UNH-bound soccer player Nina Ciri sits with her family at Buckingham Browne & Nichols School’s signing day.

Soccer has taken Nina Ciri all over the country, but next fall, the Hopkinton resident and Buckingham Browne & Nichols School student will be heading somewhere relatively close to home to continue her athletic career.

Ciri chose the University of New Hampshire, a Division 1 program in the America East Conference, that she said felt like the right fit for her when she stepped on campus.

“Overall, it was very good for me when I went on my visit,” Ciri said. “The coaches were really supportive through the whole process and I really connected with them, and the same with the team when I was able to meet some of them.”

Ciri and some of the other BB&N athletes who are going to play college sports held an official signing day in November and a signing ceremony in January. When it was her turn, Ciri sat with her family — including father Chris, mother Anna and older sister Gabby — donning UNH gear and wide smiles.

“It was awesome,” Ciri said of the ceremony. “A lot of people at my school are going to play sports in college, so it was cool to see whether everyone else is going.”

The BB&N girls soccer team has five college commits on its roster from this past season.

Looking ahead to UNH, Ciri said she particularly liked the facilities, which are being renovated. The Durham campus is the right size for her. Everything is within walking distance, but it’s big enough so that she doesn’t feel like she is still at high school, she said.

Ciri plans to spend the rest of the winter, spring and summer getting ready for the Division 1 collegiate level.

“The coaches mostly reminded me to work hard during my club season and during the preseason when I get there to earn a spot,” Ciri said. “Every day, you have to work hard, nothing is going to come easy.”

Ciri is a center back, a defensive-minded position. She said she is working on improving her passing skill and her ability to win possession when the ball is in the air.

Nina Ciri surveys the field during a game for Buckingham Browne & Nichols School.

When not competing with her high school team, Ciri is a member of FC Stars. The club team plays multiple showcases each year, and Ciri has traveled with the team to Florida, Washington, Tennessee, New Jersey, New York and Connecticut, as well as to numerous games around Massachusetts. One skill she has learned — having balanced athletics and academics — that should serve her well in college is time management.

“I leave the house around 6 a.m. and try to get to school early,” she said, noting that her commute can sometimes stretch over an hour. “I get my homework done in the morning so I have time to go to the gym and practice after school.”

Ciri still is narrowing down what she wants to study at UNH, but she is looking to business with a focus on marketing. She is setting some lofty goals for the next level on the field as well.

“I want to do well in college and be the best player I can possibly be, whether that’s going to the gym every day or working hard on the field, I want to be the best version of myself,” Ciri said. “I want to contribute to the program at UNH, and hopefully win an America East title.”