On a cold, winter evening in January, Matthew Vowinkel was relaxing at home. The 2021 MLS SuperDraft was into the third round and it was just another night for the New Hyde Park resident. That is, until he saw his name.
As the second pick of the third round, 56th overall, FC Cincinnati selected the senior forward from the Hofstra men’s soccer team. After graduating, Vowinkel is going pro. And to him, this finally means many years of hard work paying off.
“[I] found out that my name was up there and [I was] just really overcome with a lot of happiness. Couldn’t have asked for anything better,” Vowinkel said. “My family was happy for me. I was happy for myself and I know everyone around me was happy for me.”
Playing professionally is a dream most athletes have and only some accomplish. For Vowinkel, it was a dream he’s had since he was little growing up playing a variety of sports.
“I knew that from an early age I wanted to go professional in some sort of sport because I thought it was the coolest thing,” he said.
However, his passion for soccer rose above the others as he would go on to pursue it full time, winning numerous state championships and Player of the Year awards throughout high school en route to playing for Hofstra. But once here, it didn’t take long for him to make a name for himself, working tirelessly to accomplish his professional dream.
“It’s his consistently hard, fantastic work ethic that’s got him to where he is, and it’s a lesson for other people,” said Hofstra head coach Richard Nuttall. “He’s got great determination and he’s focused on what he wants in life.”
By his sophomore season in 2018, Vowinkel had already led the team in multiple categories, including goals and total points, and has stayed on top ever since. By the end of the season, he earned himself a place on the All-Colonial Athletic Association Third Team. And in 2019, he was honored with a spot on the First Team for his efforts in the final third.
“I believe he’s as good as anybody in the country inside the box if you give him the right supply,” Nuttall said.
With 28 career goals under his belt so far, Vowinkel says there’s no greater feeling than scoring. “I think it’s one of the best feelings in the world once that ball goes in [and] you can just celebrate with the team,” he said. “You just feel accomplished after that.”
Another important aspect of the game for him (and what doesn’t show up on the stat sheet) is his love for leadership. “Being a role model for the [younger] guys is the best,” he said. “Making sure that those guys … look up [to someone] so that they can one day be in my shoes.”
However, long before the forward stepped foot into Hofstra Soccer Stadium as a player, he came as a fan. Growing up on Long Island, he’s always been around the team. “I really enjoyed growing up and being around Hofstra. I always looked to the players as role models when I was younger and I always said to myself, ‘I want to play here when I get older,’” he said.
Having familiar faces around also eased his transition from high school to college. Before committing to the Pride, Vowinkel played club soccer at Massapequa SC with Hofstra teammates Jack Nuttall and Storm Strongin. They were even coached by Hofstra assistant coach Shaun Foster and Richard Nuttall.
“Jack’s one of my best friends … and I knew Rich for a while so it definitely made [the transition] easier,” he said. “[I] had sort of like a family around me already and it was definitely easier coming in.”
Playing with the same coach for an extended period of time has been a positive for Vowinkel. “[Coach Nuttall] knows my mannerisms. [He] knows my ups and downs, my strengths and weaknesses,” Vowinkel said. “Just to be able to talk to him not just like a coach but almost like a father and being able to open up and get whatever I need from him has been much easier both on and off the field.”
Upon graduating with a degree in finance next month, the Long Islander will set his sights on going south to Cincinnati, where he’ll stay motivated and continue to work hard at the game. “I want to continue to excel. I know there’s people that are better than me out there and I want to be at that level,” Vowinkel said. “What motivates me is just really the love for the game.”
Both on and off the pitch, Vowinkel strives to always be his best, whether it’s as a student, friend or family member.
“We’re going to see how he does translating to the next level, but every level Matt’s gone to he’s scored goals,” Nuttall said. “My proudest thing is the great person he is and the great soccer player that he is. I’m proud he’s a graduate of Hofstra University.”
Photo Courtesy of Hofstra Athletics
