Ryan Tubongbanua / The Collegian

Molly Nizzoli may be a small-town girl, but she is already making a big-time impact for Fresno State

It is gameday, so she gets all ready and does her hair, puts on her sliders and then her uniform.

Superstitiously, the cleats and shin guards always get put on last. For making as much noise as she does on the soccer field, you would never know how quiet midfielder Molly Nizzoli is off the field.

“If I could change one thing about myself it would be to be less shy when first talking to someone,â€Â Nizzoli said.

Lifelong passion

The freshman leads the soccer team in scoring and is already making an impact in her first season. You can take the smalltown girl from Galt away from the soccer setting, but you can̢۪t take soccer away from Nizzoli.

“I’ve been playing since I was 4 or 5,â€Â Nizzoli said. “I’ve played other sports growing up like basketball, softball, volleyball and track, but soccer is my true love.â€Â

The 17-year-old freshman, whose birthday is in nine days, has two goals and an assist in just five games and has started in four of those five games.

It should not come as much surprise as Nizzoli has had success in soccer nearly all her life.

At age 13, she made the Cal North State Olympic Development Program (ODP) team. Then, she followed that accomplishment up with earning first team all league honors on her high school team in the 2004-05 and 2005-06 season.

In both those seasons combined she tallied a total of 21 goals and 14 assists, and was named offensive MVP in back-to-back years.

File photo by Bryan Cole / The Collegian

“I just wanted to come out and play hard this season,â€Â Nizzoli said. “I didn’t know how much of a factor I would be, but I just want to help the team.â€Â

Home away from home

Besides being a key contributor on the field, Nizzoli enjoys snowboarding, boating, wakeboarding, shopping and playing all sports. Her favorite athlete is Brazilian soccer player Ronaldo and her greatest moment as a Bulldog was when she scored her first goal.

She has one brother and sister and admires her parents the most of anyone.

“It was really hard in the beginning of the year being away from my family,â€Â Nizzoli said. “Now, I’m starting to get used to it, but it helps that they come to every home game.â€Â

It also helps that Nizzoli is almost always busy, and in her busy schedule she is spending the majority of her time with teammates.

“ I like how Molly stays calm on the field and she is producing a lot for us this year,â€Â sophomore teammate Lauren Satterlee said. “Off the field she is a fun girl to be around and always makes me laugh, and always has a smile on her face.â€Â

Teammate Nicole Gutierrez added, “Molly knows when to speak up. She will without a doubt be an offensive threat to teams in the future.â€Â

Both Satterlee and Gutierrez were adamant about Nizzoli̢۪s hard work ethic. Nizzoli is not only a hard-working athlete, but excels in the classroom as well.

Fresno State Nizzoli’s first choice

She could have gone to nearly any college as she graduated high school with a 4.0 G.P.A.

“I chose Fresno State, because the sports programs in general,â€Â Nizzoli said. “I really like the girls and all the coaches too.â€Â

Nizzoli is just looking to be part of the team right now and seems to get along with just about everyone.

“The team is pretty young so I have no problem getting along with everyone,â€Â Nizzoli said. “Once I gain more experience, I plan to assume more of a leader role.â€Â

Nizzoli knows what she wants in her four years at Fresno State on the soccer field, but is unsure of what she wants to do in life after soccer.

“I want to win the WAC in at least two of my years here,â€Â Nizzoli said. “Academically, I’m undeclared right now. I think I might want to major in criminology, but I’m just going with the flow.â€Â

When asked how life has treated her so far, Nizzoli smiled and answered, “Pretty much amazing. I can’t ask for much more.â€Â