LYNN — When Jim Foley took over as head coach of the St. Mary’s girls soccer team in 1998, one of his goals was to establish a program that prepares its players to succeed on the college field.
Thursday at St. Mary’s, that goal took another step forward when senior center-mid Mia Nikolakopoulos signed her National Letter of Intent to play soccer at Division I Sacred Heart University.
“Mia’s the second Division I player that we’ve had,” Foley said. “Amanda Webster (Providence) was the first. We’ve had a few in Division II and Division III. It’s a testament to their hard work but it also says a lot about the program. It makes you feel good as a coach. You watch the players move on to play in college and it’s always nice to see that.”
A Lynn native, Nikolakopoulos also considered committing to Bryant University. In the end, a visit to Sacred Heart’s campus in Fairfield, Connecticut allowed the her to find the right fit.
“I wanted a small school with a welcoming community,” Nikolakopoulos, a four-year varsity player, said. “I went to a camp in April, and the coaches and players were all very welcoming. I just felt like Sacred Heart was the right fit for me.”
In searching for the right school for which to continue her career as a student athlete, Nikolakopoulos prioritized academics. The advice she received was to find the right school first and let soccer take its course afterwards.
“My mom (Linda) really wanted me to consider a school first,” Nikolakopoulos said. “My dad (Taso) was the same way but he’s a huge soccer guy. My parents wanted the best for me, as did my coaches. They all wanted me to choose a school first and go from there.”
Making her commitment to a Division I school even more impressive is that Nikolakopoulos didn’t travel through the easiest of roads through her high school career. Prior to the start of her junior season, Nikolakopoulos suffered a torn ACL in her right knee and missed the entire year.
After returning to the team for her senior year, she suffered a collarbone injury this past October and missed the last five games of St. Mary’s season.
“With my ACL injury, it was so hard to be on the sidelines but I was able to see the game from the coaches point of view,” Nikolakopoulos said. “I was able to gain an understanding of what it takes to be a coachable player and what coaches look for. Going into my senior year, my main goal was to give 100 percent every game because any game could be my last. That was really important to me.”
Despite the injuries, Nikolakopoulos always maintained her role as a leader and role model for the younger players on the Spartans roster.
“That’s tough for a player to go through, especially missing her junior year which is a big year for a high school player,” Foley said. “She never shied away from offering advice to younger kids and she always came to practice. To miss a year and a half is tough but she dealt with it.”
As the college field awaits her, Nikolakopoulos hopes to make improvements in her game in preparing for the Division I level.
“I feel I’m ready but there’s room to improve,” she said. “I feel that I need to get a little faster and a little stronger. Technically and mentally I feel that I’m ready for that level but I want to improve my strength and my speed.
“I started as a freshman so I was competing against seniors that were a lot bigger than me,” she added. “Even as a senior, I was playing against bigger players. I had to step up in my physicality and I think that really prepared me for college.”
Foley has full confidence in his Nikolakopoulos’ ability to translate her talents and skill set at the next level. Nikolakopoulos’ experience and knowledge of the game, Foley said, are two the intangibles that make her a standout player.
“I think she’ll do fine,” Foley said. “She’s ready for the speed of the game. She has a good shot and she knows how to play the game. She’s trained hard for this and I think she’s ready. She’s played high-level club (Aztec), she’s in great shape and every night was a battle with our schedule. I think she’s ready.
“She’s one of the best players I’ve had the chance to coach,” Foley added. “She’s a great person and I wish her all the best. It’s a testament to her hard work. This is really special for her.”