Luke Mulholland has had quite the first year as a professional player in the United States. During his senior spring he was doing double duty finishing up his studies at Wingate University while also playing for the Wilmington Hammerheads in the United Soccer League (USL) Pro Division. He enjoyed great success for the Hammerheads, being named to the USL Pro First Team and USL Rookie of the Year. As soon as the USL Pro season ended, he joined the Minnesota Stars to help lead the team to a very unlikely NASL Championship after just sneaking into the playoffs. Follow Mulholland on Twitter @LukeMulholland8
Soccer Banter: First discuss your initial experience to professional soccer with the Wilmington Hammerheads?
Luke Mulholland: I really enjoyed Wilmington, great location and got lucky with my first year having some great lads around me and the gaffer. It was also very enjoyable to play in front of a few thousand people each week and the Wilmington supporters really made each player feel at home! I scored my debut goal in the first game of the season and that was just the start of a solid season for me!
SB: How was that experience of joining the Minnesota Stars near the end of their season, trying to fit in and then winning a championship?
LM: I enjoyed the experience at Minnesota. I was injured at the end of the season with Wilmington and missed out on the last two games so I was very hungry going to Minnesota and getting my chance to win a trophy. I arrived on the Monday and started my first game on the Tuesday, had a good first game for them and started and played every game the rest of the way. I fitted in well with the team, they were on a bad run at the time so once we got back to winning ways things looked up for us. Then going on and winning the whole thing after only just grabbing the last playoff spot was a funny like.
Soccer Banter: First discuss your initial experience to professional soccer with the Wilmington Hammerheads?
Luke Mulholland: I really enjoyed Wilmington, great location and got lucky with my first year having some great lads around me and the gaffer. It was also very enjoyable to play in front of a few thousand people each week and the Wilmington supporters really made each player feel at home! I scored my debut goal in the first game of the season and that was just the start of a solid season for me!
SB: How was that experience of joining the Minnesota Stars near the end of their season, trying to fit in and then winning a championship?
LM: I enjoyed the experience at Minnesota. I was injured at the end of the season with Wilmington and missed out on the last two games so I was very hungry going to Minnesota and getting my chance to win a trophy. I arrived on the Monday and started my first game on the Tuesday, had a good first game for them and started and played every game the rest of the way. I fitted in well with the team, they were on a bad run at the time so once we got back to winning ways things looked up for us. Then going on and winning the whole thing after only just grabbing the last playoff spot was a funny like.
SB: For those that haven't seen you play, how would you describe yourself as a player?
LM: I'd say I’m a hard working smart player, very technical and aggressive.
SB: How did playing at Wingate University prepare you for professional soccer?
LM: Wingate was great for me, I was captain for 3 years there and I feel like a matured a lot as a player. I tried to lead each game by example and the team followed based on our success over the 4 years.
SB: How different was the level between NCAA Division II Soccer and USL Pro / NASL?
LM: There is a big difference as there are a lot of good young players in both the pro leagues who are full time dedicated athletes that strive to move onwards and upwards.
SB: Originally from Preston, England, what club did you play for growing up and how did you end up at Wingate?
LM: I was never with a pro youth team, just with my county team Lancashire and Preston College Academy. I ended up at Wingate just by chance through a connection with a friend.
SB: Your wild first year ended with a few days training with the New England Revolution, how was that experience?
LM: I'd say I’m a hard working smart player, very technical and aggressive.
SB: How did playing at Wingate University prepare you for professional soccer?
LM: Wingate was great for me, I was captain for 3 years there and I feel like a matured a lot as a player. I tried to lead each game by example and the team followed based on our success over the 4 years.
SB: How different was the level between NCAA Division II Soccer and USL Pro / NASL?
LM: There is a big difference as there are a lot of good young players in both the pro leagues who are full time dedicated athletes that strive to move onwards and upwards.
SB: Originally from Preston, England, what club did you play for growing up and how did you end up at Wingate?
LM: I was never with a pro youth team, just with my county team Lancashire and Preston College Academy. I ended up at Wingate just by chance through a connection with a friend.
SB: Your wild first year ended with a few days training with the New England Revolution, how was that experience?
LM: It was very rewarding to get to train with the Revs for a few days, at the time they didn’t have a head coach, which wasn’t good for me, but it's definitely the level I want to step up to.
SB: You finally have some down time, what are you currently doing with it and what are your short-term future plans for playing next season?
LM: I'm flying home to Preston for two months, seeing the family and training with a couple of teams back home in England and possibly over in Sweden and Norway. It is still up in the air whether I will return to America in the new year depending on how the next two months pan out.
SB: Let's have some fun: Which team do you follow? Who is your favorite player? Which manager would you want to play for?
LM: I follow Liverpool and my favorite players have been Paul Gascoigne, Zidane and then Xavi and Iniesta together.
SB: You finally have some down time, what are you currently doing with it and what are your short-term future plans for playing next season?
LM: I'm flying home to Preston for two months, seeing the family and training with a couple of teams back home in England and possibly over in Sweden and Norway. It is still up in the air whether I will return to America in the new year depending on how the next two months pan out.
SB: Let's have some fun: Which team do you follow? Who is your favorite player? Which manager would you want to play for?
LM: I follow Liverpool and my favorite players have been Paul Gascoigne, Zidane and then Xavi and Iniesta together.
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