West Virginia University women’s soccer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown has announced the addition of Sophia Nickel to the 2025 roster. Read more: WVU Soccer Adds Sophia Nickel to the 2025 Roster
The Kansas transfer will join the team for the fall semester.
Who is Nickel?
The Colorado native joins the Mountaineers after spending the 2024 season with the Jayhawks. As a freshman, she already showed a lot of promise, a big reason for Izzo-Brown’s pursuit of her.
Nickel appeared in 19 matches for the Jayhawks, where she logged 345 minutes. She also attempted nine shots throughout the season.
As a defender, Nickel helped Kansas secure eight shutouts during the season. Even as a freshman, she played a vital role in the Jayhawks’ back line.
She is also no stranger to playing for a long period of time, logging a season-high 42 minutes against Friends on Sept. 15.
Club Experience
Not only does Nickel have experience at the collegiate level, but she also has experienced success at the club level.
Nickel played for the Colorado Rush club team. While a member of the team, she became one of the most effective. In 2023, she was honored as the Defensive Player of the Year on the team. She was also named “Girl of the Game” three times throughout her club career.
In 2022, she helped the team win the GA Champions Cup. She was a big part of the Colorado Rush being named the Academy Team of the Year.
Future at WVU
Now that Nickel has joined the Mountaineers, she will add to a young defensive line. Including Nickel, five Mountaineer defenders are underclassmen.
The lack of experience will be less of a concern for Nickel since she played such a key role for the Jayhawks last season. Her success at the club level will also bode well for her.
Alongside helping the Mountaineers reach the NCAA tournament for a second-straight season, Nickel plans to major in exercise physiology at WVU.
WVU Soccer Adds Sophia Nickel to the 2025 Roster
