Bucknell University Athletics
Softball's Nicole Rivait Named PL Award of Outstanding Leadership and Character Recipient
7/19/2022 11:00:00 AM | Softball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Recent Bucknell graduate Nicole Rivait, a four-year starter for the softball program, was named a 2022 recipient of the Patriot League Award of Outstanding Leadership and Character on Tuesday. Along with her noteworthy play on the field, Rivait has been recognized for her contributions to the Bucknell campus, the athletic department and beyond.
First handed out at the conclusion of the 2011-12 academic year, the Patriot League established an Award of Outstanding Leadership and Character to recognize those who demonstrate excellence in leadership and service while participating in Patriot League athletics, with one male and one female winner selected each year. Two female student-athletes were honored this year due to a tie in voting.
Rivait was a member of the Bucknell Athletics Leadership Institute, the Summer LEAD Fellowship, and was one of two softball representatives for Bucknell's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee in 2021-22. A senior captain for the softball team, Rivait served as a mentor to both her younger teammates and her fellow Bison student-athletes across campus.
Through Rivait's leadership, the Bucknell Athlete Ally chapter was founded in the fall of 2021. Athlete Ally is a nonprofit LGBTQIA+ athletic advocacy group that focuses on making athletic communities more inclusive and helps athletes advocate for equality, and the newly formed local chapter has helped create a community where LGBTQIA+ individuals feel supported and connected. Athlete Ally also allows individuals who do not identify as part of the community to feel like they can be educated on how to be allies and supporters of their fellow teammates.
Along with the creation of the chapter, Rivait helped organize Bucknell's first-ever "Pride Games," where varsity athletic events across a variety of sports were presented by Bucknell Athlete Ally and partnered with Bucknell University's Fran's House and its transitional clothing donation drive. Team members wore rainbow items in support of LGBTQIA+ community members, and resource information cards and support items were also available to fans in conjuction with informative announcements throughout the games.
.@Bucknell_SB senior @nicolerivait knows it is very liberating to just be one's self, and she launched an @AthleteAlly chapter at her university to help students who need support. 🏳️🌈#NCAASoftball x 🎥 @PatriotLeagueTV pic.twitter.com/lBuAeOtubB
— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) May 12, 2022
As a member of Bucknell's Social Justice Committee, Rivait was also involved with the University's Black History Month reading initiative. In April, Rivait was voted a 2022 recipient of the 'ray Bucknell Diversity Award at the athletic department's annual Senior Awards Banquet. The award is presented to senior student-athletes who have worked to eliminate attitudes and actions that have separated, excluded or marginalized people in the past.
Our next award is the 'ray Bucknell Diversity Award! Our first recipient is @Bucknell_SB star 𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐄 𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐀𝐈𝐓, who has been an important bridge-builder for the LGBTQ+ community. #rayBucknell pic.twitter.com/h8lB1H3x9K
— Bucknell Athletics (@Bucknell_Bison) April 25, 2022
Rivait set a standard on the field as well, leading the team in batting average, slugging percentage, and hits over her final two seasons. She was in the midst of a breakout year in 2021 before a season-ending knee injury caused her to miss the final nine games. Despite the injury, she finished first on the roster with 24 hits and six doubles during the shortened campaign. She also finished her junior season ranked fourth in the Patriot League with a .387 batting average, including an outstanding .429 average against league opponents.
The Burlington, Ontario native's efforts landed her on the Preseason All-Patriot League Team prior to the 2022 season, and following a lengthy recovery, she continued to hit above .300 for a third consecutive season while racking up 42 hits, nine doubles and three home runs.
"I'm so unbelievably proud of all the work that Nicole has done on and off the field over her four years as a Bison. She is an incredible athlete but an even better person, and I think earning this award shows that," said head softball coach Sarah Caffrey. "Nicole has been instrumental in defining the culture of our program, and her leadership has really changed how we operate. Athlete Ally is something that had never been on Bucknell's campus before, so her work with the LGBTQIA+ community is something that we are all so proud of. I'm excited to see her work continue long after she is graduated. She has truly left her legacy at Bucknell, and I am so grateful to have been a small part of it."
Rivait graduated in May having started 136 of the 137 games in which she appeared. She ranks ninth in the Bucknell record books with 13 career home runs while totaling 117 hits, 23 doubles and 65 RBIs. She plans on continuing her softball career and attending graduate school at Canisius this fall.
Joining Rivait as a 2022 recipient of the award is Drew Pecora of Lehigh's field hockey team and Johna Joseph Jr. of Colgate's track & field team. This is the second consecutive year a Bucknell student-athlete has received the Patriot League Award of Outstanding Leadership and Character after women's basketball's Abby Kapp was selected in 2021. Rivait is the seventh Bucknell student-athlete to receive the award.
