OHIO CITY, Oh - Senior midfielder Nathan Trickett will head to Cincinnati next fall to continue his academic and soccer career at Xavier University. Trickett is a captain for the 2022 Soccer Cats and was essential to the Wildcats' State and National Championship run in 2021. Trickett will join the Blue and Silver and may be seeing college minutes right away in the Big East Conference. 

“I love their coaching staff. The recruitment process was long, but it picked up as time went on,” says Trickett. “The team is looking to do great things; they are looking for new players and I can potentially be one of those young players that gets a lot of minutes.”

The senior captain already has four goals as the Wildcats are five games into the 2022 campaign. The Soccer Cats are fresh off a 4-0 victory against University School, where Trickett found the back of the net. The Musketeers Soccer program will be receiving a gifted athlete in Trickett. 

“I think Nathan Trickett is an incredible soccer player. He has great feet and a high soccer IQ. He is left-footed and dynamic,” explains Head Soccer Coach Mike McLaughlin ’85. “He is going to do well at the next level and Xavier is excited to have him and they see them playing right away.”

The Xavier Musketeers are coming off a 9-7-1 season in 2021 and seeking to continue to build their program. “They have beautiful facilities and are in a great conference,” Trickett says. “There is great competition in the conference, which will allow me to improve at the game.”

First-year head coach John Higgins leads the Musketeer program. Higgins has a decorated resume, claiming a 150-56-29 record as the head coach at the University of Indianapolis. He led the Greyhounds to five NCAA Tournament appearances with two national semifinal appearances. Higgins also claimed six conference titles and three tournament championships. Trickett is one of his first signings for the class of 2023. 

“Xavier has a brand new coach and Trickett is one of those guys that can play in the Big East,” McLaughlin says. “They want to get the best kids in Ohio to go to Xavier and I believe Trickett is the first signing in their recruiting class.”

Trickett is thrilled to have gone through the college recruiting process and have his college chosen for next fall. “This is something I have always dreamt of and finally achieving this is so exciting to me,” Trickett explains. “There is a sense of relief that this process is completed and I am excited about the next step.”

The commitment comes early in Trickett’s senior season. He notes the importance of completing the recruiting process as he focuses on winning another State and National championship. 

“It is important to commit out of the way because when you are looking for college recruiters, you are hunting for goals, assists and getting your name out there,” says Trickett. “With all that out of the way, it is about the team game now. Pushing for the team, not just yourself is the most important thing I see out of this.”

“He is a delightful young man, every day, he is consistent and shows up and works hard,” McLaughlin says. “He has fun daily, too; it is not a chore. He loves the game and being with his teammates and can do it at a high level each day.”

Congratulations to the Wildcats' senior midfielder on his commitment to Xavier University. Although Trickett's recruiting process has ended, the goal now shifts to another state championship. The program is seeking its 12th state championship and an eighth national championship in 2022.