Olivia Diez

Class:
Freshman
Height:
5-10
Hometown:
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Position:
D
Birthday:
9/5/07

Prep

Played with FC Prime ECNL and South Florida HEAT, a Christian-based program for home-educated athletes
Led her team in scoring across three seasons
Named to the first-team All-County as a sophomore with 37 goals and 17 assists during a 23-3-2 season
Selected to the ECNL Girls Southeast All-Conference team in 2022
Led her club team in scoring for two consecutive seasons (2022, 23)
Helped lead her team to three consecutive district championships, scoring the game-winning goal in each title game
A multi-sport athlete, set multiple school records in track and field. She tops the charts in the school's 4x400 and 4x800 record while medaling at the state championships her sophomore year in the 4x800

Student-Athlete Q&A

How did you end up at Liberty? What's the backstory there?
My sister plays at FIU, the first time I ever saw a Liberty team play was when they played against my sister's soccer team about 2 years ago. I saw them play, I thought they were good. Something that really just, I thought was cool was that they made notes for the other players basically describing how they're praying for them, they hope their season goes really well. I never knew a team that was competitive, athletic could also be grounded on such good faith principles, I really like that about them.

When did you start playing soccer? What got you in?
I was three. My dad is super into soccer. He played semi-professional soccer. Soccer in Venezuela and my mom played D1 volleyball. Growing up I was always introduced to all kinds of sports, but ever since I can remember, I was kicking a soccer ball.

Along those lines, you mentioned your mom. Anyone in your family play collegiate or pro sports?
My mom played D1 volleyball at FIU, Florida International University, my dad played college soccer and semi-professional soccer in Venezuela.

What about your family? Tell me about what your parents do now, how they connected, I guess, because. She was from Venezuela. She's from the states, right? Siblings, anyone?
Yes, my both of my parents, they actually both went to FIU. My dad moved here when he was about 18 when he started going to college there, they both studied mechanical engineering. They met each other in class. I have 4 other siblings. I have an older sister who's currently at FIU. I have a twin brother who's also at FIU. He does track and field there. I have a younger brother who's going into his junior year, a younger sister who. Soccer. She's 13.

Are you excited to face your sister and her team?
Yes, I'm really excited. She actually is not playing this next season, I'm gonna have no mercy on them at all. I'm hoping we just crush them for sure. They got a new coaching staff, she just didn't really like how the program was. OK.

What hobbies do you have outside of soccer?
I actually really enjoy playing the piano. I read. I love to go to the beach. I love to wake surf. What else? I like to pick up just little art hobbies. I like to draw sketch here and there.

What other sports did you play growing up?
Yes, I grew up playing basketball as well track and field. I did that almost all years in high school.

Soccer was just the one you were best at?
Soccer was my main one. I did those on the side or during the summertime. I also did swimming during the summertime. Just keeping active, I guess.

Anything about you that's unique to someone your age, you think maybe something that you've been through? Maybe that's unique that you would be open to talking about.
I would say something that sets me apart from a lot of other people is that I am homeschooled. I feel my entire life, my education, and my athletics has kind of been in my own hands. Even though my parents would encourage me and have me do certain things, it was my own choice whether or not I was going to do it to the best of my ability. I feel being raised that way and having taught myself that I'm going to give it my all and everything that I do in life has set me apart in certain ways.

Was it difficult going through the recruiting process, being homeschooled or because you knew where you wanted to go?
It was kind of easy. I would say it wasn't very difficult. Because I played at a really competitive club soccer team, through showcases and other exposure like that, it didn't really make it hard at all.

Anything about you that people may not know?
I have a twin and I actually am related to Abraham Lincoln.

How did you figure that out?
My nanny, my grandma, her last name, her mom's last name was Lincoln, she always had a suspicion about it, she ended up taking a blood test and it traced back to him.

If you picked your jersey/uniform number, why is that number important to you?
I picked number 33. This number is meaningful to me because it reminds me of John 16:33 and the truth that God has already overcome everything I face in this world.