COVID-19 presented challenges for student-athletes at all levels of competition. Former Rochelle Lady Hub soccer standout Olivia Piloni saw her sophomore season at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Points canceled due to COVID-19, and while she returned to action for the Pointers this past fall, Piloni said she took this spring off to focus on her mental health.
“My junior season was definitely different after coming back from a school year where we didn’t have a season,” Piloni said. “While it was great getting back on the field, it was also tough. A conversation around the mental health of student-athletes has begun and I hope it will continue… I took the spring off from soccer to focus on myself and evaluate my relationship with the sport and I found an amazing support system. I’m looking forward to my senior season.”
Piloni appeared in all 20 matches during her junior season, earning 15 starts and playing all 90 minutes in 11 matches. The RTHS alum scored her first collegiate goal against Hamline University this past September, helping the Pointers score a 4-3 victory at home. Piloni followed with her second collegiate goal two matches later, converting a header off of a corner kick during the team’s 3-0 home win over Coe College. The Pointers finished 9-11 overall in 2021.
“I was a lot more confident in using my voice on the field this season,” Piloni said. “I’ve become more confident in my role in the center midfield and connecting our defense and offense. For my senior season, I’m hoping to just enjoy the sport. I think the sport has become so mentally tiring over the years that I sometimes forget to enjoy it. I’m looking forward to bringing that for myself.”
Piloni, who’s currently majoring in architecture and interior design, has been interning this summer with a small firm in Florida, where she’s spent time working on residential design. In addition to earning her bachelor’s degree next spring, Piloni said she intends to travel to Australia with her team to watch the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Piloni appeared in 19 matches during her freshman season with the Pointers in 2019, starting 17 matches.