Following a historic career on the State University of New York at New Paltz men's volleyball team, 2001 alumnus Christopher Wright was recognized alongside two other former individual Hawks standouts and two legendary teams at the SUNY New Paltz Athletics Hall of Fame Oct. 12.
Humbled, Wright walked up to the podium and thanked his coaches and teammates for the experience that shaped his life today.
"To be honest, I am lucky and fortunate to have a great team to be a part of with a great coach with a great volleyball tradition," Wright said. "My accolades are only attributed to everyone's hard work and dedication to the sport me and my teammates all love, volleyball."
In a program filled with prolific athletes and tradition, Wright ranks among the best. He holds the Hawks men's volleyball record for career kills (1,591), while also sitting second in career blocks (415), fourth in service aces (116) and ranks fifth in hitting percentage (.396). As a two-time captain, Wright was a leader of a perennial top-10 nationally ranked team during his tenure.
Former coach Tony Bonilla, who presented Wright with the award, stressed not only his exceptional volleyball skills but also his standout personality. In Bonilla's opinion, Wright's charisma alongside his knowledge of the game was what gave him the edge to lead the program.
Additionally, Wright was an American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III National Player of the Week selection and was a three-time Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA) Division III All-Star. But looking back on his time as a Hawk, Wright reflected on his team and the unified success they had.
"In my mind, my nod to being inducted to the Hall of Fame is directly attributed to the overall team's success," Wright said. "I will only add that individually, you have to have a passion and do what it takes to leave it all out on the court, pitch, diamond. Maybe that's why I was recognized, but I would not even be recognized if it weren't for my teammates."
Much of the passion, focus and mentality when working with a team Wright accredits to his time in the U.S Navy from 1993 to 1997. "I do think that the Navy assisted my focus to give it my all for myself and my teammates. I think that was the one value that has been embedded in my spirit because of serving our country," he said. "I was determined not to take anything for granted, and I did have a seriousness about how I approached things when I first got to campus. What I did learn over time was to balance the seriousness and to turn it on and off."
After graduating in 2001, Wright was immediately offered a job as Coordinator of Multicultural Recruitment at SUNY New Paltz. From 2005 to 2010 Wright continued to pursue his passion for volleyball as the head coach of the Emmanuel College men's volleyball team. At Emmanuel, Wright led the team to break the program record with 27 wins in his final season in 2010. Also in 2010, he was awarded the New England Collegiate Volleyball Association Coach of the Year, New England Collegiate Volleyball Association Dave Hilderbrandt Rising Star Award, Great Northeast Athletic Conference Coach of the Year and Finalist for AVCA Division III Men's Volleyball Coach of the Year.
"I wanted to play as long and often as possible. When I couldn't play any longer, I still had the mind for the strategy and wanted to help others that loved the game accomplish their goals on and off the court," Wright said. "To this day, I am still a coach, but in a different industry, but it's the team aspect of enrollment management that still fuels the desire to do well for the betterment of the entire organization".
Although he has since become the Dean of Admissions and Enrollment Management at Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Wright still feels a close bond to SUNY New Paltz and the men's volleyball team.
Wright notes one of his proudest moments as an alumni was when the men's volleyball team won the national championship in 2016. Wright still returns for Alumni Weekend, "Although [SUNY New Paltz Director of Athletics, Wellness and Recreation Stuart Robinson] won't let me play because I am a walking liability for the college."
Wright still stays in contact with his former teammates and maintains his involvement as an alumni. "Men's Volleyball is a brotherhood, and I will always remain connected to past, present, and future Hawks."
