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Alyssa Nichols

Alyssa Nichols (born January 15, 1996) is an American soccer referee.

Early life

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Nichols was born on January 15, 1996, in Jackson, Mississippi, to Pearl and Andrew Pennington.[1] She attended Murrah High School in Jackson, where she was a member of the school soccer team.[2] Nichols went on to earn her undergraduate degree in chemistry from Jackson State University, joining the Delta Sigma Theta sorority and graduating magna cum laude.[2]

Career

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Nichols started refereeing at the age of 17.[3] She became the first woman from Mississippi to receive a national referee license from the United States Soccer Federation when she was 23 years old.[2] In January 2023, Nichols became the youngest Black woman, as well as the first woman from Mississippi, to earn a FIFA referee badge.[2][4]

Personal life

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Nichols has lived in Tampa, Florida, United States.[4] Her husband, Philip Nichols, was a college soccer player.[1][2]

References

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  1. ^ a b Howard, Morgan (January 10, 2023). "Jackson Native Makes History Becoming First FIFA Referee In Mississippi: Read Alyssa Nichols Story". Dark Horse Press. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e Walker, Adria R (August 18, 2023). "Alyssa Nichols: the trailblazing US referee chasing her World Cup 'dream'". The Guardian. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  3. ^ Salers, Caleb (January 31, 2023). "Alyssa Nichols to represent Mississippi as the state's first FIFA referee". supertalk.fm. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Griffin, Tamerra (March 3, 2023). "Alyssa Nichols is aiming for the World Cup". Andscape. Retrieved January 14, 2024.