Starting this week, the North Carolina High School field hockey State Tournament is in full swing. One of the top teams to watch is Cardinal Gibbons High School, led by senior captain Molly Nussbaumer. We are so excited to announce that Molly is this week’s Player of the Week!
Molly is from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where she grew up watching field hockey from a young age. According to Molly, “watching high-level field hockey games at nearby schools made her want to give the sport a try.” Molly played her first field hockey tournament at Festival in 7th grade and has loved the sport ever since.
Molly’s passion and dedication have paid off on both the high school and national levels. This past summer, Molly competed at the U-21 Nexus Championship and the U-19 National Club Championship, where she and her teammates won gold and silver medals, respectively. Medalling at the U-19 NCC was extra special for Molly and her Bull City teammates because it was not only the first time her team medaled at Nationals, but the first time they qualified to play in the U19 tournament.
Despite her accolades, Molly is always working to improve. When asked what her advice to younger players would be, Molly says that “you can never practice too much.” To Molly, practice is the key to success, because it not only allows her to hone your skills, but grow her confidence as well. Clearly, Molly’s hard-working attitude has paid dividends not only for her but for her undefeated Cardinal Gibbons team as well.
The Cardinal Gibbons Crusaders have scored 98 goals across 16 games, while holding their opponents to only 7. As a center midfielder, Molly has been a major contributor to the team's success on both offense and defense. Molly says that playing center midfield can be difficult, especially when it comes to “maintaining field awareness.” Molly has to be constantly aware of where players are on the field and manage transitions from defense to attack. Despite the challenge, Molly has been a force for the Cardinals this year, scoring 22 goals and notching 13 assists.
Looking ahead, Molly and her team’s main goal this year is to win a state championship. So far in the state tournament, the Crusaders have outscored their opponents 21-3. However, they face their toughest challenge this Saturday, November 1, in the state final. A 2025 state title would make three in a row for Cardinal Gibbons, and with Molly leading the charge, the Crusaders are definitely ready to battle for the top spot in North Carolina.
