Wearing No. 22 for the Wright reasons
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. (BVM) – As the Seton Hall Pirates eye up the conclusion of the WNIT tournament, Amari Wright, a sophomore guard from Jacksonville, Florida, is growing a name for herself.
She credits her postseason success to her teammates and coaches.
“We support each other,” Wright said. “The upperclassmen on the team, they’re all in my ear, telling me, ‘You got this, you do this in practice all the time.’ My late season spark is really because of my teammates believing in me and the coaches constantly saying, ‘Amari, you got this.’”
Coming off the bench with one start, Wright has been steadily progressing in her influence on the court. She scored crucial points in the last seconds of the WNIT Quarterfinals game against Columbia on March 28, securing Seton Hall’s victory and advancement to the WNIT Semifinals.
Wright’s love of basketball began at an early age, but saw some competition from her other love: soccer.
“I’ve watched basketball ever since I was a kid,” she said. “There was definitely a point up to 8th grade where I loved soccer more than basketball. That was one of the toughest decisions I ever had to make. Basketball has clearly paid off.”
She credits her godparents for inspiring her to get better each day and prioritizing the needs of others over her own.
“My godparents, both of them, have had a huge influence on me,” she said. “They go and talk to students. They started a foundation. They’re religious; they go to church. Just how they go about life. They always put other people before themselves.”
The foundation started by her godparents is the Mitch 22 Foundation, whose mission is to “advocate financially and emotionally for families and deserving youths who encounter life’s circumstances beyond their control.”
Larry Mitchell Roziers II, Wright’s godbrother and whom the foundation was named after, passed away in 2015 after struggling with medical complications and paralysis. Before his medical condition prevented him from playing, he was a basketball enthusiast and serious competitor.
“That’s actually the reason why I wear No. 22, for my godbrother who passed,” Wright said. “[My godparents] started the Mitch 22 Foundation for students who probably aren’t as fortunate to pay for college. They give out scholarships and give back to the community.”
She plays for Mitch and his legacy, but she also plays in honor of those who have helped her get to where she is now, including her high school teachers and the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program.
“I’m a really, really shy person so the AVID program was really a family atmosphere,” Wright said. “All the people in that program still support me now. It really helped me come out of my shell. All the stuff that they taught me I applied in college, all my study habits, how I take notes, paying attention in class, that all came from AVID. It was amazing for me.”
As for her ambitions for the future, her immediate goal is for the team to continue to be successful.
“I don’t really care about the individual stuff,” she said. “I just love winning and love seeing the team do great and the coaches smile. We’ve gotten close over time. Right now it’s really fun and we’re all bonding great. I’m just happy to be here.”
Seton Hall will take on Middle Tennessee on Thursday, March 31, for a chance to compete in the WNIT Championship on April 2.
“I think this is one of the best endings of a season that this program has ever had,” Wright said. “The fans are amazing. I just really appreciate this whole school for taking me in and for supporting the team.”
