CATEGORY: Athlete
Women's soccer goal keeper Nicci Wright was only 23 years old when she made her debut for Canada on May 15, 1996. Prior to her successful international career, Wright competed for the Vikes from 1992-96 under long-time Vikes head coach Ian Bridge.
After a varsity career in which she was the Vikes’ starting goalkeeper from 1993-95 with a personal best goals against average of 1.60 and three shutouts, Wright went on to earn 37 caps with Canada and record 11 shutouts, the third most in Canadian national women’s soccer history.
The highlight of Wright’s Canadian campaign came in 1998 when she led the team to its first ever CONCACAF Women’s Championship victory with five straight shutouts. In the process, the team qualified for the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
From 1996-99 Wright set a national record for goalkeepers, making 16 consecutive appearances for her country. In 2000 she was selected to compete in the Discovery Health Channel Women’s Soccer Tour as a member of the Indoor World All-Star Team, playing against the US Women’s National team.
In 2001 Wright joined the Vancouver Whitecaps and after recording five shutouts in nine games, led the team to the national final. The following year, Wright played overseas in the Swedish Women’s League, elite Damallsvenska, for Alvik IK in Lulea. On the heels of her superb goaltending, Wright was voted “Footballer of the Year” in northern Sweden.
Returning to North America, Wright was signed to the Washington Freedom, of the Women’s United Soccer Association, as one of three international goalkeepers in the league in 2003. That same season, Wright went on to the league championship, the Founders Cup, alongside fellow internationals Mia Hamm and Abby Wambach. Once the WUSA folded, the Freedom played in several exhibition matches for the 2004-05 season and in 2006 joined the W-League. From 2007-10 Wright was a member of the Freedom’s administrative staff as the team’s goalkeeper coach.
UVic Acheivements
- 1992-96 Competed for UVic
- 1997 Graduated with a Bachelor's degree in physical education
International Achievements
- 1996 First Canadian debut at the age of 23
- 37 Caps for Canada
- Record 11 shutouts, the second-most in Canadian women's soccer history
- 1998 Led the Canadian women's soccer team to their first ever CONCACAF women's championship victory
- 1999 Qualified for FIFA Women's World Cup via 1998 CONCACAF championships
- 1996-99 National goalkeeper record of 16 straight appearances
- 2000 Selected for the World Indoor All-Star team competing in the Discovery Health Channel Women's Soccer Tour against U.S.A
- 2003 Signed with Washington Freedom Professional women's team
