A HAMPSHIRE student has become the first from his college to win a scholarship to one of America's leading universities.

And it could eventually see him rubbing shoulders with none other than former England captain David Beckham in the MLS!

Itchen College A-Level student Joe Prince-Wright will travel to the States later this month to begin a fully-funded $35,000 a year football scholarship at Pittsburgh University.

During his four years stateside, former Weston Park student Joe will combine playing football for the university with a degree in English writing, specialising in journalism - a career path he is hoping to follow having covered youth football in the Pink for the last two seasons - in the second year.

As is the case in some other sports in America, a soccer draft system operates, which sees pro teams draft' the brightest uncontracted talents into their squads, often from universities or the amateur ranks.

And that opens up the real possibility that, if he impresses, the 18-year-old could end up playing with or against former England captain Beckham, who began his five-year contract with MLS outfit LA Galaxy amid much media fanfare earlier this month.

Full story in today's Daily Echo.