By By Drew Buono
Goalie Matthias Gumbrecht plays the most pivotal role on the Pride men’s soccer team.
He has a large impact on the outcome of each game and does not let the pressure get to him. His work ethic proves he can handle both soccer and a demanding college major.
The Hemhofen, Germany native majors in international business, and has only one class this semester worth three credits-his last class before he graduates in December.
“I’m taking an independent studies class that requires me to write a 50-60 page paper for the length of the semester,” he said.
He feels confident that he can turn pro in soccer, but as a back-up plan he will soon have a college degree.
“I was always interested in business and back in Germany some of the colleges focus just on that major,” he said. “I do want to play soccer professionally, but I know how hard it is, especially since Major League Soccer (MLS) only allows a certain amount of foreign players on their rosters.”
While Gumbrecht will have to fight to play in the MLS, he came to the University with ease.
“It was all very unexpected,” Gumbrecht said. “A friend of mine knew [head] Coach [Richard] Nuttall, and Nuttall asked him if he knew of any good players in Germany. Pretty soon after that, he came over and watched me play. It was a great opportunity to be able to come to the United States to play soccer and get a good education.”
Nuttall describes Gumbrecht as a great player who, “does a tremendous job at keeping us organized in the back, and every time we need him to come up with a big save at a key moment, he makes it.”
The 5,000-mile trip is a hardship that Gumbrecht has learned to overcome.
“I used to go home for Christmas vacation, but this year my mother and sister might come here to visit me,” he said.
Gumbrecht would love for this to occur not only because he is graduating, but also because his sister recently gave birth to her first child. Most of the time Gumbrecht has spent in the states has been focused on soccer and school.
Gumbrecht usually has practice in the afternoon for about two hours, lifts weights three times a week and spends another hour of practice just with his goalie coach.
The game, of course, is the most exciting part of Gumbrecht’s week. His favorite game came last year in the opening round of the NCAA tournament.
“We were playing Seton Hall and this was huge for us just because of all the work we put in just to get that point,” he said.
The team had won five straight games, four of which were by shutout.
Now, Gumbrecht and the Pride have a chance to surpass last year’s team. Again, it has won the CAA tournament and is now getting ready to try to make history once again.
And Gumbrecht feels this team can do it, because “I believe we can go further because we are better than last year’s team.”