By Gavin Lapaille
Intelligent.
That’s how University of Louisville field hockey coach Pam Bustin describes freshman midfielder Nicole Youman.
“She is just really intelligent on the field,” Bustin said. “You back intelligence with fundamentals and that is a really good hockey player.”
So far, Youman has backed up Bustin’s claim.
Last season, Youman finished second on the team with 24 points, scoring eight goals and handing out eight assists. She was named third team All-American by womensfieldhockey.com, while also taking home first team All-Big East and first team All-West Region honors.
These awards mean little to Youman however.
“I didn’t even know they existed,” Youman said of the accolades she received. “I still don’t know what they mean.”
Youman should be one of the leaders for U of L next season. The Cards finished 14-6 last season, including 5-1 in the Big East, sharing the conference title with the University of Connecticut. The team will be without several key-graduating seniors; including All-American midfielder Janelle Avila and last season’s leading scorer, forward Allison Maffitt.
However, Bustin said she hopes Youman doesn’t feel any added pressure.
“There really is no pressure to be had,” Bustin said. “On the field, she is a leader but I don’t think it is something forced on her. I think it is something she doesn’t mind because she has a good knowledge of the game and she has a good relationship with her teammates.”
Youman came to U of L from Sydney, Australia, where field hockey remains one of the country’s most popular sports. She played for the New South Wales Under 21 squad of the Australia Hockey League, Australia’s premier national domestic field hockey competition, in 2005-06. In 2004, Youman was the top goal scorer of the national tournament for the NSW Under 18 team.
Bustin said the experience Youman had while she was younger is helping her during her college career.
“She’s had access to learning and watching [field hockey] from very early on,” Bustin said. “She really understands some of the concepts we are trying to install in our team and she can help make that happen a little bit quicker.”
Freshman forward Tuli Lim said Youman leads by example.
“As a teammate, I’ve learned an extraordinary amount from her,” Lim said. “I can ask her questions all the time. It’s great working with her.”
Youman said there are differences between American and Australian field hockey.
“American girls are so much more athletic, quicker, stronger,” Youman said. “I overcompensate with stick skills and that kind of thing. I like to think I am a little bit smarter on the field, but Americans are usually quicker than me too.”
Youman also said she has had no second thoughts about her decision to be a Cardinal. She hopes to bring a National Championship to U of L sometime in the next three years.
“I’m so impressed with the program here,” Youman said. “It’s a great atmosphere and I have no regrets about coming over here.”
