Freshman Goalkeeper Has The Wright Stuff
9/19/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Sept. 19, 2011
By Tori Cummings, TCU Media Relations Student Intern
For many freshmen, their first collegiate season can be intimidating. They don't know their school, team or community. Many of them spend the first season playing limited roles, while others immediately find themselves in the heat of college competition.
TCU freshman goalkeeper Alicen Wright was called upon the minute she stepped onto campus. The Chino Hills, Calif., native has been the starter since the season opener at nationally-ranked Oklahoma State.
Wright has been playing soccer since she was four years old and decided to pursue collegiate soccer when she was a high school freshman. She dropped softball to focus her energy on her high school and club soccer teams. In addition to excelling in athletics, Wright was also named her school's Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
The shift to college soccer has some challenges not all freshmen experience, particularly adjusting to the Texas heat. Wright is also young for a freshman; she will turn 18 later this season.
"I'm only 17 and I'm playing against 21-year olds," said Wright. "They are physically bigger than me and they've been around for a while, so it's tough just easing my way into the different style from being in club or high school."
Despite the age gap, Wright hasn't had too much trouble transitioning to college soccer. She said the coaches are a huge part of the reason it has been a smooth move for her.
"I thought it would take a lot longer to get used to it," said Wright. "But once I got here and being with my coaches, they have trained me well enough to jump right into a game and feel comfortable and confident."
Wright had scholarships from other schools, but TCU was one of her top choices because it offered her intended major, deaf education. She also liked the honesty of the Frogs' coaching staff and the school spirit in Fort Worth.
"Everyone had a genuine interest and that is everything an athlete wants, a genuine interest in you at the school," Wright said.
Being a teacher for the deaf has been a life-long dream of the Frogs' goalkeeper. She spent all four years of high school working in various deaf programs in her community.
She hopes to find similar opportunities near TCU, specifically with the Miller Speech and Hearing Clinic.
When Wright is not practicing or studying, she can be found at various religious functions on campus, including church on Sundays, Ignite on Mondays, and bible study on Wednesdays.
"I go to all of that just trying to keep my faith life up as much as I can," Wright said. "There's not much free time to do that. I'm usually in study hall or working on homework or something. I try to do that or just hang out with some friends here and get to know campus life and everything that they have to do here."
For now, the newcomer is focused on helping her team achieve their goal of a Mountain West Conference championship. She has been impressive between the pipes, posting shutouts in three of her four wins.
Wrightis currently leading the Mountain West in every goalkeeping category, pacing the league in total saves (55), saves per game (6.11), save percentage (.873), goals against average (0.90) and shutouts (4).
