On today’s episode of the Lax Goalie Rat Podcast, I’m thrilled to have the starting goalie of the North Carolina Tar Heels, Alecia Nicholas, as our guest.
Alecia is entering her junior season at UNC, having earned the title of Honorable Mention All-American and securing a spot on the Tewaaraton Award Watch List in 2023.
A Long Island native, Alecia was one of six Tar Heels to start all 21 games, becoming UNC’s first new starting keeper since 2018, succeeding Taylor Moreno. Her impressive junior year included eight 8+ save performances, a .466 save percentage, and finishing the season ranked first in the ACC and seventh nationally with an 8.51 goals-against average.
LUCKY SEVEN?
Can @uncwlax bring home a seventh straight ACC title?
The Tar Heels used a blazing start and 11 saves from Alecia Nicholas to stun Syracuse 15-9 in the ACC semifinals. pic.twitter.com/RX2gkqWX8s
— USA Lacrosse Magazine (@USALacrosseMag) April 28, 2023
As a freshman with the Tar Heels, Alecia served as a backup to Moreno for the eventual National Champion UNB squad. She even stepped up during the NCAA Semi-Final against Northwestern when Moreno needed a mental reset mid-game. Moreno returned to make a crucial save, securing a spot in the Finals.
Alecia’s journey into goalkeeping began at a lacrosse tournament in Upstate New York, where her team needed a goalie. Despite starting two years later than her teammates, she impressed and decided to stick with it, playing goalie throughout her lacrosse career.
Her introduction to the goalie position came with assistance from Laurie DeLuca, a former all-American at Delaware, who taught her the basics. After Laurie’s departure, Alecia’s dad took over, drawing on his coaching experience at an elite level to further develop her skills.
Following a successful club season with Salt City Snipers and attending UNC clinics, Alecia built a relationship with UNC coach Phil Barnes. This connection caught the attention of the Tar Heels coaching staff, leading to an offer to join North Carolina.
Having spent much of her childhood watching Tar Heel games, Alecia developed a deep connection with the team. Her passion for the sport grew as she watched Caylee Waters play goalie, and she was fortunate enough to be coached by Caylee at UNC, learning valuable lessons that she shares on today’s show.
In this episode with Alecia Nicholas, we delve into topics such as lessons learned from Caylee Waters and Taylor Moreno, overcoming the fear of the ball, and tips for maintaining consistency as a goalie. I hope you enjoy this insightful conversation with Alecia Nicholas on the Lax Goalie Rat Podcast.
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1 thought on “Carolina Goalie Alecia Nicholas on Staying Consistent in Goal – LGR 232”
Awesome post, Alecia! I completely agree that consistency is key in goal. It’s so easy to get caught up in the ups and downs of the game, but staying focused and committed to your craft is what separates the pros from the novices. Great insight on the importance of visualization and positive self-talk. Thanks for sharing your expertise!
Lacrosse is my passion! The game has given me so much and this blog is my way of giving back to the lax community. Specifically the most bad a$$ part of that community - the goalies! After learning to play goalie from scratch, I wanted to create a site where I could share what I learned with others so they too can become champions in the crease and in life. Learn more about Coach Damon.
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Awesome post, Alecia! I completely agree that consistency is key in goal. It’s so easy to get caught up in the ups and downs of the game, but staying focused and committed to your craft is what separates the pros from the novices. Great insight on the importance of visualization and positive self-talk. Thanks for sharing your expertise!