East Mississippi Community College freshman standout Nikeisha Noel has been named to the All-Region 23 women’s soccer team, as announced this week by the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges.
“A year ago, Niki (Nikeisha) would have never thought she would be at a small school in Mississippi being recognized for all-region honors in addition to being mentioned for all-America consideration,” EMCC’s second-year soccer coach noted. “With this in mind, it is important that all young athletes take each step with confidence because one never knows where that step will lead.”
One of only four freshmen selected to this year’s 12-member All-Region 23 women’s soccer team by a vote of the state’s head soccer coaches, Noel was rated as the No. 4 overall women’s player in Region 23 this season. Selected as a national player of the week recipient during the third week of the 2008 campaign, Noel has also been nominated for NJCAA Women’s Soccer All-American accolades.
“I’d like to thank my teammates and staff here at EMCC for their patience and understanding which has made me feel at home and allowed me to compete at the best of my ability this season,” the freshman standout said. “I’d also like to give thanks to my family at home in Trinidad for the sacrifices they made in helping to get me here to East Mississippi. It just goes to show, as the African proverb states, ‘it takes a village to raise a child.’”
A member of the Trinidad & Tobago Under-20 National Team, Noel prepped at Pleasantville Senior High School. She is the daughter of Allison Noel.