George Washington University Athletics
Full Circle: Nick Conklu and His Path Back to GW
4/17/2026 12:00:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Nick Conklu's connection to GW didn't start with a job offer or a coaching opportunity, it started at birth.
Born in the original GW Hospital to a graduate of GW's School of Public Health, Conklu's ties to the university were immediate. His mother worked as an adjunct professor at GW as well as a Physical Therapist at the GW Hospital, and would bring Conklu along during her shifts when he was a toddler, filling his memories with Metro rides to Foggy Bottom, GW basketball games at the Smith Center, and afternoons around campus.
At the time, GW wasn't part of some long-term plan. Neither, for that matter, was soccer, as Conklu's dreams first lied elsewhere: Hollywood.
"I imagined myself at a young age being a famous actor," Conklu said in an interview with GWsports.com, but Conklu's dreams of the screen shifted to the pitch the first time he stepped onto a soccer field at five years old, and today he's living his dreams as an assistant coach for GW men's soccer, working closely with the program's goalkeepers.
GETTING INTO GOALKEEPING
Conklu didn't set out to be a goalkeeper. It started as a simple strategy.
"The way to get the most playing time was to play as a goalkeeper for a full half, so that's how I got started," Conklu said.
From there the position stuck, and so did the lessons that came with it. Goalkeeping forced him to grow in ways that didn't come naturally.
"As a kid, I was shy," he said. "Someone who didn't want to be the center of attention. As a goalkeeper, you have to be that constant communicator and have a commanding presence on the field," said Conklu.
Quickly, for a young Conklu, goalkeeping became more than just about stopping shots. It became about leadership, organization and setting the tone for his teammates. All aspects of his game that he developed and helped him earn a roster spot to play Division I college soccer at Holy Cross.
CONSIDERING COACHING
The prospect of coaching first started taking shape for Conklu while in college.
"It was my goalkeeper coach at the time at Holy Cross, Ben Graham, who was the first to introduce me to the college soccer coaching industry and spoke to me about the opportunities to get into college coaching after I finished playing. This conversations I had with him my sophomore year at Holy Cross stuck in my head and gave me direction for my career post-college.
"I realized I really enjoyed the process of a college soccer season and the structure that it provides," he said. That realization only deepened during his graduate years at Molloy University where he competed for two seasons at the NCAA Division II. At Molloy, Conklu took on a larger leadership role and experienced a high level of success as a goalkeeper, winning multiple individual awards and helping to capture the program's second ECC Championship and NCAA DII tournament appearance in 2021, and the program's first-ever ECC Regular Season Championship in 2022.
After his playing career, Conklu returned to the DMV to begin building his coaching resume. He first worked as a goalkeeper coach and operations assistant with Alexandria Soccer Association, a local youth club located in Alexandria, Va. He then got the opportunity to work as a volunteer goalkeeper coach at the University of the District of Columbia in Fall 2023, where his experience confirmed what he already expected. "That's when I knew 100% this is what I want to do for the rest of my working career, coach in college soccer."
FULL CIRCLE AT GW
Still, breaking into coaching full-time isn't easy. Timing, opportunity and connections all matter. For Conklu, the stars aligned in the summer of 2024, and he was brought on to the GW men's soccer staff in a full-time assistant coach role.
Now, Conklu is helping to usher in the next era of GW men's soccer, as he works with newly appointed GW Men's Soccer Head Coach Matt Watts and Assistant Coach Richard Ainscough ahead of the 2026 season.
"It's definitely the place to be right now," Conklu said. "We're building a very strong relationship as a staff and with the returning group. We're operating at a high level, implementing Coach Matt's game model and teaching principles with the current group. This program has so much potential to be a top contender in the A-10 and within the NCAA Division I college soccer landscape."
Conklu's role on staff centers on all things goalkeepers. Just as important as teaching and refining technique, he said, is developing goalkeepers who are mentally strong and effective communicators.
"It's not just about me teaching them goalkeeping — it's more about how can I meet them where they are in their development, and how can I add onto their current abilities to help prepare them to perform within the competitive demands of Division I men's soccer."
Conklu spoke of his belief in what GW offers student-athletes. "You get the best of both worlds at GW as a student-athlete," he said. "Division I athletics and world-class education in a world-class city. It truly is a unique and a once in a lifetime transformative student-athlete experience."
For someone whose connection to GW began before he could even remember, the journey has come full circle, but it's far from finished.
"I'm super proud to be part of this program, and to be on this journey as we jump into this new era of GW men's soccer under Coach Matt's leadership and vision. Raise High!"
