University of North Carolina Athletics
Betty Nelson: ILWomen’s No. 4 Freshman
December 20, 2023 | Women's Lacrosse
University of North Carolina women's lacrosse player Betty Nelson has been ranked No. 4 in ILWomen's Power 100 rankings, giving the Tar Heels two of the top-5 rookies in the Class of 2023.
The first-year goalkeeper arrived in Chapel Hill from Littleton, Colorado, where she attended Columbine High School. Nelson, an All-American, was named the 2023 Colorado 5A Player of the Year and finished her prep career with a 54% save percentage.
ILWomen's No. 4 Freshman Betty Nelson: Composed & Dedicated
By Riley Kennedy. Originally published for Inside Lacrosse.
From 7 to 12, Betty Nelson played boys' lacrosse in a recreational league. Growing up in Colorado, girls' lacrosse wasn't yet popular, so if Nelson wanted to play, she had to play up four years from her age group.
Nelson has an older brother, Gabe, who currently attends North Greenville University and plays lacrosse. The two are very close. If Gabe joined a basketball league, she begged her parents to play. He also played lacrosse, so Nelson made her parents let her play.
"I thought the world of him," Nelson says. "I wanted to start playing goalie too."
Now, Nelson is the top goalie in incoming freshman class.
Every weekend in the summer Nelson flew back and forth from the West Coast to the East Coast playing in tournaments, camps, and prospect days. Players in Colorado knew that the recruitment was never going to come to them. They had to go get recruited.
She attended Columbine High School in Littleton. Columbine is not at the top of the pack for teams in their state, so in Nelson's first two seasons in goal, they only won two games. In her senior season, they went 9-7. She faced upwards of 40 or more shots on goal in a game, and there were games the other team would see the back of the goal 20 or more times.
"Watching herself pick herself up in those situations that she's getting shot on 50 times in a game, she doesn't give up on herself or her team for the full [game]," Columbine head coach Rennie Tankersley says.
Nelson still finished her high school career with a 54% save percentage and was named the 2023 Colorado 5A Player of the Year.
The days before games Nelson would show up a half hour to a full hour before practice. She would go over to the wall and have a coach shoot on her.
Reflection and mental exercises were common practice. Nelson was one of the players that did that without the coach asking. At home, she got her mind right; she visualized making saves and being dynamic inside the goalie circle.
"What makes a good goalie is being able to consistently make the saves you're supposed to make," Nelson says. "What makes a great goalie is someone who can do something in a game to change the momentum, and do something you're not supposed to be able to do."
One of the greatest attributes about Nelson is what she has given back to the game and her community.
Before leaving Colorado, Tankersley asked Nelson if she could work with the incoming goalie. Nelson was already on it. She had planned to work with her all summer. She cares for her teammates and wants to see them grow in the sport she loves.
Nelson committed to UNC on Sept. 29 her junior year of high school. As the No. 1 goalie in her class and a Top 5 overall prospect, she stands out.
Nelson is athletic both inside and outside the crease. She anticipates how players are going to shoot the ball. If it's a low shot, she will drop down on her knees knowing it's going low.
She wants to use as much of the field as possible. As soon as she gets a save, she will bring the ball up the field. Nelson will jump out of the goal to intercept a pass and fly out to get a ground ball.
When scouting goalies, UNC head coach Jenny Levy looks to see if the goalie is used to getting a high volume of shots, or if it's a goalie that is protected by their defense. Having quick hand speed and reaction time are important.
"You have to be a killer," Levy says.
Levy says Nelson's upside is huge. The goalies at North Carolina get a lot of attention, and she fits in the program.
Since enrolling at UNC, Nelson has meshed in with the team immediately. She met Taylor Moreno, whose mindset and wisdom she admires.
"It's been the greatest time of my life," Nelson says.
She plans to study psychology after taking an AP class in high school she enjoyed. Academics are extremely important for Nelson. Some recruits rush immediately to commit, but Nelson took the time to find the true fit for athletics and academics.
For what's to come, the aspirations for Nelson couldn't be set any higher.
"I want to be the best freshman goalie that has ever played," Nelson says.
See the original article published for Inside Lacrosse here.
Stay up to date with UNC women's lacrosse by following the Tar Heels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
The first-year goalkeeper arrived in Chapel Hill from Littleton, Colorado, where she attended Columbine High School. Nelson, an All-American, was named the 2023 Colorado 5A Player of the Year and finished her prep career with a 54% save percentage.
ILWomen's No. 4 Freshman Betty Nelson: Composed & Dedicated
By Riley Kennedy. Originally published for Inside Lacrosse.
From 7 to 12, Betty Nelson played boys' lacrosse in a recreational league. Growing up in Colorado, girls' lacrosse wasn't yet popular, so if Nelson wanted to play, she had to play up four years from her age group.
Nelson has an older brother, Gabe, who currently attends North Greenville University and plays lacrosse. The two are very close. If Gabe joined a basketball league, she begged her parents to play. He also played lacrosse, so Nelson made her parents let her play.
"I thought the world of him," Nelson says. "I wanted to start playing goalie too."
Now, Nelson is the top goalie in incoming freshman class.
Every weekend in the summer Nelson flew back and forth from the West Coast to the East Coast playing in tournaments, camps, and prospect days. Players in Colorado knew that the recruitment was never going to come to them. They had to go get recruited.
She attended Columbine High School in Littleton. Columbine is not at the top of the pack for teams in their state, so in Nelson's first two seasons in goal, they only won two games. In her senior season, they went 9-7. She faced upwards of 40 or more shots on goal in a game, and there were games the other team would see the back of the goal 20 or more times.
"Watching herself pick herself up in those situations that she's getting shot on 50 times in a game, she doesn't give up on herself or her team for the full [game]," Columbine head coach Rennie Tankersley says.
Nelson still finished her high school career with a 54% save percentage and was named the 2023 Colorado 5A Player of the Year.
The days before games Nelson would show up a half hour to a full hour before practice. She would go over to the wall and have a coach shoot on her.
Reflection and mental exercises were common practice. Nelson was one of the players that did that without the coach asking. At home, she got her mind right; she visualized making saves and being dynamic inside the goalie circle.
"What makes a good goalie is being able to consistently make the saves you're supposed to make," Nelson says. "What makes a great goalie is someone who can do something in a game to change the momentum, and do something you're not supposed to be able to do."
One of the greatest attributes about Nelson is what she has given back to the game and her community.
Before leaving Colorado, Tankersley asked Nelson if she could work with the incoming goalie. Nelson was already on it. She had planned to work with her all summer. She cares for her teammates and wants to see them grow in the sport she loves.
Nelson committed to UNC on Sept. 29 her junior year of high school. As the No. 1 goalie in her class and a Top 5 overall prospect, she stands out.
Nelson is athletic both inside and outside the crease. She anticipates how players are going to shoot the ball. If it's a low shot, she will drop down on her knees knowing it's going low.
She wants to use as much of the field as possible. As soon as she gets a save, she will bring the ball up the field. Nelson will jump out of the goal to intercept a pass and fly out to get a ground ball.
When scouting goalies, UNC head coach Jenny Levy looks to see if the goalie is used to getting a high volume of shots, or if it's a goalie that is protected by their defense. Having quick hand speed and reaction time are important.
"You have to be a killer," Levy says.
Levy says Nelson's upside is huge. The goalies at North Carolina get a lot of attention, and she fits in the program.
Since enrolling at UNC, Nelson has meshed in with the team immediately. She met Taylor Moreno, whose mindset and wisdom she admires.
"It's been the greatest time of my life," Nelson says.
She plans to study psychology after taking an AP class in high school she enjoyed. Academics are extremely important for Nelson. Some recruits rush immediately to commit, but Nelson took the time to find the true fit for athletics and academics.
For what's to come, the aspirations for Nelson couldn't be set any higher.
"I want to be the best freshman goalie that has ever played," Nelson says.
See the original article published for Inside Lacrosse here.
Stay up to date with UNC women's lacrosse by following the Tar Heels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Players Mentioned
Goalkeeper
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