September 12, 2019 – Defender Nichelle Simon, who played college hockey at Hamline and Neumann universities and appeared in season 9 of NBC’s hit show “American Ninja Warrior,” has signed with the Metropolitan Riveters of the NWHL.

Simon is also a breast cancer survivor who completed her treatments in June, 2018. She has preparing for a comeback to hockey ever since, and achieved her dream after a successful tryout before the Riveters’ hockey operations staff.

The veteran defender was born in Ft. Lauderdale and attended Shattuck-St. Mary’s School before playing college hockey at Hamline University and Neumann University. She scored 19 goals in 87 career games, including 10 goals in her freshman season at Hamline University, and was named to ECAC West’s All-Academic Team in her senior season.

Simon, 36, is a dedicated athlete. She competed during the ninth season of “American Ninja Warrior” at the Daytona Beach qualifiers and continues to train for ninja events. Simon participated at the 2018 USA Pond Hockey National Championship in Wisconsin and led her team, the Southern Thunder, in goals at the 2019 Chipotle-USA Hockey Nationals in Anaheim.

 

“I’m extremely proud and honored to be selected to represent the Riveters and the NWHL on and off the ice,” said Simon. “I’m looking forward to the challenge of competing with and against great hockey players and the opportunity to be a role model for girls and women coming up in the sport. My message is that it’s never too late to follow your dreams!”

Simon has been committed to promoting hockey in the South and has been an instructor for over a decade. She is an “Operations Ninja” for Total Package Hockey, a service dedicated to positively impacting the lives of student-athletes through the best sport in the world.

Contact: Chris Botta, NWHL cbotta@nwhlhq.com