On Nov. 11th, senior guard Nickie Carter reached a feat that very few have ever reached in their career. 1,000 points.
This isn’t unfamiliar to Carter, though. She’s had a plethora of accomplishments throughout her career that are extremely high accolades. These include New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Rookie of the Year, along with scoring a season-high 24 points and six steals in the NJAC championship game against New Jersey City University (NJCU) in the 2020-2021 season.
Carter’s latest accomplishment was very special to her and her peers. Carter explained how the accomplishment impacted her at the moment after the major mark was reached.
“Honestly in the moment I was just so happy it was over,” Carter said. “It definitely wasn’t the most ideal game to get it in so I was in my head about it a little bit. There was so many people there to see me get it so I felt like I really needed to get it in that game against Ithaca [College] for everyone that came.”
Nickie Carter scores a layup over two Ithaca defenders, which helped her secure the milestone.
Dan Dreisbach | The Montclarion
Carter also explained her thoughts and feelings on it now that it’s done.
“After having time to reflect on it, it really is an amazing accomplishment,” Carter said. “I’m so grateful to be a part of a program that allowed me to get it and I’m thankful for all the people that came to see me get this milestone. There [were] players that I played with three years ago still coming back to watch, which just shows how special the bonds we make here are. And I’m just super grateful for my parents who haven’t missed many games along the way and have supported me through the ups and downs.”
When Carter reached the milestone, the senior guard was happy that the moment was over.
Dan Dreisbach | The Montclarion
Carter’s work ethic and perseverance through adversity have undeniably been a huge factor in her career. Without it, reaching 1,000 points would be impossible.
Junior guard Kendall Hodges has been Carter’s teammate for two seasons. She described the moment when she saw how dedicated Carter is to her game, and gave a specific example of Carter overcoming an injury that showed just how strong her perseverance is.
“The first time I knew she was dedicated to the game was my freshman year when she was a sophomore and had a stress fracture in her foot,” Hodges said. “She had just come off of an amazing freshman year and it was so hard for her to sit out. But she fought so hard and focused to get back and look at her now. She’s unstoppable.”
Hodges was also asked about her thoughts on Carter’s milestone.
“It was awesome to see,” Hodges said. “Everyone knows that [Carter] can score and is a beast on the court, but no one sees the work that she puts in behind closed doors. Getting 1,000 points takes hard work and dedication, two things that are honestly engraved in [Carter’s] game.”
Carter is highly thought of by her peers on her team, not only for the accomplishments that anyone can see such as reaching 1,000 career points but also for her work ethic.
Head coach Karin Harvey feels the same way as her players do. She shared what she thinks the moment meant to her team as a whole, specifically as it relates to team morale.
“It always helps increase confidence,” Harvey said. “She’s established a role on the team as a go-to player. It feels like a team accomplishment.”
Nickie Carter celebrates with her teammates right after she got 1,000 points.
Dan Dreisbach | The Montclarion
Harvey also discussed how she viewed the accomplishment.
“It’s always a fantastic achievement for a college student-athlete,” Harvey said. “We’re certainly extremely happy. She’s in an elite class.”
Carter isn’t done yet, though. In the three games she’s played since Ithaca, she’s scored a total of 68 points. The milestone will almost certainly be elevated to even greater heights as the season goes on.
She has averaged 19 points this season, more than any previous year. Carter has made the most of her senior season thus far, and with 20 regular season games left to go plus the NJAC playoffs, there’s no telling what’s coming next.
