Sky Blue signs former Pennington standout Baxter
Sky Blue FC has signed former Pennington School standout Nicole Baxter to a full contract, the club announced on Thursday.
Baxter initially joined Sky Blue on a pair of short-term deals for the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup and subsequent fall series.
“I am really excited to be returning to Sky Blue in 2021,” Baxter told the club’s official site. “It was a goal of mine throughout this year to earn a long-term role on this team. As weird as 2020 has been, it has been a really good opportunity for me to get time an experience that is typically hard to come by in this league. I think I was able to grow a lot because of that experience. I am just really excited that I now have the opportunity to return to the Club and continue working with such a great group of people and contributing in whatever way that I can.”
The 26-year-old William & Mary product appeared in four games for Sky Blue over the two competitions. She went 71 minutes in midfield against Chicago in a 3-1 victory in the 2020 Fall Series finale.
“Nicole has used the opportunity of the unconventional 2020 season to demonstrate some of the key qualities of a professional in the league,” Sky Blue coach Freya Coombe said. “She has real determination to succeed, great quality on the ball, and the ability to create in the final third. She is highly motivated to continue her journey in the NWSL and I look forward to the 2021 season with her.”
Baxter previously has spells in Sweden before she latched on with the hometown Sky Blue.
The 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup is scheduled to kick off in mid-April followed by a 24-match regular season that begins in mid-May. Sky Blue will play its home games at Red Bull Arena in Harrison.