2024-25 (Freshman)
Put together a stellar first season with the Panthers, tying for the overall team lead in victories with 26 … finished with a 12-10 record in singles play as well as a 14-9 mark in doubles action, played mostly at No. 2 singles and the majority of the year at No. 1 doubles before an injury slowed her near the end of the spring slate … opened the fall season with three doubles wins at the Gopher Invitational Sept. 2-22, topping Omaha (twice/6-4 and 6-4 on 9/20 & 9/21) as well as against Creighton (7-5 on 9/22) … went a perfect 3-0 at the Redbird Invitational in doubles play Sept. 27-29, topping St. Thomas, Bradley, and UIC … also put together a perfect 3-0 mark in singles play at the event, defeating St. Thomas (6-3, 5-7 [5-7], 10-4 on 9/27), Bradley (6-1, 6-3 on 9/28), and Illinois State (6-0, 6-2 on 9/29) … teamed up with Nadiia Konieva as the Armour Horizon League Tennis Doubles Team of the Week Jan. 29 … the duo played a key role in the Panthers to a 2-0 week to open the season, defeating Bradley, 6-3, and followed that up with a 6-0 blanking of Providence - winning both at No. 1 doubles … started dual play just as strong in singles, claiming victories against the Friars (6-0, 6-1 Jan. 26), in the big win over Marquette Feb. 2 (6-1, 6-1), and also against No. 2 UChicago (6-0, 6-4), all at No. 2 singles … also teamed up again with Nikolajeva to defeat No. 2 UChicago in doubles Feb. 7, winning 6-1 at No. 1 … ran her singles winning streak to four after topping Valparaiso Feb. 8, winning 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 … helped the Panthers to a 2-0 week to open March, starting things with a huge comeback victory to help Milwaukee to a thrilling and dramatic 4-3 victory over Western Illinois March 1 … the match was deadlocked at three points apiece with Nikolajeva left at No. 2 singles to determine the winner … down 5-1 in the deciding third set, she fought off six match points and then won the tiebreaker 11-9 to send the Panthers to the big victory over the Leathernecks … then moved up a spot to No. 1 singles due to injury and dispatched Whitewater's #1, 6-2, 6-0 as part of a 7-0 MKE victory … was rewarded with Horizon League Singles Player of the Week honors March 5 for her efforts … closed the season strong on the doubles court, claiming wins over IU Indianapolis April 18 and then against both Oakland (6-3) and Youngstown State (6-2) at the Horizon League Championships April 25.
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2024-25 match-by-match in PDF Format
Prior to MKE: Comes to the Panthers from Riga, Latvia … holds a Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) of 8.6 singles/8.5 doubles … competed on the Junior Girls International Tennis Tour.
Personal: Daughter of Dmitrijs and Lana Nikolajeva … nickname is “Nika” … a general business major … chose Milwaukee because of the scholarship opportunity to play tennis and the good city … career goal is to open her own business … most memorable sports experience was when she won the Latvian Championship … lists her hobbies as tennis and dance … born Sept. 28, 2005.
PRONUNCIATION: NEE-cole-ah NEEK-oh-lie-ay-vah
