When junior sports, arts and entertainment management major and Point Park basketball star Matthew Noszka joined Instagram and posted photos showing him working on construction and shooting hoops, he thought nothing of it.
 
Three years later when he received an email from Wilhelmina Modeling Agency suggesting those photos showed he had a future in front of a camera, but he didn’t even respond.
 
"I thought it was a total scam. I had no idea what Wilhelmina was,” Noszka said. “I had to ask my mom about it."
 
His mom urged him to respond because she knew Wilhelmina is a world-renowned modeling agency. Within months, he found himself swept up in the modeling world, a veritable overnight sensation, jetting around the world for photo sessions while keeping up with school and basketball. The experience has changed his perspective on life and career. 

“Basketball was everything to me, then all of this happened,” Noszka said.
 
A 6’4”, with blonde hair, green eyes and an impeccable jaw line, Noszka fits about every modeling need since the Marlboro man set the standard. The Pittsburgh native attended Chartiers Valley High School, where his basketball career began.

After a successful high school career in which he averaged 12.1 points per game, he went to Seton Hill University for a semester, then decided to transfer to Point Park where he thrived. He set a goal to play overseas.

"If basketball overseas didn’t work out, I was going to move to L.A. and pursue acting," Noszka said.
 
Like most young people, Noszka has always messed around with social media, but when he put his own photos on Instagram, he had no idea that modeling agencies routinely scout such sites for talent, mainly because it allows them to see what potential models look like without having to meet them in person. The photos he uploaded showed him playing basketball, goofing off with friends, and working shirtless outside, clearly revealing his six pack of abs.

After his mom convinced him to respond to the agency, Noszka became even more wary, especially when his new agent, Luke Simone, asked him to provide shirtless photos for clients.
 
"I was like, ‘Alright I don't know this guy. I'm not doing it,’ and I ignored him for three days," Noszka said. 
 
Eventually, the agent persuaded him to snap a few shirtless photos and e-mail them to him. 
 
A day or so later, the agent told him both Nike and Jordan wanted to book him for a shoot the next day in New York for big bucks.
 
The now 22 year-old, who had never earned more than $15 an hour working with his dad's landscaping business, was being offered $1,100 a day, and he decided he was going to go for it.
 
"When I saw I was going to get paid $1,100 a day I was like ‘this is it, I'm leaving, I'm quitting school,’" joked Noszka.
 
The next day, Noszka drove to New York to meet with his agent and sign the contract he was offered with Wilhelmina. Overly excited and anxious, Noszka lamented he got a speeding ticket during the drive, costing him two points on his driver’s license.
 
The same day, Noszka had his first casting with Wrangler, a jean and western apparel corporation. That shoot went so well he has been offered jobs all over the world, and is now also under contract with Wilhelmina’s operations in Los Angeles and Miami, in addition to New York.

In the past month, Noszka has traveled to Germany for a Hugo Boss photo shoot and NYC where he participated in the 2(X)IST underwear, swimwear, apparel and accessories for confident men’s fashion show. Then, there was a quick flight to California for an American Crew shoot by the beach, and several more. 

His photos already have appeared in XEX Magazine, as well as the cover.

Now, he has become the darling of his family and teammates, even if they engage in playful jokes with him. 

He said his aunts cannot help but to brag about him to coworkers, and his mom’s patients at the psychiatric ward where she works have his modeling pictures on the wall.

“You know it’s weird, they’re hanging her son’s photos in his underwear,” Noszka said.
 
His friends and teammates are just as supportive. Just about every interaction with them jokingly starts with something like, “Can I have your autograph,” “Oh, Mr. Celebrity is here, can you sign my chest,” Noszka said.

“When we’re playing, I tell him to be careful he can’t mess up his pretty face,” teammate Yandell Denis said.

“We say he is beautiful all the time,” teammate Alek Schaffer joked.
 
Nevertheless, his new lifestyle has put an extreme amount of pressure on Noszka’s time since he still has a year of study to finish his degree and is eligible for another year in basketball.  He says his professors and coaches are encouraging him.
 

“We’re being very lenient. The kid has it made right now and we’re letting him ride that wave as long as he can,” assistant coach Gabe Bubon said.
 
“They’ve been very understanding for the most part and I hope it stays that way,” Noszka said.

He is working with them to stay eligible to play and keep up good grades while flying someplace different just about every weekend.
 
When he is in town, he catches up on homework and joins his team for basketball practice.

“When he is at practice he gives a hundred percent,” teammate Jerahme Williams said.

While he is away, he tries to keep up with assignments, but most of the time his work is turned in late due to the ultimate first-world problem of limited Wi-Fi connection.
 
When asked how he manages to do it all he responded, "I'm just rolling with the punches, trying to figure it all out."
 
The modeling career also might lead to some roles as an actor after his agent put in contact with TV agency, Innovated Artists and signed a contract with him. 
 
"I don’t consider myself a model, but it did put me in a position to become an actor easily," Noszka said. 
 
Upon graduation, Noszka will enroll in acting classes to gain experience before auditioning for any role.
 
Overall, Noszka is remaining humble through this experience with a little help from his landscaper dad, who still calls him to cut the grass every now and then. He recognizes his blessings and wants to share them with the people he loves. He celebrates with teammates after booking a great job, and keeps in touch with all of his close friends.
 
He also wants to help his parents pay off their house and buy his mother a new car and take financial stress off his family.
 
"We came from nothing," Noszka said. "I want to use my blessings of this to help my family then when I’m 26 I'll buy a Ferrari and stunt a little."