“I think so much of my motivation and competitiveness, and being high-achieving - it was in my nature to want to accomplish goals that had been set forth for me,” Azzara said. And while the St. Andrew’s Athletics Hall of Fame did not exist when she was a student, it’s an unset goal she can check off her list as well. 

On October 18, as part of Homecoming and Reunion Weekend, Azzara will be inducted into the Hall of Fame during the Alumni Awards Brunch. She will become the second member of her family to receive the honor. Her sister, Alex, was inducted in 2019.

“I feel like this award is recognition of that accomplishment that was so near and dear to me, scoring 1,000 points in my basketball career at St. Andrew’s. It’s such an honor,” Azzara said in late September, a few weeks before her induction. “I think what I am looking forward to the most about the actual ceremony and celebration is that so many of my teachers are still at St. Andrew’s, which I think speaks volumes, and that many of them are kind enough to come back for the ceremony, whether it’s coaches or former teachers.”

Reaching 1,000 points in her career was a goal Azzara set for herself early in her St. Andrew’s career, along with raising the first ISL banner in program history. The team had transitioned to the more competitive conference in 2000 and had yet to add a banner since leaving the P.V.A.C. She watched Alex reach that 1,000-point mark as a freshman and that set her on her own course for that milestone.

“The 1,000-point goal, that was a key milestone for me,” Azzara said. “My sister, having just done it, showed me that it was possible. I thought ‘How cool would it be to accomplish that?’ It became a personal goal that I set for myself.”

After an impactful freshman year where she was one of the team’s leading scorers, Azzara continued to shine as a sophomore, earning the first of her three All-ISL honors. By junior year, she was commanding respect from opposing defenses.

“My bread and butter was the three-pointer. That was my thing,” Azzara said. “I could make them from deep. So if given space, I would take the shot and usually make it. I remember specifically, junior and senior year, there were games where the other team would run a box and one (defense) and cover me out at half court. So I would have to work harder to get open. There were some teams where I had personal ties, and they knew (to guard me close) off the bat. In retrospect it was flattering, but it didn’t make it fun.”

While Azzara’s Hall of Fame induction comes primarily because of her basketball accomplishments, she also played lacrosse and ran cross country while at St. Andrew’s. She continues to hold fond memories of those other teams, especially August preseason cross country trips to Deep Creek Lake. “We had so much fun, such an amazing group of girls,” Azzara said. “It was almost like the highlight of the summer. We all loved being together.”

“Nikki was one of those athletes that was always prepared, worked hard, had a positive attitude, and was a great teammate,” said legendary cross country coach Gary Wyatt, himself a member of the St. Andrew’s Hall of Fame. “Even though cross country wasn’t her main sport, she competed hard every practice or race. What really made Nikki special was her supporting and caring attitude towards her teammates. Always encouraging them and trying to make it fun.”

Azzara recently moved back to the DMV and is in her first season as an assistant coach on the girls varsity basketball team. That has given her a chance to see some of her former teachers on a more regular basis. That, along with her 15th reunion taking place in October, has given Azzara the chance to reflect on her St. Andrew’s experience.

“I always talk about how St. Andrew’s really was a place that allowed me to thrive, both academically and athletically,” Azzara said. “It was so special to be in a place where every day you feel safe and challenged and celebrated. My favorite memories of St. Andrew’s are of this amazing community of people around you at all times - teachers, coaches, teammates, classmates, friends.”