Nichelle Fillmore leads UNA women’s basketball team

Lion’s forward Nichelle Fillmore looks for an opportunity to pass during a game last season against Valdosta State.

As the lone senior on the young women’s basketball team, Nichelle Fillmore is known for her quiet leadership of the team.

“Nichelle (Fillmore) is a leader that doesn’t have to speak in order to lead,” said Alexandra McKay, forward for the women’s basketball team. “She has a seriousness about her that people have respect for and when she talks, people listen.”

Fillmore is an Exercise Science major from Birmingham known to her teammates as the ‘Silent Leader’ because of her quiet and reserved nature.

“I didn’t used to be the only person in my graduating class on the team, but things have happened,” Fillmore said. “It’s not weird that it’s just me now.” 

Fillmore was one of six players chosen to be on the preseason all GSC team, meaning she is one of the top players in the conference.

Fillmore interest in basketball was sparked by her father, she said.

“He didn’t have a son before he had me and my four sisters so I basically just started playing to spend time with him,” Fillmore said.

The love of basketball for Fillmore came as she played, she said.

“I fell in love with basketball like my father did,” Fillmore said. “Once I started playing basketball that really was it for me, it’s basically all I’ve done.”

The quiet and reserved Fillmore is a leader for her younger teammates, said guard Alexis Pester.

“She’s a silent leader, she leads by example and we follow,” Pester said. “She can be quiet and to herself, but when she says something you listen.”

Fillmore is always positive on the court, McKay said.

“She’s not the type of person to just get mad at you or make you feel bad for a mistake you’ve made,” she said. “She’ll correct you and encourage you to do better.”

The adjustment will not be a big deal for her, she said.

 “Being a leader this year doesn’t feel like more responsibility than last year,” Fillmore said. “I’m in the same position from my junior to senior year.”

Fillmore’s favorite part of basketball is winning, she said.

 “It lets me know we were the best that day,” Fillmore said. “It makes you feel good when you know you went out and did what you were supposed to do to win the game.”

Fillmore’s favorite memory come’s from a win she had her senior year in high school, she said.

“To date now my favorite memory was winning state championship in high school my senior year,” Fillmore said. “So I’m kind of hoping to do something like that this year since it’s my senior year.”

Nichelle is not sure of what her plans are after graduation but has a lot of things she would like to do, she said.

“I’m just kind of undecided, I think I have time to figure that out,” Fillmore said.

The first regular season game for the Lions will be against Tennessee Temple on Nov. 12.