Anyone who has been around sports long enough is familiar with the old adage, “the best offense is a good defense.” This season, senior defender Nicole Hubbard has provided plenty of both.
Hubbard has been an instrumental piece to the success of the Long Beach State women’s soccer team, which is 10-5-1 this season. She has become a third scoring option for the 49ers, who lost midfielder Lindsay Bullock — its second leading scorer last year — to graduation.
Hubbard, who only scored three times last season, is tied for second on the team with midfielder Shawna Gordon and fifth in the Big West Conference in scoring with seven goals this season.
“It wasn’t that big of a jump for me, which a lot of people thought it was,” Hubbard said of her new role as an offensive threat. “I work well with the other forwards and midfielders and we have a good setup right now.”
With most opponents’ defenses shifting their focus on the 49ers’ goals leader Nadia Link and Gordon, Hubbard has been able to find her opportunities to score from the back of the field.
Hubbard has 40 shots on the season, 17 of which came on target, and was the only player on the team this season to register a hat trick. She is also tied for ninth on the LBSU all-time scorers list with 16 career goals.
“Nicole has always had the ability to score,” LBSU head coach Mauricio Ingrassia said. “She’s been a good target for us to play off of Nadia and help out Shawna, too.”
Hubbard is used mostly as a defender, but she played forward during her time at Mayfair High School in Lakewood. During high school career, she broke the school record with 144 goals scored and led the Monsoons to four straight CIF-Southern Section Division III playoff appearances, including two championships.
Since the age of six, she took up soccer and progressed quickly through the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO). When she was 11 years old, Hubbard played under Ingrassia’s club team until college.
Once Hubbard began playing collegiately, she was reunited with her longtime coach, who has been at 49ers helm since 2004 after a successful tenure with Long Beach City College.
“I have always known that Nicole could play,” Ingrassia said. “We tried to count the number of games I have coached her and I think that it has been over a thousand.”
After a successful high school career, Hubbard knew immediately which university she wanted to attend.
“I loved the campus and I knew I wanted to come here even before [Ingrassia] was the coach here,” Hubbard said. “This is the school I love and it’s more like a family unit here, and that’s what I appreciate.”
The ‘Niners have been playing well overall this season, but are coming off of a rough two-game conference losing streak. Hubbard said that the team is aiming to finish its last three matches with victories heading into the Big West Tournament.
“We want to win the [Big West] Tournament and make it to the NCAA [Tournament] Sweet 16 at least,” Hubbard said of her expectations for the team this postseason.
As a student athlete, Hubbard has faced adversity in having to juggle her school work while attending practice and games.
“It’s hard to get out of practice and go straight to class,” she said, “and do all of this while traveling and trying to stay focused the whole time through.”
Hubbard said she plans to graduate from LBSU next fall with a degree in liberal studies and wants to continue attending school to earn her teaching credentials.
As far as playing soccer after college, Hubbard said she hopes to stay involved with the sport, but is not looking to play professionally.
“I might play some pickup games here and there and maybe with some semi-pro teams if something like that comes up,” Hubbard said. “I want to focus on graduating and I want to become a teacher so I will be going more into that.”
Hubbard will be back in action on Friday at 3 p.m. as the 49ers will host UC Riverside at George Allen Field.
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