At the NCCAA Annual Convention this past week, the Hall of Fame class of 2021 was inducted, Dr. Rick Wright was one of the five inducted.

“Every year I hear from alumni who have said that Rick Wight played a very important role in helping them get to where they are today” stated President Kevin Ingram.

Wright has a outstanding gift to build relationships with everyone around him, from his students to his athletics and all of the staff and faculty here at Manhattan Christian. But the biggest and strongest relationship he has is that one with Jesus Christ. Wright loves to share his love for Jesus with everyone he encounters, and it is the cornerstone of how he has developed effective leaders.

Dr. Wright has built up an outstanding trophy case, leading his soccer team to 19 consecutive NCCAA Regional Championships from 1997-2016. Also adding 3 NCCAA Division II Men’s Soccer National Championships in 2005, 2007 and 2008.

“I am impressed with his ability to lead a team with not letting his character falter” Athletic Director Jordan Strom said.

In addition to his NCCAA appearances, Wright has coached 22 Scholar-Athletes, 78 All-Americans, he was named Regional Coach of the year multiple times and named NCCAA National Coach of the Year 4 different times.

Manhattan Christian College has been truly blessed with Dr. Wright’s servant leading heart, both on and off the field. Everyone here could not be any happier for him and his Hall of Fame induction.

As seasons go this men's soccer season will be one for the record books. Not because of long winning streaks, although there were, or big time statistical seasons, they had some of those too, but because of the number of schedule changes this team has endured. Between the time the original schedule was finalized in the winter of 2019 and now there have been more than 30 individual changes, postponements or cancelations related to the pandemic. This team had its season opener delayed twice and then sat through long waits as they only played three matches in September. October was kind to the Thunder as they played fast and furious to the tune of an 8-1 record in the month while also winning a shortened conference tournament title. The region tournament was scheduled for the first weekend in November and it came with more uncertainty as the #1 seeded Thunder advanced through the semifinals without playing a single minute.

Through all of the uncertainty, the team has earned an opportunity to be able to compete at the 2020 NCCAA DII National Tournament as an at-large selection, the #6 seed. The tournament will begin on Tuesday, November 17, with pool play and run through Saturday, November 21, when the national championship game will be played. The Thunder will compete in pool B against #3 Pensacola Christian, an at-large selection from the South Region, on November 17 at 6:30 pm and will play their second pool game on Wednesday, November 18, at 6:30 pm against #2 Grace Christian University, champions from the Mid-east Region. Should MCC win their pool they would advance to the National Championship Match on Saturday at 11:30 am. All games will be played at the Austin-Tindall Sports Complex in Kissimmee, Florida. 

NCCAA National Tournament Field

#1 Bob Jones University (Champions of the South Region)
#2 Grace Christian University (Champions of the Mid-east Region)
#3 Pensacola Christian College (At-large selection, South Region)
#4 Randall University (Champions of the Southwest Region)
#5 Moody Bible Institute (Champions of the North Region)
#6 Manhattan Christian College (At-large selection, Southwest Region)

In a phone call from NCCAA Executive Director, Dan Wood, at 9:30 am on Monday morning Dr. Rick Wright was informed that he was to be inducted into the NCCAA Hall of Fame as a member of the 2021 class. 

"This is an exceptional honor for Coach Wright, the men's soccer program and the college," commented Director of Athletics, Jordan Strom. "Coach Wright has been the standard for soccer coaches in both the conference and the region for three decades now and I couldn't be more happy for him"

Dr. Wright took over the Men's Soccer program in 1992 and pushed the then Crusaders to unimaginable heights. In 1997 the program captured their first of nineteen consecutiver NCCAA regional championships. In 2005 he led the program to their first NCCAA National Championship and then did again two more times in 2007 and 2008. Under his direction, MCC has won the Midwest Christian College Conference 21 times. Dr. Wright is a four-time NCCAA National Coach of the Year and he has coached over 20 all-americans and compiled a career coaching record of 396-122-11. 

More impactful than any of his coaching accolades are his love for Christ and his dedication to continually preaching the gospel and discipling the student-athletes that compete for him. Throughout everything Christ can be seen at the center of how Dr. Wright has coached and because of this hundreds of student-athletes have been impacted by his life. 

There will be a celebration for Dr. Wright on campus during the spring semester - please be on the lookout for more details.