Most toddlers learn to walk before they skate, but for sophomore Nicole Hall, gliding across the ice came first. Hall grew up in Stockholm, Sweden, surrounded by the game of ice hockey. Hall’s earliest memories include going to the rink to watch her brother play, making it a relatively easy decision for her to begin her own career in the sport.

“My whole family played, my parents, my brother, cousins, uncles, aunts, everyone….so I’ve always just been around the game and fell in love with it,” said Hall. 

Naturally, Hall became very good very quickly, as she went on to represent Sweden at the international level several times. 

“In 2020, I played at the under-16 world championship in Slovakia…then a week after, I went to Switzerland to play at the Youth Olympics, where we took home the silver medal. That was surreal, so much pride being one of the 23 girls to represent your country. When you get that chance, it’s a big honor,” said Hall.

Soon after, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, which postponed the next IHF U18 Women’s World Championship tournament until June 2022 in Madison, Wisconsin. During this time, Hall represented Sweden on their U-18 team. Following a fantastic performance, Penn State extended an official offer to Hall as an international student-athlete.

“After receiving an offer, I thought I wanted to try… I mean, I could get a free education, learn some English, and play a good level of hockey, so it sounded very fun to me. I also thought I could always go back home if I didn’t like it or missed home too much, but it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity I really wanted to take advantage of,” said Hall.

What stood out most to Hall during the recruiting process were the facilities and the level of professionalism offered at Penn State.

“The facilities, the rink, the coaches, the staff around the team, I mean, I have everything I could ever ask for… they are really setting up the chance for me to be as good as I can be,” said Hall. “And to represent Penn State, I mean, the culture here is amazing. The roar zone, all the people that come to the games, my professors who ask me about how I’m playing, it really is just so special, so I’m honored to be here at Penn State.”

Hall mentioned that one distinct difference she has had to adapt to when playing hockey in the States is the size of the rink. In Sweden, the rink size is wider, resulting in more open ice, more tactical play, and a greater emphasis on passing and positioning. Hall mentioned she’s not used to always having someone on her, so she relies heavily on her teammates during action plays. 

Hall described her team as a close-knit family. Between the coaches, athletic trainers, and her teammates, everyone has welcomed her with open arms.

“I can’t just say one because everyone has been helpful with adjusting everything for me. I mean, my teammates and I connected really fast, and really everyone has just taken such good care of me, I’m really fortunate,” said Hall.

Hall also relies on her teammates and coaches to help stay motivated during the hockey season. 

“The basic thing is we have each other and are always looking out for one another. Like, if you’re having a bad day, everyone steps up to motivate one another. Also, the coaches do a great job at preparing and scheduling our weeks and adding in more rest if we need it, depending on the game,” said Hall. 

When asked about how she balances academics and athletics, Hall said her schedule “requires a lot of planning.” She described her day-to-day schedule as “class, practice, go home, study, play a game, repeat.”

While Hall has a hectic schedule during the season, she is a big advocate for prioritizing her time and not putting too much pressure on herself.

“It’s important that you don’t put too much pressure on yourself with academics and hockey because at the end of the day, you’re going to crash. As long as you pass everything, try your best, and feel good, that is most important. I really try to remind myself that, especially since studying English as my second language. I really can’t put too much pressure on myself because I need to enjoy my time here as well,” said Hall.

While attending her studies here at Penn State, Hall plans to graduate with a degree in broadcast journalism and a minor in sports studies. She intends to use her degree back home to become a sideline reporter for the Swedish national men’s hockey team.

Hall’s favorite memory so far was winning the regular Atlantic Hockey America conference last year during her freshman season. Hall’s goals for this season are to make it to the women’s Frozen Four, which is hosted at Penn State this year. Her own personal goal is to make it to the Olympic Games this January to represent Sweden. 

Finally, Hall’s piece of advice to any young girl who has a dream of playing collegiate hockey is “to try your best and take advantage of any opportunity given to you because you will regret it if you let an amazing opportunity pass you up.”