Plymouth State Athletic Hall of Fame
NIKKI GARVEY WARDWELL (’15): Garvey was one of the most prolific scorers in the history of Plymouth State field hockey, ending her career as one of just two players with more than 150 career points. A two-time NFHCA All-New England honoree, she ended her career in the top three in program history in goals, assists, and points.
In a sign of things to come, Garvey jump-started her career with goals in each of her first three collegiate games in 2011. The team's first loss came in the last game of September, but Garvey's game-winner against Eastern Connecticut helped spark another seven-game winning streak as the Panthers jumped to 14-1. Her first multi-goal game came in the regular season finale when she scored twice.
That contest marked the start of a scoring binge for Garvey, who tallied seven goals over a five-game span, including her first hat-trick in an LEC tournament win over Western Connecticut. The Panthers were nipped in the championship game, but an outstanding season was rewarded with the top seed for the ECAC New England tournament. Garvey set an early tone in the semifinals, scoring in the opening two minutes and later adding a second goal in a win, but the Panthers were upset in the championship game. Garvey ended the year third on the team with 13 goals and 28 points.
Garvey appeared in all 20 games as a sophomore, and while her scoring totals weren't quite as impressive, she remained one of the team's top scorers, finishing third with six goals and 19 points. Again, she started quickly, posting a goal and three assists in a season-opening tournament at Springfield College.
In mid-October, Garvey recorded a season-high five points on two goals and an assist as the Panthers moved to 7-2 in league play. Despite her goal, the Panthers lost to top-seeded UMass Dartmouth in the LEC semifinals, though the team earned another ECAC berth. Plymouth State avenged a regular-season loss to Keene State in the semifinals, then rallied past top-seeded Bridgewater State in overtime to capture the crown, with Garvey's final tally of the year sparking the comeback win.
2013 was a season for the record books, as Garvey became just the third player in school history to score 25 goals in a season. She notched five hat tricks and two other multi-goal games, while her 25 goals and 57 points were both the third most in a season in school history. She notched her first hat trick in the third game of the year, starting a streak of 11 goals in a five-game span.
After a rare scoreless game, Garvey followed with eight goals and four assists over the next five contests, all Plymouth State victories. She notched a career-high eight points and a win over Southern Maine during the streak. Garvey's final three-score game came in an LEC tournament semifinal win. She added a goal in the championship game, but Plymouth State would come up short in a one-goal loss. The Panthers earned the top seed for the ECAC tournament, but a bid for a second straight title was dashed in a narrow setback in the championship game.
Postseason honors roared in as Garvey finished eighth in the country in goals per game. She claimed NFHCA All-New England West Region second-team honors and was All-LEC First Team selection.
Garvey was just as spectacular during her senior campaign, registering a point in all but five contests. She notched seven goals and four assists over the first five games and scored twice to help head coach Bonnie Lord secure her 200th career win. She single-handedly helped the Panthers rally from a three-goal deficit in a key game at Southern Maine, scoring both the game-tying and game-winning goals in an overtime win.
Plymouth State ended the season on a high note as her game winner lifted the Panthers to the championship game of the ECAC Tournament, where she had a hand in both goals in the finals, posting a goal and an assist to capture the program's third ECAC crown in five years. Garvey earned all-region recognition from both the NFHCA and ECAC and repeated her All-LEC First Team honors. She finished in the top 10 in the nation in points per game and ranked 14th in goals per game.
Garvey's final numbers, 64 goals and 153 points, still rank second in program history today, while her 25 assists are tied for third.
