Wiktoria Fronc, a sophomore forward from London, England, is off to an outstanding start in her second season with the Hofstra University women’s soccer team.

The Pride are 9-3-1 overall and 6-1-1 in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) with Fronc front and center as she leads the team with four goals and four assists.

“I think we had a lot of momentum, which was really nice,” Fronc said. “Improvement as a team, as a collective, is just nice to reflect upon. We already have more points than last year, and the season hasn’t finished, so where it’s been a loss, it’s also felt like the wins have made it up.”

The team didn’t think they should have ended their unbeaten streak with a 1-0 loss to the College of William & Mary, but it allowed them to prepare for their future games.

“We didn’t think we should have lost,” Fronc said. “We should have at least got a draw, but I guess that makes the next part a little bit tougher given how the other teams are, but it’s nothing we can’t do.”

Last season, Fronc played in 21 games, but she only started 13 and led the team with seven assists. She discusses the struggles she faced coming into this new environment as a freshman.

“[The environment is] very different. You have to come in very prepared, and I didn’t think I came with that sort of excellence as well as I could have. I also came in really late, maybe 23 days into preseason,” she said. “It’s also about building yourself up into a team, and I think I’m very grateful to be able to prove myself as well. I guess that’s now helped me for this year, but I’m very excited that I can be contributing to the team, and I’m doing the best I can.”

Fronc has learned from last season and came into this season ready to go. 

“I think I’m a bit more confident,” Fronc said. “I think the team is also a little bit more confident because last season, we had a lot of new starters. This year we have a few new starters, but it’s more of a chemistry, I think, that we’ve built. I feel more comfortable playing as well. I don’t put so much pressure on myself, which is super nice.”

Her confidence shows by way of three goals in three games, two of which were game-winners. She credits her hard work in the offseason to her success this year.

“I wouldn’t have believed [I scored three goals] because last year I went the whole season with no goals. I think this year, I came in with a different mindset and different mentality. I think I worked really hard in the offseason, so it’s nice to see that payoff,” Fronc said. “I’ve got great people around me, so the goals also come from great assists. I can only be grateful for having my teammates around me because without them, I wouldn’t have done it, and we wouldn’t have won if the defense wasn’t good and the midfielder wasn’t sharp. I always think it’s a team effort, that I only get the glory of scoring, but it’s obviously a collective that’s behind the goal.”

Along with becoming a consistent starter this season, Hofstra head coach Simon Riddiough decided to put Fronc in a new position as a striker instead of in the midfield.

“At first, I was hesitant [to change positions] because it was so new. I was a bit stiff with it because I was like, ‘Oh, I want to play the 10,’ but this is not a single sport, and I want to do what’s best for the team,” Fronc said. “I think I’ve adapted a little bit. I’ve had a dry spell [in terms of scoring], but at the same time, in games I haven’t scored, other people have stepped up.”

Fronc says that there are some key differences between the positions and how she likes to play. She likes the ball at her feet, but that isn’t always the case when you’re put in the position to score the goals.

“I would say that it’s very different as to when I’m a [midfielder]; I love to get the ball, I love to distribute [and] just always be on the ball,” Fronc said. “Whereas being a [striker], you kind of have to calm down, wait for the ball, make a run, and sometimes I might not touch it for a very long time.”

It’s quite the change of pace for the star sophomore.

“When I first started playing the nine, I was like, ‘This is so boring,’” she said jokingly. “On the other side of things, I’m closer to the goal, so it does allow me to score more goals.”

Despite the position change, Fronc knows what her strengths are and is doing her best to stay consistent with them so the team can benefit.

“I’d say one of my biggest strengths would be having the ball at my feet, and there are still positions where I do kind of get onto the ball; a lot of it is during counterattacks,” she said. “I feel like that’s why teams step up and put two or three players on me to kind of prevent that, but even the goal against Northeastern actually came from a long ball into me on the counterattack.”

Along with the team goal of winning the CAA championship and making it to the NCAA tournament, Fronc has her own personal goal for the season.

“My personal goal this year was to have 10 contributions, so depending on how the rest of the season goes, I technically need three. I think it’s always important to set goals because I think last year that’s what I didn’t do,” Fronc said. “I just kind of went into every game with no expectation, but it’s actually okay to have some sort of goal and strive towards something as long as your happiness doesn’t depend on it.”

Fronc said she’s excited for the next few games in the team’s schedule. She knows what they’re capable of, and she’s excited to see where the rest of the season takes them.

“I know that we’re in the right place and super determined. I know what we’re capable of, so I’m so excited to see,” she said.

Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics/Alexis Friedman