BEVERLY, Mass. – Endicott club women's rugby sophomore Nicole McCardle (Castleton, Vt.) has been named a National Small College Rugby Organization (NSCRO) All-American.
McCardle is joined on the first-ever NSCRO Women's All-Americans list by 24 other student-athletes across several programs including Bentley University, Colgate University, and the University of Rochester, among many others.
The selection committee worked with coaches around the country to identify the 25 exceptional women who make up the first-ever NSCRO Women's All-Americans list. There were a large number of senior student-athletes nominated and this is reflected in the final list that is comprised of four sophomores (which includes McCardle), three juniors, and eighteen seniors.
"This is a well-deserved award for Nicole. She has worked hard since her very first day as a Gull and this past year has really come into her leadership role within the program," said Endicott club women's rugby head coach Emily Record. "Nicole is fearless and plays like she is twice her size on defense and uses her footwork and vision to set her teammates up for success on offense. We're all proud of Nicole for receiving this prestigious honor."
Earlier this year, McCardle also claimed All-New England Collegiate 7s Circuit (NEC7C) Team honors giving her two postseason awards in 2017-18. McCardle played a major role in Endicott going 25-12-1 this season, highlighted by a 33-10 win over Mount Holyoke College in the NSCRO Women's Patriot Bowl on November 11.
The Gulls also advanced to the CCRC Championship and finished sixth overall at the NSCRO 7s National Championships, which marks a seven-place improvement from last year's 13th place showing.