Email coach
Richard Nuttall
Richard Nuttall, a former professional soccer player in England and a former member of the Long Island Rough Riders, completed his 34th season as Hofstra University Head Men’s Soccer Coach in 2022. Nuttall has guided the Pride to a 322-251-80 record in transforming the program into one of the most competitive in the Northeast.
Nuttall, who is the winningest coach in program history, has led his team to a Colonial Athletic Association Tournament appearance in 12 of the past 13 seasons including the finals in 2015, 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2022. The Pride has won six CAA Championships under his direction (2004, 2005, 2006, 2015, 2021, 2022) and he has coached Hofstra to a .500 record or better in 13 of the past 14 years, including 11 straight campaigns. He has also seen his team be successful academically as the program consistently posts one of the highest grade point averages in the department and has produced numerous Academic All-Americans.
Hofstra won its second consecutive CAA Championship in 2022, posting a 14-4-3 record. Junior forward Ryan Carmichael was the CAA Player of the Year, while sophomore midfielder Eliot Goldthorp earned All-America honors and ranked second in the nation in points and goals.
The Pride had the most successful season in program history in 2021 as the team set a school record with 18 victories (18-2-2) while winning the CAA title and advancing to the third round of the NCAA Championship for the first time in program history. Hofstra finished the season ranked 13th in the final poll and was eighth in the final NCAA RPI, both program-bests. Nuttall was recognized as CAA Coach of the Year and the staff earned United Soccer Coaches Regional Coaching Staff of the Year accolades for the teams success. The 2021 season also saw Nuttall eclipse the 300-win plateau in a 3-1 victory over Columbia. Senior Hendrik Hebbeker earned All-America accolades in 2021 while nine players garnered All-CAA recognition with George O'Malley and Mason Tatafu earning Defensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors, respectively.
In a shortened 2020 season, which was actually contested during the spring of 2021, Nuttall lead his team to a 5-2-3 mark, the CAA North Division championship and the CAA finals. The Pride would once again tie James Madison and fall in penalty kicks, marking the third consecutive season to end in a draw. Four student-athletes - Matthew Vowinkel, George O'Malley, Storm Strongin, and Ryan Carmichael earned CAA accolades.
This past season Hofstra posted a 10-6-3 record and advanced to the CAA semifinals where it tied James Madison before falling in penalty kicks. The Pride put seven players on the All-CAA team in 2019 while Matthew Vowinkel was a United Soccer Coaches All-Region pick. The Pride also fared well academically with Vowinkel earning United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America and All-Region Accolades, George O'Malley earning scholar all-region honors and Storm Strongin picking up CoSIDA Academic All-District recognition.
Hofstra reached the CAA Finals in 2018, tying with JMU in the championship game before the Dukes advanced on penalty kicks. Sean Nealis captured CAA Defensive Player of the Year accolades and was a MLS SuperDraft selection (second in program history) by the New York Red Bulls as the first pick in the second round. The Pride advanced to the CAA Championship tournament for the sixth straight season in 2017, finishing the regular season with just one conference loss for the second consecutive year.
In 2016 Nuttall earned his second straight CAA Coach of the Year honor, leading the Pride to its second consecutive CAA regular-season championship, earning the right to host the conference tournament and receiving a bye into the semifinals. Including Nuttall’s Coach of the Year honor, Hofstra took home three of the four major conference awards for the first time in program history, with Harri Hawkins earning Defensive Player of the Year and Luke Brown being tabbed as the Rookie of the Year. Six other members of the Pride earned postseason accolades from the CAA, with Hofstra earning a 7-1 record in conference, its best CAA winning percentage since joining the league. Hofstra finished the 2016 season at 9-8-1, after playing one of the most difficult nonconference schedules in program history.
Following the 2016 season, Joseph Holland capped off a spectacular collegiate career under Nuttall by being selected 10th overall in the Major League Soccer (MLS) SuperDraft by the Houston Dynamo, becoming the first Hofstra alumnus to be taken in the SuperDraft and the second to play in MLS, joining Gary Flood. Holland was named Big Apple Soccer Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, earned his third straight First-Team All-CAA honor and was tabbed as a Senior CLASS First-Team All-American.
Nuttall was also named CAA Coach of the Year in 2015 after leading the Pride to both regular-season and tournament conference championships and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, the program’s first Tournament appearance since 2006. Hofstra hosted Lehigh in the first round, toppling the Mountain Hawks, 2-1, in overtime to advance to the second round, where the Pride fell to Georgetown. Hofstra finished the season 14-8, tying for the most wins in Division I program history.
Under Nuttall’s tutelage, Joseph Holland had a stellar 2015 season, bringing in a long list of accolades. After being named CAA Player of the Year, Holland was named a National Soccer Coaches Association of America First-Team Regional All-American before earning second-team All-America honors and becoming the fourth player in program history—and third under Nuttall (Shaun Foster, Michael Todd)—to be recognized. Holland was also a second-team Eastern College Athletic Conference All-Star and the Big Apple Soccer Player of the Year. Harri Hawkins joined Holland as a second-team ECAC All-Star in 2015 and on the All-CAA First Team.
In 2014 three Hofstra players were first-team All-CAA selections, including forward Maid Memic, who finished his career one of just five players in program history to score 30 goals. Chris Griebsch earned 2013 CAA Player of the Year honors while also setting Hofstra’s career assist record. Griebsch was the second player to win the league’s Player of the Year award under Nuttall, joining Michael Todd, who accomplished the feat in 2006.
Nuttall picked up his 200th career win in dramatic fashion, as Hofstra defeated VCU 2-1 in the 2010 Colonial Athletic Association semifinals on a penalty kick with five seconds left in regulation. That victory enabled Hofstra to reach the CAA title game for the fourth time in the last seven years. Hofstra would make its fifth appearance in the CAA championship game in 2012 before falling to Northeastern in double overtime.
In 2006 Nuttall led Hofstra to its third consecutive CAA championship and NCAA Division I Tournament berth, making Hofstra one of only three schools in the nation with three straight conference titles from 2004-06 (joining Western Illinois and New Mexico). The Pride finished the 2006 campaign with a 12-6-3 record, and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a 2-0 home win over Providence in front of 1,450 fans at Hofstra Soccer Stadium.
The Pride finished the 2005 season with a 14-5-3 record, tying for the most wins in school history at the Division I level, while also earning its highest ranking in school history at No. 13 in the final NSCAA poll. Hofstra earned its CAA championship with a 1-0 win over No. 7 Old Dominion in the championship game, the highest ranked team that the Pride has ever defeated. Nuttall was one of eight coaches to earn Regional Coach of the Year honors from the NSCAA.
During the 2004 campaign, Nuttall guided the Pride to one of their most memorable seasons in school history. After an up-and-down regular season, Hofstra rallied to win the Colonial Athletic Association championship with a dramatic postseason run, outscoring their three opponents (all of which were nationally ranked) by a combined 4-0. Hofstra then went on to receive its first-ever NCAA Division I Tournament berth and defeated nationally-ranked Seton Hall 2-1 in the opening round, before finally seeing its run finally end with a loss at third-seeded Maryland. That loss snapped a six-game win streak, with five of those six wins coming against teams that were nationally ranked.
The 1997 campaign saw Nuttall lead the Flying Dutchmen to a 14-4-3 record, including a 9-0 mark in America East play. The team was the top seed in the postseason tournament, but lost a close game to defending champion Boston University in the finals. Despite that loss, Hofstra was still considered for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. Nuttall was named Division I Coach of the Year in Region II by the NSCAA.
In 1999 Nuttall led Hofstra to an early season national ranking, before finishing with a 9-9 record. 2000 saw Nuttall lead the Pride back to the America East Championship game, a 2-1 overtime loss to Vermont, and an 11-6-3 overall record. In 2001, Hofstra's last season in the America East Conference, Nuttall led his team to a 9-9-1 record and a berth in the America East Tournament for the fourth time in five years.
Prior to Nuttall’s arrival in Hempstead, the soccer program had posted five losing seasons in nine years, including a 3-9-6 season in 1988. Nuttall's teams have finished .500 or better in 22 of his 31 seasons at the helm, a remarkable feat considering that Hofstra has been in three conferences (East Coast, America East, CAA) during that time, each more competitive than the last. In addition, Hofstra soccer players have flourished under Nuttall’s guidance, as several are either playing professionally or are members of their respective national teams.
Nuttall, a native of South Yorkshire, England, played with Leeds United and Stoke City of the English Football League. He graduated from the Carnegie School (College) of Physical Education in West Yorkshire in 1984. It was during this time that Nuttall received his Football Association coaching certificates.
Nuttall, who moved to Long Island permanently in 1988 after spending summers in the United States since 1983, taught physical education at North Shore High School. He is also a partner in the highly successful Pro Excel summer soccer camp on Long Island and is active in working with many Long Island communities.
Nuttall and his wife, Christine, reside in New Hyde Park, New York, with their three children, Jack, Caroline, and Grace. Jack was a member of the Hofstra men’s soccer team from 2017 to 2021, while Caroline played on the Hofstra women's soccer team from 2019 to 2021.
show more