Nicole Rivera was the school's nominee for Jersey Mikes Naismith Courage Award. She overcame an ACL injury entering her freshman year, doubts about her participation in the sport last year and an ankle injury this season. She received a certificate at the team's awards banquet last week from Jersey Mike's. Here is her story:

"Courage: the ability to do something that frightens one, strength in the face of pain or grief". Nicole Rivera is the perfect choice for the Courage Award in that her journey at St. Francis as a student athlete has presented some very serious challenges.

The first challenge was the courage to attend a high academic rigorous and competitive school that requires an interview and acceptance. In addition to taking a route that none of her other friends had chosen, she did not know any other students at her new high school.  Once she was accepted and enrolled, she chased her basketball passion and immediately began summer league. She was on track as a freshman to play Varsity basketball with the tremendous skill set that she displayed in her summer debut.

She climbed from Frosh to JV rapidly and was on the radar to get moved up to Varsity as she entered her final summer tourney. As any athlete knows there are risks to playing at an elite level and unfortunately injury is one risk. Nicole sustained the most difficult of and season ending injuries when she tore her ACL at the end of her successful summer going into her freshman year. 

She had to sit on the sidelines of a JV team that she had made as a freshman and begin the rigorous path of recovery knowing that she would lose her season and need another season to get back on the court with the confidence necessary to compete once again at a high level. 

"It helped me overcome my fears and helped me push," said Rivera. "It defined what I wanted to do with basketball and not to give up no matter how hard it got."

Nicole took the challenge and had a remarkable Sophomore JV season earning a place on the Varsity team as she concluded her JV season.  She averaged 9.7 points per game, scoring in double figures in 10 games with a season-high 24 points as her team went 19-5 on the season.

In her junior season, the varsity pace pushed her to her limits and tested her mentally and physically as she strived for success.  She was also dealing with some outside stressors that made it difficult to withstand the pressures of Varsity basketball and this opened the door of doubt once again. She worked so hard to get here but was not getting the reward she had hoped, and Nicole made the difficult decision to leave the team as the stress of what was once a fun game became too much. 

With the encouragement of many who care and love Nicole and knew that she needed basketball in her life, she made the difficult decision to ask for redemption, and had the courage to ask for a second chance to get back on the team with a refreshed attitude, and team first mentality. 

"I realized that I needed basketball in my life and the relationships with the girls on the team," said Rivera. "I was not having fun in life without basketball and the bonds. I needed them."

In the spring and summer Nicole earned the respect of her coaches, teammates and earned a starting position as she has entered her senior season.  She has taken on a leadership role as she manages all team communication, and once again sustained an ankle injury, but it has only affected her physically and her attitude and mental toughness to give her all on the court.

As a starter or off of the bench she puts the team first and gives her best and supports her teammates and loves the game as she knows more than most that in an instant it can all change.  Her story, her fight, and her growth are great reminders to our team about the true love of the game and all that sport can teach us if we allow ourselves to grow with our challenges, face our fears and get back up time and again when we fall.

• Courage to come to St. Francis not knowing a soul
• Courage to overcome her ACL injury and return to the court
• Courage to comeback to the team 
• Courage to fight through her ankle injury. 

Nicole Rivera completed her senior season by earning All Delta League second team honors after finishing second in the league in three-pointers made and averaging a career-best 7.5 points per game and scoring in double figures eight times. She hit 44 triples over the course of the season and ranked fourth in the league in steals at 2.8 per game.

Head Coach Heather Volek Brownholtz contributed to this story.