STATEN ISLAND, NY– The College of Staten Island Athletics Department is pleased to announce the hiring of Staten Island native Madeline "Maddy" Wright as the new head coach of the Dolphins' women's soccer program. Wright becomes the seventh head coach in program history across the College's Division III and Division II eras. 

Wright, who holds a USSF A-Senior License, returns to the East Coast after spending the past four seasons at Clark College in Washington, where she guided the Penguins to one of the most successful stretches in program history. In her first season as head coach, she led Clark to a program-record of 15 wins, and during her tenure, the Penguins established a single-season program record with 92 goals and advanced to the NWAC Championship match. Wright leaves Clark with an overall record of 37-15-9. 

"Coming home to Staten Island to lead the program at my hometown college is incredibly meaningful," Wright praised. "I grew up playing on these fields, and to now have the opportunity to give back to the place that helped shape me is something I don't take lightly." 

CSI Director of Athletics Matthew Scally said, "We are excited to welcome Maddy Wright as the next head coach of our women's soccer program. Maddy brings a wealth of coaching experience, leadership, and knowledge of the game that will have an immediate impact on our student-athletes. We are confident she is the right person to lead our program into its next chapter and continue building a strong culture of success both on and off the field." 

Alongside her collegiate coaching responsibilities, Wright has served as the head coach and operations manager for Vancouver Victory of the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) since 2023. She led the club through its inaugural WPSL season, and under her leadership, two of the team's three seasons have featured both the league's and conference's leading goal scorers. 

"I want to thank Matthew Scally, the hiring committee, and everyone who invested their time throughout this process," said Wright. "I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity and honored to be trusted with leading CSI Women's Soccer. I can't wait to get started." 

A former Division II student-athlete at Alliance University, formerly known as Nyack College, Wright was a four-year captain and holds the school record for career saves. After earning her bachelor's degree in Psychology, she remained with the program as an assistant coach, launching her collegiate coaching career. 

Wright continued, "the best programs have a clear identity. They know who they are, what they value, and how they do things every single day; that's what excites me the most. Building a program that develops outstanding players, courageous leaders, and a culture that people are proud to be a part of" 

In addition to her coaching experience, Wright has built an impressive administrative background. She previously served as Assistant Athletic Director for Communications and Senior Woman Administrator (SWA) at Multnomah University (NAIA), Assistant Technical Director at Columbia Premier SC, and Student Academic Success Counselor at Alliance University. 

"My responsibility is to create the conditions for growth, to set high standards, build meaningful relationships, and provide the support, accountability and belief that allows people to thrive," Wright explained. "I want our student-athletes to leave CSI not only as better players, but as more confident leaders." 

Scally continued, "Throughout the search process, Maddy consistently demonstrated a genuine commitment to the student-athlete experience and a passion for developing leaders both on and off the pitch. Her vision for the program and dedication to fostering success in all aspects of our student-athletes' lives made her the ideal fit for this role. We are thrilled to welcome her back home to Staten Island and look forward to the exciting future of CSI Women's Soccer under her leadership." 

The Dolphins will open the 2026 season with a 13-match schedule beginning Sept. 7 against Dominican University. 

Wright finished, "I truly believe that CSI Women's Soccer is a sleeping giant. There is a lot of untapped potential, and the opportunity isn't simply to win more matches; it's to build something that lasts. My vision is to create an environment where people are inspired to grow, where high standards are embraced, and where every player understands that her development as a person and player matters."