GUILDERLAND — Pure athleticism, desire, and hustle are the best words used to describe Nikki Branchini.

The recent Guilderland High School graduate has been seen on fields and courts all over Section II the past four years. Yet the sport she played the least, is the one that will be her future and earned her the highest accolade.

Branchini has been named a US Lacrosse All-American for her exploits on the field for the Lady Dutch. She also has been named an Academic All-American by US Lacrosse.

US Lacrosse is the governing organization of the sport.
"I was surprised," Branchini said in a recent interview. "The girls on the team have played their whole lives. I took two years off. I didn’t expect it."

"Woman of many sports"

Branchini did not play lacrosse in the ninth and 10th grades. She had played up to eighth grade but then chose basketball.
"I played AAU basketball," she said of her previous spring sport. "Junior year, I played both; this year I decided to drop basketball."

She didn’t need to play in the Amateur Athletic Union to hone her basketball skills. Her one season of varsity high-school lacrosse netted her a spot on the University at Albany team.
"I love basketball," Branchini said. "But lacrosse has more opportunities for me. I would not have what I have now if I didn’t play lacrosse."

Branchini was convinced to return to the lacrosse field.
"Coach Gary Chatnik encouraged me to pick up the sport again," Branchini said. "I never stopped playing the sport. I played with my sisters. They all play lacrosse."

Branchini, who was a four-year varsity player in field hockey, and three-year member of the varsity basketball team, used her athleticism to make an easy transition back to lacrosse. She had begun playing lacrosse in grade school.

Come-back kid
"I worked on my skills," she said. "It was a lot of hard work. I jumped right into it. My stick skills weren’t as good for an attack player, but I mainly play defense. It’s like riding a bike."
"Nikki is an excellent player," Chatnik said. "She helped her team grow up quickly. She led by example. She worked really hard on defense and everyone fed off that. She didn’t want us to lose and the younger players looked up to her. She had to guard the best player on the other team and Nikki shut her down. Guilderand has never had a defensive player like that."

Branchini has parlayed her athletic talent and her passion and dedication to success on the hardwood and the field. She helped the basketball team to two sectional championship game appearances in the three years she was on varsity.

Branchini also helped the field hockey team have a break through season last fall. For the first time the Lady Dutch advanced past the quarterfinals into the semifinals.

The Guilderland girls’ lacrosse team played in the sectional finals in 2005 — when Branchini was not on the team. They lost in the semifinals in 2006 before winning the title this past spring.
"That was frustating, we had a good team last year," Branchini said. "We were a loaded team and we didn’t go as far as I thought. This year, we had a pretty good team, too."

Winning the sectionals 9-7 over Shaker was the culmination of a lot of work by Branchini and her teammates.
"That was our biggest goal this year," she said. "In field hockey, we made the semifinals and lost, and in basketball we made the finals and lost. I was not losing in a final again. I was not losing. We really built up for the end of the year. We picked it up at the end of the year and that is when we should."
"She finally won her championship," Chatnik said.

Onward

Branchini will take her accolades to the collegiate level as she will play for the University at Albany.
"I really liked their program," she said of her choice in school. "The program has got some good athletes. It’s on the rise and the school was the best fit for me. I looked at UMass and schools in California. But this is where I want to be.
"The coaches are great and they know the game," Branchini added. "I want to help them get better."
"We are going to miss her a lot," Chatnik said. "She brought a lot to our program"She really put her heart into it. She is going to star at UAlbany."

Branchini will also see some familiar faces on the Albany team. Former teammate and All-American Kayla Best had an outstanding freshman campaign for the Great Danes.

Rival and friend, Tee Ladacouer of Bethlehem, will also be a member of the team.
"There is another girl from Bethlehem going there," Branchini said. "There will be people there I know, so it will help make it less stressful."

Branchini, who was also named an Academic All-American last year, realizes the significance of what she has accomplished, especially adding the regular All-American recognition.
‘These are great accomplishments," she said. "My parents are definitely proud of me.
Branchini said she was most proud of the regular All-American designation. "It’s based on skill. It’s nice to see that someone else thinks that I can play."

Though she is the one recognized, Branchini knows that she had a lot of help on the way to earning her accolades.
"All my coaches have been big influences on my life," she said. "It’s going to be weird not picking up a field hockey stick or a basketball. But I’ll definitely come back and visit.
"I’ll miss the change of sports," she added. "The good thing, was once field hockey was done, I started something else. But I’m doing what I love so it doesn’t matter."

And why lacrosse"
"I feel like it’s different than every other sport," Branchini said. "Even though we can’t hit like the guys can, sometimes you can push people. There’s a fun atmosphere about it, and the people I’ve met are great."
Even though Branchini took those years off from the sport, what did she learn"
"If you work hard enough, anything is possible. She added, "I definitely want to thank my parents for their support and everyone around me who helped me get to where I am now."