him a formidable defender for Nichols’ varsity boys lacrosse squad. As a junior in 2020, Bigelow finished second on the Vikings in both ground balls and takeaways. He earned First Team All-Catholic and First Team All-WNY honors.
 
Bigelow looks ahead to close his Nichols career with a strong senior season in the spring before joining a Johns Hopkins men’s lacrosse team which has won nine NCAA tournament championships.  
 
“Andrew has an incredible work ethic,” Stewart said. “He has worked very hard in the weight room to get bigger, stronger and faster and has improved his game tremendously in the off season. He is an all-around athlete who is a contributor on the basketball team as well. When he is not playing a sport, you can find him on the sidelines cheering on his fellow Nichols athletes in other sports. Besides his physical abilities, his coaches are impressed with his leadership and his willingness to help the younger players improve and feel part of the program.”
 
Joe Blackley ’22 – Ice Hockey, Yale University
 


Blackley has been a trusted leader for the Nichols boys prep hockey team on the blueline since his sophomore year, when he played valuable minutes on a team led by 13 seniors. As a junior, he scored 24 points in 36 games, helping the Vikings to the 2021 New York State Championship tournament. Blackley tore his ACL in May but helped Nichols finish the tournament as finalists, and hopes to return to the ice soon.
 
After graduation, Blackley plans to play junior hockey prior to joining the Yale Bulldogs. He has signed to play with the Minot Minotauros in the North American Hockey League (NAHL).
 
“Going into his junior season, he was named an assistant captain for his leadership both on and off the ice,” Stewart said. “His work ethic and compete level are contagious and he made his teammates better in practice every day, leading by example.”
 
Kendall Dorn ’22 – Crew, George Washington University
 


Dorn made an impact for Nichols’ varsity crew team from the beginning as a freshman, competing on the Senior 4+ boat and earning bronze at the 2019 New York State Scholastic Championships. She was also a member of the Junior 4+ boat that raced at the prestigious Stotesbury Cup.
 
Last season as a junior, Dorn was a key member of Nichols’ Senior 4+ boat that placed top-three in every regatta, including a scholastic gold at the New York State regatta. That earned the boat a bid to compete in the Scholastic National Championships on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, which was canceled mid-regatta due to cold, heavy rain and high water.
 
In the summer of 2021, Dorn was invited to participate in the high-performance group at USRowing’s Olympic Development Program, where she excelled, winning a number of races at the conclusion of the camp. She looks ahead to senior season at Nichols before joining the Colonials program in the nation’s capital.
 
“Kendall’s recruitment by the GW Crew attests to her ability as a rower,” Stewart said. “Kendall possesses the work ethic and mental fortitude to compete at the collegiate level and beyond.”
 
Mirann Gacioch ’22 – Soccer, The Ohio State University
 


A defender on the roster, Gacioch leaves Nichols as an accomplished two-way threat following an illustrious career with the varsity girls soccer team. She scored more than 100 points in her four-year career. Gacioch helped the Vikings to four consecutive Monsignor Martin finals matches, including a championship win and a Catholic State finals appearance in 2018.
 
Gacioch was named Co-Player of the Year and First Team Division A All-Catholic in 2021, finishing the season with 19 goals and 15 assists in 17 matches. In 2020 she was named to the Division A All-Catholic Team, Section VI All-WNY First Team, and the Class B All-State First Team. Gacioch earned First Team All-Catholic and All-State Class B Sixth Team honors in 2019, and was Second-Team All-Catholic as a freshman in 2018.
 
“Mirann is a complete soccer player, and a complete athlete,” Stewart said. “Her speed, her field vision, her ball skills, her intense competitiveness, her conditioning—all optimize her performance every time she takes the field, whether for practice or for a game.”
 
Joey Muldowney ’22 – Ice Hockey, University of Connecticut
 


In his first season with the Nichols boys prep hockey team, Muldowney has had an impressive start. Through 19 games, he has 22 goals and 13 assists, including hat tricks in three games. With the team only a third of the way through the season, Muldowney will have more opportunities to refine his game and make his mark on the Vikings program.
 
“Joey is not just a tremendous hockey player, with great vision, speed and versatility, but he also has a great work ethic and is an even better teammate,” Stewart said. “He is one of the first players on the ice and one of the last ones off, constantly working on his game. Joey makes his teammates better and holds then to a high standard both on and off the ice.”
 
Ava Plata ’22 – Lacrosse, University of Connecticut



Plata’s growth on the lacrosse field has been recognized by her coaches and her peers. Plata was a starter as a freshman, and after her sophomore season was canceled due to COVID-19, she had a breakout season as a junior. Plata was named Monsignor Martin League Player of the Year, as the Vikings earned a 13-1 overall record and 11-0 record in league play. She was named Championship Game MVP, scoring two goals in the final 70 seconds of regulation to give Nichols a 13-11 victory over Sacred Heart in the 2021 Monsignor Martin championship game.

Plata looks ahead to her senior season leading the Vikings this spring before joining a Huskies program that advanced to the 2021 NCAA Tournament with a 12-7 record.
 
“With a determination matched by few, Ava decided that she wanted to start on the Nichols Varsity Lacrosse team her freshman year,” Stewart said. “She worked daily in the backyard, at clinics and camps and played on multiple club teams to develop the stickwork to match her athletic ability.
 
“Her fakes and shots are legendary. She terrorizes her opponents with her tenacious defense. She thrives with pressure and loves to have the ball in her stick when the game is on the line.”
 
Ellie Simmons ’22 – Ice Hockey, University of Vermont
 


A four-year member of Nichols’ girls prep hockey team, Simmons stepped into the starting role as a sophomore and established herself as a leader for the Vikings. She was named the team’s Most Valuable Player as a junior and has participated in USA Festival Camps as a 15U and 17U player. Simmons is a true multi-sport athlete, also playing goalkeeper for the Vikings’ field hockey and girls lacrosse varsity teams.

Simmons looks to cap her Nichols career with a strong senior season this winter before joining the Vermont Catamounts next fall.
 
“Ellie is selfless. While she strives to be the best version of herself, she is just as concerned about her friends and her teammates,” Stewart said. “She makes people feel welcome as soon as they meet her whether it is in a hockey setting or in a Nichols classroom.
 
“As outstanding as she is as a goaltender, it is her character, work ethic, and kindness are that separate her from the pack. Not only will it be difficult to replace her in the net, but her presence as the ultimate teammate will leave a void in the locker room.”
 
Sarah Waszkielewicz ’22 – Ice Hockey, Lindenwood University
 


An imposing presence on the blue line, Waszkielewicz has been an impact player for Nichols’ girls prep hockey team with a combination of strong defense and offensive flair. She was a 15U participant at the USA Festival Camp. Like her teammate Simmons, Waszkielewicz is also a four-year Nichols prep player, and she has also been a steady defender for Nichols in soccer and lacrosse.

Waszkielewicz will be a leader for the Vikings on the ice this winter before joining the Lindenwood Lions.
 
“Sarah has improved consistently over her four years at Nichols and has earned everything she has achieved,” Stewart said. “She has never shied away from doing the work that is necessary to attain her goals. She continues to push herself and is always striving to become better.
 
“Her friends, however, know that the intimidating figure on the ice is nothing like the Sarah off the ice. Fun, caring and quiet, she leads by setting a positive example for her teammates. She has always been an excellent player and her best hockey is still in front of her.”
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Nichols School is a nationally recognized college preparatory coed independent school with a 130-year history.