TCC’s Nikulochkina twins named to NJCAA All-Star Team
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (June 25, 2020) – Twin sisters Ana and Polina Nikulochkina, both rising sophomores at Tallahassee Community College, have been named to the 2020 NJCAA Women's Basketball All-Star Team.
Fifty honorees featuring 33 Division I, 12 Division II and five Division III student-athletes across 42 institutions were selected by the NJCAA Women's Basketball Coaches Association. Tallahassee is one of just eight schools with multiple all-star representatives.
Both sisters were All-Panhandle Conference selections in 2020, including a first-team nod for Polina. Ana was named Second-team All-Conference. The Moscow, Russia, natives also overcame injuries en route to solid freshman campaigns.
"Great players know how to overcome adversity," said head women's basketball coach Matt Huddleston. "I was lucky to have a team of players that stayed positive and focused despite mounting injuries. Ana and Polina are great examples of what our team culture is becoming – we build leaders."
Despite missing the final three games with an ankle injury, Polina led the Eagles in scoring at 16.2 points per game and averaged 5.7 rebounds over 23 games.
Ana, meanwhile, missed the first 12 games of the season due to an Achilles' injury but bounced back to post a strong second half. She averaged 13.6 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists.
While the All-Star Game itself was cancelled in April due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NJCAA elected to move forward with selecting participants for what would have been the 13th annual event.
"It deeply saddens us that we will not be able to honor these participants this year at our annual event," said Brandan Harrell, head women's basketball coach at Georgia Highlands College and NJCAA Women's Basketball Coaches Association President. "They have worked very hard during their freshman year to be selected to represent their institutions, their regions, and the NJCAA. However, this is still a great honor and we will do our best to promote these deserving student-athletes."
Both Ana and Polina, who arrived on campus last June, agreed the hard work has paid off but also creates a greater sense of urgency for the upcoming season.
"It adds some pressure to go out and try even harder (next season), said Ana.
Polina added, "I'm grateful to be selected, but I have to keep working hard."
Like their teammates, neither player has had access to a gym since mid-March due to the ongoing pandemic, creating a void in their normal schedule.
"It's been hard because we haven't been able to get in (a gym) and get shots up but it will make us work harder when we get back," said Ana.