Last season, the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay men’s soccer team achieved the notable accomplishment of winning the Horizon League title, and this season they aim to replicate that success. A significant contributor to their achievements has been senior defender So Nishikawa, a Japanese Australian. As a junior, Nishikawa played in 16 games with 15 starts and logged 1,256 minutes. He recorded 15 shots, 7 shots on goal, and 1 assist during the 2023 season. Before joining UWGB, Nishikawa attended San Diego State, where he appeared in 17 games over two seasons. Prior to his time at San Diego State, Nishikawa played for Melbourne Victory FC in Australia and Bentleigh Greens before joining Melbourne Victory in 2017. Nishikawa was born in Atlanta, Georgia, to his parents Emi and Ko, and holds citizenship in both Japan and Australia. He is majoring in communication with a focus on social media and plans to graduate after the 2024 fall semester.
As a child, Nishikawa grew up playing other sports, such as tennis and swimming, but his primary interest was soccer. While he was not always the best player on his team, he emphasized his work ethic, saying, “I was one of the hardest working. I would always arrive at practice early and leave late, whether it was for proper recovery or to prepare my body before games or practices.” None of his family members played soccer, but with a goal of playing professionally, Nishikawa acknowledged, “I knew it would take a lot of dedication and practice.” He credited his parents for their support, as well as players like Lionel Messi and Robbie Cruz for influencing his career. “My favorite player when I was younger was definitely Lionel Messi. Even now, he’s still my favorite player and the greatest of all time,” Nishikawa stated. He also looked up to Robbie Cruz, who once played for Melbourne Victory FC, the same club where Nishikawa started, before moving to Europe and eventually returning to Australia.
Reflecting on the differences between life in Australia and the U.S., Nishikawa first noted that soccer and the Australian Football League (AFL) are the most popular sports in his hometown. The AFL is the top professional Australian Rules football league. One of the biggest differences Nishikawa observed between the countries was the food. “I think Australian food is a lot healthier. In the United States, there’s a lot of deep-fried food, so it can be difficult to stay on top of my nutrition,” Nishikawa remarked.
UWGB Men’s Soccer senior defender So Nishikawa. Nishikawa was born in Melbourne, Australia and came to the United States for college. Photo from UWGB Athletics.
When deciding to come to America, Nishikawa explained that his biggest inspiration was the opportunity to attend college. “I had a few friends who came to college in the U.S. and played soccer before me, and they loved their experience, so I wanted to do the same.” Nishikawa’s roommate and teammate Kajus Kontautas shared a similar sentiment, saying, “I chose this school because I knew it was a good program based on its recent success. UWGB recruited me, and I wanted to go to school out of state rather than stay in Illinois.” Noah Spencer, Graduate Assistant Coach, described what the coaching staff looks for in recruits: “We are looking for dedicated players. Ability can be developed, but dedication and mentality are traits you either have or don’t. We value athletes who are willing to come in every day to improve over athletes who are talented but lack a strong work ethic.”
Senior defender So Nishikawa kicks the ball up field during a match. Photo from @nishi_s01 on Instagram.
Looking back on his time at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Nishikawa described the most memorable moment as winning the Horizon League championship. “We hadn’t won since the 1980s, and the school has only entered the NCAA tournament three times in its history, so getting a ring was a massive accomplishment. It was a goal we set for ourselves, and we achieved it.” Looking ahead, Nishikawa hopes to continue his soccer career at the professional level, ideally in the United States. He stated, “After graduation, I still want to play professionally. I work hard every day, just like every other athlete here at UWGB. I want to live in the United States. I think it’s a great place. I’ve been here for four years, and I see myself staying here.”
