Volleyball star Nicole Fletcher to attend Providence College



Marcellus senior Nicole Fletcher signs her letter of intent to attend and play volleyball for Providence College, while varsity coach Hy Bryant (left) and junior varsity coach Jim Thomas look on.

Marcellus High School senior Nicole Fletcher this month signed her letter of intent to attend Providence College, where she will join the Friars women’s volleyball team.

Nicole, who has collected three varsity letters in volleyball during her 161-game career at Marcellus High School, follows in the footsteps of older sister Lauren, a 2008 Marcellus alum who graduates from Providence this spring. Lauren Fletcher, who had “one of the most decorated careers in Friar volleyball history,” according to the Providence website, will serve as a graduate assistant coach for the Providence volleyball program next season.

Nicole said she wanted to follow big sister Lauren to Rhode Island ever since her first visit to the Providence campus.

"The more I visited her, the more I fell in love with the city," Nicole said.

A 6-foot-1 middle blocker, Nicole has a record that includes 449 kills, 191 blocks and 55 aces.

“Nicole will graduate as one of the top middle blockers ever to wear a Marcellus Mustang uniform,” Jim Thomas, Marcellus junior varsity coach, said.

A National Honor Society inductee and high honor roll student in high school, Nicole will enter Providence College as an undecided major, although she said she's interesting in studying either physical therapy or forensic science.

As a little girl, Nicole played soccer and basketball, but was ultimately drawn to the fast-paced movements of volleyball, she said.

"You have to be ready and stay on your toes at all times," Nicole said.

 “In addition to being a very gregarious and effervescent person off the court, Nicole is a good hitter and an outstanding blocker,” Marcellus Varsity Coach Hy Bryant said. “Her dominance at the net will be irreplaceable next season.”

But one school’s loss will be another’s gain.

“Nicole is a great get for us,” Providence Head Coach Margot Royer-Johnson said on the college’s website. “She moves well laterally and learns the game quickly. She has an athlete mentality and she will compete for a starting role in her freshman season.”

Nicole Fletcher, by the numbers:

Winter 2009-10
• Team made it to sectional semi-finals.
• Selected as First Team Class B Onondaga High School League (OHSL) All League.

Winter 2010-2011
• Team record was 16-1
• OHSL Class B League Champions
• Section 3 Champions.
• First Team Class B OHSL All League
• Voted Class B - Player of the Year
• All Section 3 Team

Fall 2011
• Team 16-1 OHSL Class B League Champions
• Section3 Champions
• NYSPHSAA Class B East Regional Champions
• NYSPHSAA Class B West Regional Champions
• NYSPHSAA Class B State Championship Finals finished third
• First Team Class B OHSL All League
• Voted Class B Player of the Year
• All Section3 Team
• NYSPHAA 1st team Class B All State
• NYSPHAA Finals All-Tournament Team