'It’s like a little family': Paulina Niklaus cherishes close-knit bond with Rutgers field hockey
Senior midfielder Paulina Niklaus has followed the path of so many field hockey players before her: making the move from home overseas to play collegiate hockey.
Niklaus has been with the Rutgers field hockey team for two seasons. This season, she was named team captain and led her squad.
Hailing from Mannheim, Germany, Niklaus found her love for field hockey at a young age and grew alongside the sport over the years.
Now, Niklaus has become a top-tier field hockey player, representing her country and her talent on various stages.
Before deciding to become a Scarlet Knight, Niklaus spent her years moving through her hometown club system. This eventually led her to the U-21 German national team, where she won the 2022 European Championship.
"It’s a really good level of hockey and you get international experience," she said on competing for her country. "You get to go to tournaments and play other nations, which is a really nice experience."
That experience led Niklaus to take on an entirely new sector of the sport in the United States. It was a big decision, but it fostered excitement and the prospect of something new for Niklaus.
"Just the combination of academics and playing hockey was really appealing for me," she said. "The Big Ten is really competitive, so that’s why I wanted to try playing in the US."
Niklaus was supposed to come to Rutgers for the 2020 season, but the pandemic delayed her debut as a Knight.
"I always thought about it and I always knew I wanted to go to Rutgers at some point because I never forgot about it."
Niklaus stayed in contact with head coach Meredith Civico and finally joined the Knights just in time for the 2023 season. Starting every game that season, she scored 3 goals and was named to the Second Team All-Big Ten and Big Ten All-Tournament Team.
Despite being far from home, the team did everything possible to make Niklaus feel comfortable.
"If I didn’t have that bond with the team, it would be way harder to be away from home. But the girls from America bring us home for Thanksgiving and it’s just like a family."
Niklaus built on her impressive rookie season in 2024. Once again, she started every game this season and scored 7 goals. Niklaus received First Team All-Big Ten and Big Ten All-Tournament Team honors.
"It was an honor for me to be captain and to get the recognition was really nice. It kind of showed me how the coaches value my leadership and how I play."
Niklaus credits the family-like culture at Rutgers as a factor in its recent success.
"This team is so together and that’s what makes it special," she said. "Basically you practice and play with your friends every day. And I don’t know but sometimes I feel like you don’t appreciate it as much as you should, but that’s something that’s really special, you get to play with people you love."
Because of the pandemic, Niklaus still has one year of eligibility left. She’s unsure if she’ll return to Piscataway next season, but the bond within the Knights is something she’ll always appreciate.
"It’s like a little family," she said. “Everyone cares about each other and that’s what makes it special."
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