Season Preview: Chasing a Third Consecutive Ring
After two consecutive Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) titles, the Hofstra University men’s soccer team seeks a third when it takes to the pitch in 2023, led by head coach Richard Nuttall for a 35th consecutive season.
“There are quite a few emotions,” Nuttall said. “The biggest one is that I’m more excited than ever about the prospects of the season.”
The Pride is experiencing some of its greatest success in program history, however, Nuttall, having been around for nearly as long as the program has existed, believes more has to be done.
“Last year wasn’t good enough,” Nuttall said. “We won the CAA championship, but we lost in the NCAA first round, and we’ve got some cracking players.”
Hofstra followed up a historic 2021 campaign with 14 wins in 2022. They finished the regular season with a 5-2-2 record in conference games and entered the CAA championship as the third seed. They took down the College of William & Mary, UNC-Wilmington and top-seed Elon University in that order to return to the big stage. The season ended at the hands of the University of South Florida in the NCAA first round, but that didn’t mean their ambitions ended there.
“Just winning the conference is not going to be our mindset,” Nuttall said. “I don’t want to keep looking back, but this program was well-supported. We’ve got a great stadium, a brand-new field, a brand-new scoreboard and an incredible alumnus.”
Many of the biggest players which helped lead Hofstra to success last season are returning this year. Ryan Carmichael, reigning CAA Player of the Year, will play up front alongside last season’s top-scorer, Eliot Goldthorp. Goldthorp is entering his second season with the Pride after a groundbreaking 2022 campaign where he accumulated 17 goals and 40 points, finishing second nationwide in individual scoring. Both Carmichael and Goldthorp made the 2022 All-CAA First Team.
“He’s a brilliant player,” Carmichael said. “He always knows where I’m going to be, and I think we’ve got a decent connection. He can put a cross wherever he wants to put it, so it helps me because he puts it on my head, and I score some goals as well.”
“I can’t see a more skillfully talented player in the country,” Nuttall said. “But there are other parts to his game that he knows he’s got to improve on. We’ve got to move him forward on the mental side, such as his concentration and his consistency.”
Despite his weaknesses, Nuttall still has high hopes for his star forward.
“You’ve got to learn how to deal with adverse conditions, both on and off the field, a little bit better,” said Nuttall. “But he’s come so far, and we’re so excited about him. Hopefully, he can fill out the dream of being a professional soccer player.”
On the other end of the lineup is goalkeeper Wessel Speel who is entering his senior year. With two years of eligibility, Speel acknowledges the importance of the upcoming campaign.
“I think there’s more on the line,” Speel said. “You want to finish your college career in a good way. On the other hand, it’s the same as always, just trying to prepare for the best season ever while working with your teammates and having fun.”
Nuttall understands Speel’s influence in between the pipes and the progress he’s made over the years while at Hofstra. He describes Speel as a “grafter,” a British slangterm describing a hard worker.
Last spring, the Pride acquired three players in the transfer portal: center-backs Gabriel Pacheco and McKray Tuma and forward Andrew Weiner. Speel will get help at the back with two experienced defenders. The acquisitions were made following the departure of graduate student Marcelo Lage, the only one of seven Hofstra players named to the All-CAA in 2022 who is not coming back.
“Especially for me, defenders are really important,” said Speel. “We already had some experience, but after some people left, we had to acquire new ones. I’m really happy with the ones that came in.”
Hofstra enters the season as favorites in the CAA and first in the preseason coach’s poll. In addition, Goldthorp, Carmichael and Speel were named to the Preseason All-CAA Team, with Goldthorp named the CAA Preseason Player of the Year.
Preseason accolades bring hope to teams as well as expectations. It begs the question as to how it will affect Nuttall’s coaching mentality.
“It hopefully doesn’t,” Nuttall said. “It’s a badge of honor, but it means absolutely zero. What means something is how hard we work, how we come together and how ready we are for the next game. We’re not about what might be, we’re about what is, and that’s it.”
The Pride’s first regular season match is at home against Marist College on Thursday, Aug. 24. The team hopes to get off to a flying start with a match that’ll be played in front of their own fans. It’s followed by their first away game against Farleigh Dickinson University on Monday, Aug. 28.
“A win, start the season off right,” Carmichael said. “Hopefully, I can get a goal or two to start my season off right as well. A win and a good performance will get us off the mark and we’ll keep it going on Monday.”
Coming into a season full of promise and high-expectations, Nuttall chooses to stay aware of the bigger picture.
“I want it to be a great experience for our student athletes,” Nuttall said. “It’s not just about on the field; it’s about their experience at Hofstra. I’m very proud of what we provide as a program, as an athletic department and as a university. It’s second-to-none.”
The 35th season is a new milestone for Nuttall, but he will share the spotlight with his team.
“I want them to enjoy it,” Nuttall said. “I want them to love coming to practice, love coming to games and love being a part of Hofstra University.”
Photo courtesy of Julio Aguilar
