Naperville North senior goalkeeper Olivia Ochsner has authored many great performances during her time in the net.
The UIC recruit recorded 29 shutouts and 43 wins during her first three varsity seasons. She memorably stopped three penalty kicks during the shootout of a Class 3A supersectional win over Wheaton Warrenville South last season, when she backstopped the Huskies to the state championship game.
The final chapter of Ochsner’s high school career has yet to be written, of course, but the history books will likely record her as one of the program’s best.
“Consistency-wise, Olivia is up there with our absolute greatest,” Naperville North coach Steve Goletz said. “The fact that she has been able to hold this position down for four years and we continue to be a fantastic program is a testament to how good she is.
“I also think her growth is some of the biggest that I’ve had as a coach. From where she was when she came in as a freshman to where she is now has been a massive jump. Her hands, shot stopping, communication are all better.”
Ochsner’s communication skills are especially impressive. She is co-managing editor of the school’s student newspaper, the North Star, and loves to write about sports.
“I started getting into it last year,” Ochsner said. “I took journalism and English, and I was surprised how much I enjoyed it.
“Our supervisor, Mitchell Martin, was like, ‘You should really keep doing this. You’re good at it.’ I credit him for making me realize it is something that I could probably pursue if I really wanted to. I’m definitely thinking about it.”
Ochsner is always thinking. She has a wide range of interests and isn’t shy about sharing them.
“Olivia knows everything about any subject,” Naperville North senior forward Brooke Welch said. “She can talk for hours on any topic. It makes her very personable when you’re on a team of 20-plus people because she can relate to everyone about something or she can find a way to get to know you and make you feel important and seen and valued.
“She’s really outgoing.”
Especially when the subject is sports.
“When the Olympics were on, she’s so interested in every sport, and that’s what makes her a good journalist because she’s just so interested in learning about it and wanting to write about it,” Welch said. “She’ll be talking to me about curling or hockey, which I don’t really watch, but she’s analyzing every part and does her research on it.”
Ochsner hasn’t written as many articles this season due to her increased editing responsibilities. She has delegated much of the sports coverage.
But Ochsner has an ability to turn a phrase as nimbly as she turns away opponents’ shots. In an article she co-wrote with Sydney Queen that explored male fashion trends, including headphones, Ochsner interviewed one boy who is “looking to buy a new pair after his two-year-old overloved and undercared-for set recently broke.”
“Sydney and I had a lot of fun working on that one,” Ochsner said. “It was just fun to interview the students.”
Goletz has fun coaching Ochsner.
“She’s gotten better every single year, not only goalkeeping-wise but as a leader and also as a person, just in how she approaches the game,” Goletz said. “Olivia cares more about her teammates than she does herself, and she’s never worried about her own accolades.
“All she wants is another day to be able to play with her peers.”
Ochsner’s peers elected her captain this season.
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“What makes Olivia a good captain is also what makes her a good teammate because you know that she’s someone who is going to give it her all and she has high standards for herself,” Welch said. “That makes everyone around her also want to be great.
“She’s the first one encouraging everyone else in helping them get there.”
In doing so, Ochsner said she’s merely continuing a program tradition.
“The best part about being here for four years is that I’ve gotten to play with so many great players, and with the leadership that we’ve had, that’s been a big contributor to my growth,” she said. “It’s going to be bittersweet because it’s my last year here, but I’m really excited for this season.”
As for Ochsner’s journalism career, she is undecided about pursuing it professionally.
“I just know I want to work in sports because I feel like, out of all the things in my life, I’ve probably been most passionate about that,” she said. “Finding my niche in that world would be great for me.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.