Category: Athlete
Sport: Women's Volleyball
Institution: Cambrian College
Inducted: 2017
As setter for the Cambrian women's volleyball program at the turn of the century, Nikki Cambridge helped lead the Golden Shield to an overall regular season record of 50-1 over the span of four regular seasons, culminating in one OCAA silver medal and three provincial championships.
In her freshman season, Nikki helped lead Cambrian to an unblemished OCAA season in 2000-01. The Golden Shield won the Central Division title with a 12-0 record, then won three straight matches at provincials to win their first-ever OCAA championship. Nikki assisted a team that averaged 9.15 kills per set during the regular season. Her first trip to nationals ended with a 1-2 record.
Cambrian repeated as OCAA Central Division champions the following season as Nikki was named an OCAA League All-Star as the top setter in the Central Division for the first time. Cambrian was one of two teams to average better than 11.00 points per set during the regular season. Nikki led her team with 21 service aces and represented the Golden Shield at the annual OCAA All-Star Game. The Golden Shield were thwarted in the OCAA gold medal match at provincials, but for her efforts, Nikki was named an OCAA Championship All-Star.
In 2002-03, Cambrian went undefeated with a 14-0 record, dropping just one set to win a third straight Central Division regular season crown. Once again, Nikki led the team with 19 service aces. With Nikki accumulating the majority of assists, the Golden Shield averaged 10.56 kills per set as she was named an OCAA League All-Star and OCAA Championship All-Star for a second time, with Cambrian reclaiming the OCAA gold medal at provincials. Returning to nationals for the second time in three seasons, Nikki was named a Second-Team All-Star at the championship as Cambrian went 1-2, but earned accolades with the Chuck Gullickson Fair Play Team Award.
After spending time across town at Laurentian University, Nikki returned to Cambrian for her final season in 2004-05. Similar to her previous season in the Black and Gold, the Golden Shield went undefeated during the regular season with a 13-0 record, once again losing just one set en route to a Central East Division title. Cambrian averaged over a dozen kills per set as Nikki was named an OCAA Central East First-Team All-Star. The Golden Shield won three straight matches at provincials to win a third OCAA gold medal in five seasons. Nikki was once again named an OCAA Championship All-Star. Cambrian had a most memorable return to the national stage, where the team went 3-1 to claim its first-ever CCAA medal, bronze.
In this golden era of Cambrian women’s volleyball, Nikki was a dependable presence.