Nikki
Gabrielli enters her second year as an assistant
women's soccer coach at Canisius College. The Griffs earned their best record
in program history during Gabrielli's second year on the sideline with a 13-4-3 line.
After graduating from Canisius with four years of playing experience, Gabrielli
completed her bachelors degree in education. She is currently in the
masters of education program at Canisius College, getting her masters in
special education.
As a player, Gabrielli was a premier
back in the MAAC, and one of a few players in school history to start every
game of her career, with 1500 of 1515 minutes of possible play. As a senior she
was named to the ESPN The Magazine
Academic All-District Third Team, the first women's soccer player to earn the
honor since 2001. A team captain, Gabrielli led a defense that allowed the
lowest shots and shots on goal in school history. She also was a leader in the
classroom, named to the MAAC All-Academic Team all three seasons she was
eligible and winning the Cannon Leadership Award as a senior.
In her senior year, Gabrielli was named
to the All-Tournament team at the Select Kickoff Classic, and was selected to
the MAAC All-Tournament Team and First Team All-MAAC. In her collegiate
career, Gabrielli also helped anchor a defense that led the MAAC in goals
allowed and recorded the second-best goals against average in school history,
personally recorded two shots on the 2006 season and in 2005, was named to
All-Tournament Team at Caroline Pardee Invitational when the Griffs allowed
only 14 shots during their two games.
Coach
Wendling's comments: "What she brings to the team as a
coach is that same voice and intensity during practice to try to light a fire
under the girls that she had as a player. She knows the girls; she knows what
they are capable of doing. She doesn't expect less from them, she expects more
from them because she knows what they can do. The girls really respect her and
listen to her and do what she asks."
