Field Hockey
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- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- lparsley@liberty.edu
- Start Date:
- 05/01/2016
One year after joining Liberty’s staff as an assistant coach, Nikki Parsley-Blocker was named the program’s second head coach on January 16, 2017.
Parsley-Blocker joined Liberty’s staff as an assistant coach on May 1, 2016 in time for Liberty’s first season as a part of the BIG EAST Conference. Parsley-Blocker is the second head coach in the history of the program, taking over for program founder Jodi Murphy, who left in December 2016.
In her first seven seasons as head coach, Parsley-Blocker has guided Liberty to a 93-42 record. Her .689 career winning percentage is currently fifth best among all active Division I field hockey head coaches. She has coached coaching one NFHCA Division I Player of the Year, one Honda Sport Award winner for field hockey, 13 NFHCA Division I All-America recipients, one NCAA Elite 90 Award winner, two BIG EAST Championship MVPs, three NCAA Field Hockey Championship All-Tournament team selections, 35 All-BIG EAST selections, two BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year honorees, two BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year honorees, one BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year, one BIG EAST Co-Defensive Player of the Year, 29 NFHCA All-South Region team honorees, 29 VaSID Field Hockey All-State University Division team selections, three VaSID Offensive Player of the Year honorees, two VaSID Defensive Player of the Year honorees, one VaSID Rookie of the Year and one VaSID Co-Rookie of the Year. Parsley-Blocker and her staff were named the NFHCA South Region Coaching Staff of the Year in the fall of 2021 and have earned BIG EAST Coaching Staff honors three times: spring 2021, fall 2021 and 2023.
The fall 2021 season was a banner year for the program, as Parsley-Blocker guided Liberty to its first BIG EAST title in program history and led the squad all the way to the NCAA Division I Field Hockey National Championship Game. Liberty posted a 20-3 overall mark, its most wins in school history and the most in the NCAA, and a perfect 7-0 BIG EAST regular season mark (first unbeaten BIG EAST regular season record). Liberty knocked off No. 11 Saint Joseph’s (2-0 final), No. 1 Rutgers (3-2 final, shootout, first win over a No. 1 team in program history) and No. 5 Maryland (3-2 in double OT) to reach the national championship game. Liberty’s Final Four run was its first in any sport in school history.
Parsley-Blocker and the Lady Flames posted a 10-3 record against top-25 foes during the season, the most in school history. Those ranked wins (in order of when they happened in season) were against: No. 25 Stanford, No. 15 UConn, No. 20 Duke, No. 9 North Carolina (three-time defending national champions), No. 22 Kent State, No. 16 Old Dominion, No. 19 UConn (BIG EAST title game), No. 11 Saint Joseph’s (NCAA Sweet 16), No. 1 Rutgers (NCAA Elite 8) and No. 5 Maryland (NCAA Final Four).
Parsley-Blocker and Liberty featured the nation’s top offense, leading the country in goals per game (3.48), scoring average (3.38), points per game (9.96) and assists per game (3.00). Liberty finished No. 6 in the final NCAA Field Hockey RPI listing and was ranked among the top 10 teams in the country in each of the final six national coaches’ polls. Parsley-Blocker coached NFHCA Division I Player of the Year and South Region Player of the Year Jill Bolton. Bolton went on to be named the 2022 Honda Sport Award winner for field hockey and is a finalist for the prestigious 2022 Honda Cup. Bolton was also an NFHCA All-America first team honoree. Azul Iritxity Irigoyen (first team) and Daniella Rhodes (second team) were each honored as All-Americans as well, giving Liberty a program-record three All-American selections.
Parsley-Blocker and Liberty featured a school-record six NFHCA All-South Region selections during the fall 2021 season: Jill Bolton (first team), Daniella Rhodes (first team), Azul Iritxity Irigoyen (first team), Bethany Dykema (first team), Jodie Conolly (second) and Lizzie Hamlett (second team). Liberty also had six All-BIG EAST selections, including: Rhodes (BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year, first team), Bolton (first team), Iritxity Irigoyen (first team), Bethany Dykema (first team), Conolly (second team) and Hamlett (second team).
Parsley-Blocker has also fostered academic success in her time at Liberty, with 111 NFHCA Division I National Academic Squad honorees and 22 NFHCA Division I Scholars of Distinction (3.90 cumulative GPA or higher). Liberty has also received the Zag Field Hockey/NFHCA Division I National Academic Team Award five times.
During the fall 2023 season in what was her seventh season as an assistant coach, Parsley-Blocker guided Liberty to a 17-3 overall record and went 7-0 in BIG EAST regular season competition to earn their second outright BIG EAST regular season title. Liberty received its first-ever at-large berth into the NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship during the 2023 season and finished the year No. 7 in the final coaches’ poll and No. 9 in the NCAA Field Hockey RPI. Parsley-Blocker and the Lady Flames achieved a 12-game winning streak during the 2023 season, which included a 2-1 double overtime win at No. 1 North Carolina. Liberty became the first team ever to win twice at Karen Shelton Stadium, home of the Tar Heels. Parsley-Blocker and Liberty finished the year second in the nation in goals-against-average (0.91), third in winning percentage (.850), fifth in shutouts per game (0.40), eighth in scoring margin (1.72) and ninth in assists per game (2.45).
Liberty featured five NFHCA All-South Region selections during the 2023 season: Jodie Conolly (first team), Azul Iritxity Irigoyen (first team), Bethany Dykema (first team), Reagan Underwood (second team) and Martu Cian (second team). Liberty also had five All-BIG EAST selections, led by BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year Jodie Conolly and BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year Azul Iritxity Irigoyen, both All-BIG EAST first team honorees. Bethany Dykema and Reagan Underwood were also tabbed to the first team, while Martu Cian made the second team. Conolly (first team), Iritxity Irigoyen (second team) and Dykema (second team) were each named NFHCA All-America honorees. Liberty matched a program record with the three All-American recipients.
In her sixth season as head coach in the fall of 2022, Parsley-Blocker lead Liberty to a 12-8 record and its second straight BIG EAST title. The Lady Flames defeated No. 1 seed Old Dominion 3-1 in the title game to advance to the NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship for a second straight year. Liberty finished the year at No. 13 in the national poll and at No. 20 in the RPI.
Parsley-Blocker instructed Liberty’s league-high six All-BIG EAST honorees in first team selections Bethany Dykema, Lizzie Hamlett and Charlotte Vaanhold and second team selections Jodie Conolly, Azul Iritxity Irigoyen and Daniella Rhodes. Dykema (first team), Iritxity Irigoyen (first team), Hamlett (first team), Conolly (second team) and Vaanhold (second team) went on to be named to NFHCA All-South Region squads. Dykema and Iritxity Irigoyen were both named All-Americans, with both being honored on the second team. Liberty led all squads in the Commonwealth with seven VaSID All-State recipients, led by VaSID Defensive Player of the Year Azul Iritxity Irigoyen.
In her fourth season as head coach in the spring of 2021, Parsley-Blocker guided Liberty to a 13-3 overall mark, No. 8 national ranking and No. 3 RPI at season’s end. Liberty reached as high as No. 4 in the national rankings, the highest ranking of any Liberty Athletics team in school history at the Division I level. The Lady Flames finished 10-2 in the BIG EAST and qualified for the BIG EAST Field Hockey Championship for the fourth straight year.
Parsley-Blocker instructed Liberty’s six All-BIG EAST selections during the spring 2021 campaign – Azul Iritxity Irigoyen (Defensive Player of the Year, Co-Freshman of the Year and first team), Jill Bolton (first team), Daniella Rhodes (first team), Jodie Conolly (first team), Charlotte Vaanhold (first team) and Bethany Dykema (second team). Bolton went on be named an NFHCA All-America first team member, the second first team All-American in school history.
Bolton and Rhodes earned NFHCA All-South Region first team honors, and Conolly, Vaanhold and Bethany Dykema were named to the second team, giving Liberty five all-region honorees.
In her third season as head coach in 2019, Parsley-Blocker guided Liberty to a 10-8 overall mark, No. 19 national ranking and No. 20 RPI at season’s end. Liberty finished 5-2 in the BIG EAST and qualified for the BIG EAST Field Hockey Championship for the fourth straight year. The Lady Flames faced nine nationally ranked foes in 2019.
Parsley-Blocker instructed Liberty’s four All-BIG EAST selections in 2019 – Ashley Dykema (Co-Defensive Player of the Year and first team), Daniella Rhodes (BIG EAST Freshman of the Year and first team), Jill Bolton (first team) and Charlotte Vaanhold. Dykema and Bolton went on to be named All-Americans, with Dykema earning NFHCA Division I All-America second team honors and Bolton garnering third team honors. It marked the first time in program history Liberty featured two All-Americans in the same season.
Dykema, Bolton and Rhodes each garnered inclusion on the NFHCA All-South Region first team, marking the first time in school history that the Lady Flames had three first team all-region players in the same season. The trio also earned VaSID Field Hockey All-State University Division first team honors, with Rhodes being named VaSID Rookie of the Year.
In her second season as head coach in 2018, Parsley-Blocker led the Lady Flames to a 13-6 record, No. 15 RPI and No. 16 national ranking at season’s end. Liberty finished a program-best 6-1 in the BIG EAST and placed as the runner-up at the 2018 BIG EAST Field Hockey Championship, which Liberty hosted for the first time ever. Liberty faced nine nationally ranked foes in 2018, defeating No. 7 Virginia, No. 11 Boston College, No. 17 James Madison and No. 22 Old Dominion in the process.
Parsley-Blocker instructed Liberty’s four All-BIG EAST selections in 2018 – Agueda Moroni (Offensive Player of the Year and first team), Jill Bolton (first team), Ashley Dykema (first team) and Abby Julius (second team). Moroni also went on to become the fourth All-American in program history, become a NFHCA Division I All-America first team honoree. She is the first player in school history to receive first team distinction.
Moroni (first team), Bolton (second team) and Dykema (second team) each garnered inclusion on the NFHCA All-South Region team. Additionally, Moroni (VaSID Player of the Year and first team), Bolton (first team) and Dykema (first team) garnered recognition on the VaSID Field Hockey All-State University Division team.
In her first season as head coach in 2017, Parsley-Blocker guided Liberty to an 8-11 mark and a No. 23 national ranking at season's end. The Lady Flames finished 5-2 in BIG EAST regular-season play for a second straight year and placed as the runner-up at the 2017 BIG EAST Field Hockey Championship. The Lady Flames faced nine nationally ranked foes in 2017, including all four 2017 Division I Field Hockey Championship Final Four participants.
Parsley-Blocker instructed Liberty's four All-BIG EAST selections in 2017 - Agueda Moroni (first team), Jill Bolton (first team), Ashley Dykema (first team) and Allison Schaefer (second team). Moroni also went on to become the third All-American in program history, earning NFHCA Division I All-America second team recognition.
Moroni (first team) and Bolton (second team) both garnered inclusion on the NFHCA All-South Region team. In addition, Moroni (first team), Bolton (second team) and Dykema (second team) all garnered recognition on the VaSID Field Hockey All-State University Division team.
The Lady Flames also featured 23 BIG EAST All-Academic team honorees in Parsley’s first season at the helm.
During her first season with the Lady Flames in fall 2016, Parsley-Blocker helped Liberty post an 8-10 record and finish in second place in the BIG EAST with a 5-2 conference mark. The Lady Flames squared off against 10 nationally ranked opponents in 2016, spotlighted by a 2-1 overtime victory against No. 20 American on Oct. 6.
Parsley-Blocker coached Liberty’s five All-BIG EAST selections in 2016, including BIG EAST Freshman of the Year Allison Schaefer and BIG EAST Co-Defensive Player of the Year Serena Barr. Barr also went on to earn NFHCA Division I All-America second team honors, becoming the second All-American in program history.
“From the moment I stepped on campus, I knew there was something unbelievably special about Liberty University and its field hockey program,” commented Parsley-Blocker. “I truly believe Liberty is set apart from any other institution in the country to allow the school to glorify Jesus Christ. There is absolutely no place I would rather coach at than Liberty, and I’m blessed for the opportunity to lead such a unique group of young women.”
"In just six short years, the Liberty field hockey program has established itself as a nationally prominent team, competing against the top teams in the nation, and I look forward to ushering LUFH into its next chapter,” continued Parsley-Blocker. “My mission is to prepare players for lifelong success on and off the field by leading them closer to Christ, whilst developing a highly competitive and intense environment. After working with the team for the last year, we will look to build upon our success, continue to grow and make history.”
Parsley-Blocker came to Liberty after spending the 2014 and 2015 seasons as an assistant coach at Yale.
Prior to her two-year stint at Yale, Parsley-Blocker concluded a standout career at Northwestern in 2014, where she earned second team All-America honors as a senior. Parsley-Blocker was a four-time All-West region pick and a three-time All-Big 10 selection.
A forward/midfielder, Parsley-Blocker started 76 games, totaling 33 goals and 76 points. The Wildcats went 54-27 in Parsley-Blocker's playing career, earning a share of the Big Ten championship in 2014.
Parsley-Blocker also has extensive experience with USA Field Hockey, including playing for the U.S. at the Four Nations Tournament in New Zealand in April 2013. She also played on the junior national team at the Junior World Cup in Germany in August 2013, helping the U.S. to a seventh-place finish, tied for the best in the team's history.
In January 2013, Parsley-Blocker played in the Australian Youth Olympics, and in September 2012 she played in the Junior Pan American Games in Mexico. She helped the U.S. to a third-place finish at the Junior Pan Am Games, leading the team with eight goals.
Parsley-Blocker has also played for the U.S. U-21 team (on a tour of England in April 2012) and the U.S. U-19 team (on a tour of Chile in April 2011). She is currently an assistant coach for the U.S. U-17 Women's National Team.
Parsley-Blocker received her B.S. in education and social policy from Northwestern in 2014. She earned Academic All-Big Ten honors three times, was on the Dean's List three times and was also a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar.
Parsley-Blocker is originally from Milford, Del.
Parsley-Blocker, formerly Parsley, is married to Hugh Blocker. The couple was married in Jan. 2018 and resides in Lynchburg.
