Five from Field Hockey Tabbed for Senior Nexus Championship
Jul 10 | Field Hockey
Ava Clickavage, Julianne Kopec, Noelle Leaf, Elise Pettisani, Erica Babitts (Alternate) Tabbed
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers field hockey will be well represented with five student-athletes selected to compete in the 2023 Senior Nexus Championship (NXC), presented by Osaka Hockey, which will be held at the Virginia Beach Regional Training Center in Virginia Beach, Va. from July 11 to 16. Ava Clickavage. Noelle Leaf, Elise Pettisani, Julianne Kopec and Erica Babitts were all identified by USA Field Hockey for participation.
Formerly known as the Young Women's National Championship, the Senior NXC is held annually and features 144 elite high school, collegiate and post-collegiate athletes. During the spring and early summer, athletes trialed and trained at one of the seven USA Field Hockey High Performance Centers throughout the country for an opportunity to be selected to the Senior NXC, a step along the Olympic Development Pathway program. All athletes that were previously named to the U.S. U-18, U-21, and Development Women's National Teams were also included within the selection.
The event will start with a team training session on Tuesday, July 11 with games starting on Wednesday, July 12. The opportunity to be selected for the 2023-24 U.S. Women's National Team and Junior USWNT Selection Camps are at stake.
Pettisani saw her first game action as a Scarlet Knight last season. The Medford, N.J. native and product of Eastern Regional immediately joined the starting lineup on the backline, starting 17 games.
Leaf has played in 16 games as a Scarlet Knight at forward. The Metuchen, N.J. native was an Academic All-Big Ten and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar this past school year.
Clickavage is set to play in her first season as a Scarlet Knight following a transfer from Wake Forest. A midfielder from Moorestown, N.J., she played in all 20 games this past season at Wake Forest, starting three, and was ranked as a top-50 player in the 2022 class coming out of high school.
Kopec is also set to join the Scarlet Knights for this season, as she will transfer from Temple. A native of Long Branch, N.J., Kopec started 27 games over the past two season with the Owls, scoring 11 goals and earning First Team All-Conference and Second Team All-Region honors following her freshman year.
Babitts is a goalkeeper from Ramsey, N.J. She is set for her sophomore year at RU after serving as the team's backup goalkeeper last year, and was picked as an alternate for this event.
Formerly known as the Young Women's National Championship, the Senior NXC is held annually and features 144 elite high school, collegiate and post-collegiate athletes. During the spring and early summer, athletes trialed and trained at one of the seven USA Field Hockey High Performance Centers throughout the country for an opportunity to be selected to the Senior NXC, a step along the Olympic Development Pathway program. All athletes that were previously named to the U.S. U-18, U-21, and Development Women's National Teams were also included within the selection.
The event will start with a team training session on Tuesday, July 11 with games starting on Wednesday, July 12. The opportunity to be selected for the 2023-24 U.S. Women's National Team and Junior USWNT Selection Camps are at stake.
Pettisani saw her first game action as a Scarlet Knight last season. The Medford, N.J. native and product of Eastern Regional immediately joined the starting lineup on the backline, starting 17 games.
Leaf has played in 16 games as a Scarlet Knight at forward. The Metuchen, N.J. native was an Academic All-Big Ten and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar this past school year.
Clickavage is set to play in her first season as a Scarlet Knight following a transfer from Wake Forest. A midfielder from Moorestown, N.J., she played in all 20 games this past season at Wake Forest, starting three, and was ranked as a top-50 player in the 2022 class coming out of high school.
Kopec is also set to join the Scarlet Knights for this season, as she will transfer from Temple. A native of Long Branch, N.J., Kopec started 27 games over the past two season with the Owls, scoring 11 goals and earning First Team All-Conference and Second Team All-Region honors following her freshman year.
Babitts is a goalkeeper from Ramsey, N.J. She is set for her sophomore year at RU after serving as the team's backup goalkeeper last year, and was picked as an alternate for this event.
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