Collegiate basketball has been good to 2021 Marshall High School graduate Laura Nickel. Since joining the squad at Northern Illinois University, she’s found playing time in all three of her seasons there.
Her recruiting class is the first in recent memory to not be granted an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which hit when she was still at Marshall. While the end of her collegiate playing career is on the horizon, Nickel is committed to making her last year her best.
“I feel like it’s just gone by so fast,” Nickel said. “There are a lot of emotions heading into it. Obviously I’m excited to get back out there with my teammates and try to go win a MAC (Mid-American Conference) tournament title. I think it’ll hit more once I get into the school year.”
Success at the collegiate level would come as no surprise to those familiar with Nickel’s decorated high school career. She was a day-one contributor as a freshman, helping the Cardinals claim Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) Division 3 titles in both 2018 and 2019. Marshall won the Capitol — South conference in all four of her seasons. In her senior campaign, she was named all-state by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).
“When I was playing at Marshall, the support from the community was always amazing,” Nickel said. “Those stands were filled when we went to state when I was a freshman and sophomore, and that only continued going forward. Whenever I go home, people are always eager to talk to me about my basketball career. It’s really cool. I hope I’m a positive role model for little girls in the community that love basketball, too.”
Naturally, there was a learning curve to deal with as Nickel headed off to Northern Illinois. Just like high school, though, she immediately found playing time. She played in 20 games as a freshman, which included three appearances in the starting lineup.
“Coming in as a freshman, everyone else is always going to be bigger, faster, and stronger,” Nickel said. “There was a big adjustment period, but my coaches and teammates were definitely a big help with that.”
Nickel’s role really grew as a sophomore. Her abilities as a slashing guard earned her 31 appearances in the starting lineup. As her confidence grew, so did her level of play as she became a vital portion of the team. This seemingly would set the stage for a monster junior season, before injury struck.
Early in the 2023-24 season, Nickel tore her medial collateral ligament (MCL). She made a miraculously quick comeback, only missing NIU’s non-conference slate before reappearing as a bench contributor for the MAC conference slate. The setback left her short of performing at her full potential, but she rehabbed hard to still be an impact player where she was needed.
Now, she’s locked in to making this ultimate season her best. Fully recovered from her MCL tear, Nickel has been working on developing her three-point shooting. Paired with her already strong ability to cut through the lane, this dual-threat option would make her hard to stop. While her main focus comes on the court, Nickel was quick to also appreciate all of the things basketball has brought her off the court.
“It’s been a great experience so far,” Nickel said of playing Division I basketball. “Coming in, you have a built-in family with your teammates. That’s such a huge help at college. They’ve been there for me through everything and we’ve made so many memories I’ll always keep with me. We played a tournament at the Naval Academy and got a tour of it. Last season, we played in Puerto Rico. I’m just thankful for where basketball has taken me.”
Basketball may not last forever, but it has opened doors for Nickel to plan out her future. The health science major is currently applying for physician assistant (PA) school to attend following graduation. And, don’t be surprised to see her get into coaching. It runs in the family, after all.
Laura’s father, Dan, is the current head coach of the Marshall High School girls basketball team. He took the position over prior to the 2022-23 season. He was an assistant with the program all through Laura’s time as a Cardinal and has been personally coaching her since she first started hooping.
“It was awesome to see Dad get that job,” Laura said. “It’s inspiring to see him continue to learn how to help those girls in the best way he can. I was so proud. Maybe one day I could see myself getting into coaching. I’d want to do what my dad did, progress up the ladder and earn it every step of the way.”
Laura was quick to thank her dad, as well as her mom Julie and brother Daniel, for all the time and effort they put in to put her in a position to succeed. She also gave a shoutout to the coaching staff at NIU for giving her the opportunity to live out her dream. Finally, she thanks the Marshall community as a whole for always supporting her through this journey.
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