Having only scored one goal during his five-year career with the Hofstra Pride men’s soccer team might make midfielder Joe Wright statistically unsuccessful, but the 24-year-old graduate student prides himself in his contributions to the team’s success this season.
“My perspective on football is collective,” Wright said. “The individual stuff doesn’t really matter to me as much.”
Wright has plenty of fond memories with the team but had a razor-sharp focus during the 2023 season.
“I’d like to be remembered as part of a team that won three back-to-back championships,” Wright said. “I think that would be a great way to go out this year.”
Lo and behold, that’s exactly what happened.
Soccer has always been a part of Wright’s DNA. A native of Colchester, England, his grandfather, father and uncle all played the sport. His uncle played professionally in Finland, while his grandfather played just outside the top division in England. It was really the only sport Wright tried out growing up, and he began playing competitively at eight years old.
“In England, it’s the primary sport,” Wright said. “So, for most people growing up, it’s what we’re really exposed to. We don’t really have a plethora of sports like you do over here.”
After success at both the youth and club levels in England, Wright wanted to take his skills to the next level. A strong connection with Richard Nuttall, a U.K. native and the head coach of the Hofstra men’s soccer team, as well as desire to attend college in the New York area led Wright to Hofstra.
“I thought it would be a really good opportunity, and I’ve really enjoyed the experience so far,” Wright said. “I spoke to the coaching staff here, and that was a key aspect of why I chose to go here.”
When Wright first joined the Pride in 2019, his freshman campaign ended just as quickly as it started. He played just one match before suffering a knee injury that required season-ending surgery. Thanks to a strong support system, he was able to come back in 2020 and became essential in Nuttall’s lineup ever since.
Although moving across the pond may seem like a tough transition on the surface, Wright flourished thanks to the bonds he made.
“It’s something that they definitely enjoy about the experience here and the locker room culture we got from all over the world,” he said. “People contribute different things and have a different outlook on playing.”
As much work as Wright puts in on the soccer pitch, he puts just as much into the classroom, currently pursuing a master’s degree in business analytics. He was a 2022 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District selection.
“It’s difficult to balance, but you kind of have to organize yourself the best you can,” he said. “Organization is very important.”
Wright understands that this is likely his last year playing competitive soccer, simply due to the nature of the sport. However, he is still looking forward to whatever comes next.
“I’ve kind of had my fun with it, but I don’t see myself personally going further than what I’ve done here,” Wright said. “I think there’s a lot of talented players within the squad that will do that. But me, personally, I’ll look to take a different avenue of things.”
Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics/Matteo Barcco
