Exemplifying Godly Success By Melody Walker ^ * Overcoming obstacles to become the best is what graduate in M a y 1992 with a sports management degree. sports is all about. Nicole will graduate in December 1991. They will live in Nicole Nice came to L U as a soccer recruit. Her Lynchburg for the first year. parents felt that soccer w a s too rough of a sport and Nicole red-shirted as a freshman and still has one year m a d e Nicole promise to try out for volleyball. In the of eligibility. She hopes to come back in the fall and play fall of 1988 she became one of two to m a k e the volley- volleyball as a graduate student. ball team as a walk-on out of 34 w h o tried out. Nicole values her relationship with the Lord. Psalms Nicole n o w plays middle hitter and defense. She also 119:11 is one other favorite verses. "Thy word have I hid provided leadership for the team during her senior year in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." while serving as co-captain. " W e need the whole Bible and w e need to apply all of N e w coach Beth Dalton has also m a d e a great contri- God's principles," Nicole said. bution to the team. "Coach Dalton is a professional Nicole enjoys talking to people and always tries to be w o m a n and coach," Nicole said. "She is exciting and there for her friends. She also wants people to be able to holds authority well. I enjoy playing for her." see the Lord through her. Nicole's younger sister, sophomore Tricia Nice, rooms O n e of the highlights of playing on LU's volleyball next door to her in d o r m 19. She was also a volleyball team is the witnessing opportunity involved. This is a walk-on. "Tricia is a better defensive player," Nicole great challenge to Nicole, especially at h o m e games. "The said. opposing team often does not want any part of it," she Although volleyball takes u p most of her time between said. "They seem to have pre-conceived ideas of what practices, games and traveling, Nicole has continued to Liberty is all about." maintain a 4.0 grade point average during her four years At away games, however, Nicole finds people to be at L U . She w a s a candidate for Miss Liberty and is more open. "The Lord always gives you an opportunity pursuing a degree in psychology. to witness," she said. "There is always one question that Her success both on and off the court is a result of hard opens u p the whole conversation." work and dedication. Nicole puts her studies before her Although Nicole was nervous at first about witnessing, social life. "I press myself to perform in classes and I do it became easier each time. "You don't want the opposing m y best," she said. team player to reject what will give them eternal life," she Nicole also gives her parents credit for her accomplish- said. "You can see it in their eyes that this is what they need." ments. She lives by what they told her, "commitment, sticking with it and doing your best." Nicole is engaged and will be married on M a y 23,1992. She met her fiance, Earl Allmond, in volleyball class. Earl played on the men's volleyball team from 1988-1990 and the men's basketball team in 1987. H e will
Photos by Vangie
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