- "I made Virginia Wesleyan my top choice because I liked the idea that it was a small school. It had great reviews in my area of study, and I was looking to compete at a Division III school. Once I visited the campus I first noticed how nice it was. Then after meeting with the track and field coach, I knew it was a team that I wanted to be part of."
- Selected VWC over East Stroudsburg University, the College of New Jersey, Rowan University, Richard Stockton College, Concord University, High Point University, and Gloucester Community College
Career Highs
Outdoor
Javelin: 129’ 7” – (Dr. Harry Jopson Track and Field Invite – March 27-28, 2015)
Indoor
Shot Put: 29’ 6” – (Vince Brown Invitational – February 8, 2015)
Statistics
Track & Field
Sophomore (2014-15): (Indoor) Threw the shot put in the indoor season… Tossed the shot 29’ 6” at the Vince Brown Invitational on February 8… (Outdoor) Shined at the javelin in the spring season, ranked nationally the majority of the season… Won the Dr. Harry Jopson Track and Field Invite with a heave of 129’ 7”… Won the Aggie Invitational with a 124’ 2” toss… Placed second in the javelin at the ODAC Outdoor Championships.
Academic Accomplishments: Presidential Scholarship recipient.
Before VWC: Competed in track and field and soccer… Recorded personal bests of 135-feet, 2-inches in the javelin and 32-6 in the shot put… Helped her team to the indoor track and field New Jersey Group 3 state championship in 2013… Member of the 2013 New Jersey Group 3 shot put relay champions… 2013 outdoor state runner-up team member… 2013 captain… National Art Honor Society member… US Marines Scholar/Athlete Award recipient in 2013… Member of Art Club… Student Council member… Member of S.A.D.D. and Interact.
Personal: Daughter of Melissa and Jason Burns… Has four sisters: Gabrielle, Kerri, Ashley, and Caelyn.
Get to Know Nicolette
- Enjoys alternative music, indie, and pop, and vacationing anywhere in the mountains or near a beach
- Current favorites include the books "1984," "The Notebook," and "Dear John," and TV series "The Office," "Law and Order," and "Impractical Jokers"
- A fan Norwegian javelin thrower Andreas Thorkildsen, hockey's Philadelphia Flyers, and celebrities Steve Carrell and John Stamos
- Self-description in 10 words or less: "content, introverted, agreeable, artist, open-minded, adventurous, determined"
- My favorite aspect of being an athlete is: "getting familiar with the team and bonding with them, accepting them as a second family that supports each other one hundred percent. Also, I love when I can achieve the goals that I have been working hard for, realizing that hard work does pay off"
- The part of my game I've improved the most is: "recording consistently good throws in the javelin"
- My personal athletic goal at VWC is: "to throw a 150 foot throw in the javelin and to move on to be a national champion in Division III"
- If I could spend one day with a famous person from any time period it would be: "Walt Disney, so I could go to Disney World with the man who created it and talk about Disney all day long"
- It's the year 2030 and: "I see myself as an art therapist, out of school, married with children and pets, my own house on the east coast, and traveling around the world to see many different countries"
- People might be surprised to know: "I used to have dreadlocks in high school"
- The most important advice I've received is: "in a poem written by my high school coach. He explained that bad things in life are going to happen whether you want them to or not. He told me that I have to accept the things I cannot control and shrug them off because either way, life will go on. He told me that I am the one who is in control of my own happiness, and sweating the small stuff is only a waste of time."
