University of Vermont Athletics

Patrick J. Wright 1973 - Hockey

Twice an All-American, Pat Wright carved out a UVM hockey career that singles him out as one of the very top players ever to grace the Gutterson ice. A 1983 Athletic Hall of Fame inductee, he graduated as the school's all-time scoring leader and was the top forward on two teams that won the conference championship.

The season he and the Catamounts enjoyed in 1972-73 is still remembered and savored by Vermont sports fans. The team captain, Wright led the Catamounts to a perfect 19-0-0 league record and their second ECAC Division II championship. He became the first Catamount to score 30 goals in a season and set UVM single-season records for goals (30), assists (38) and points (68). Named All-American for the second straight season while heading the ECAC All-Star First-Team, he was voted the ECAC Championship Most Valuable Player after the title-game win over Bowdoin and the team's MVP for the year.

Wright's qualities as a leader are reflected in the team's record during his three varsity seasons. The Catamounts compiled the outstanding mark of 46-7-1 in Div. II league games, and 59-22-2 overall. In each of his first two campaigns, as well, the Catamounts reached the ECAC playoffs, finishing as runner-up in 1970-71 and a semifinalist in 1971-72. He led the team in scoring in his rookie season, 1970-71, with 19 goals and 22 assists for 41 points. As a junior he scored 12 goals and set up 31 others for 43 points to finish second on the team in scoring behind linemate and fellow Hall of Famer, Fred Hunt '73.

By the end of his career Wright had amassed more points (152) and more assists (91) than any UVM player ever, and was second in goals (61). After over three decades, he still ranks in the top-10 on Vermont's all-time scoring list. The greatness of his scoring prowess is reflected in this statistic: his 152 points came in just 76 varsity games, for a 2.0 points-per-game average. This is the highest in Catamount hockey history.

Wright was equally as brilliant in the classroom winning the Wasson Athletic Prize in 1973 as UVM's top senior scholar-athlete. After graduation, he received a prestigious NCAA Post-graduate Scholarship, which he applied to graduate study in civil engineering at Cornell.