Provided by Olivia Redden
Redden primarily played as a centre-back, but his aerial abilities led him to become a defensive midfielder.
Gabelli School of Business at Rose Hill (GSBRH) Olivia Redden, 24-year captain of the Fordham women's soccer team, has faced adversity during her 18-year soccer career. But she won't let anything stop her from being the best player on the field.
Redden started playing at just five years old, with his father as his coach. She immediately felt a connection to the sport.
“I loved it from the beginning,” she said. “I quickly made friends and had a lot of fun being out on the field.”
Community was an important part of Redden's formative years in soccer. Redden played as a center midfielder for the girls soccer team at Kittatinny Regional High School in her hometown of Frieden, New Jersey. Her high school teammates were girls she had played with since the beginning, which made her experience even more special.
Redden commuted an hour and a half from home two to three times a week, juggling a demanding schedule of being a three-sport athlete, academics, and playing club soccer.
As a sophomore, Redden pulled his groin and was sidelined for most of the season. She bounced back her junior year even better than before her injury. Redden's first season back was the team's best performance in the four years she played in high school.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic did not affect Redden's high school season, his club soccer season was cut short. She started playing club soccer at age 12 and continued through her high school. She improved her skill level the most on her club team. She competed at the highest club level and against some of the best junior college women's soccer players in the country. During her senior year of high school, Redden and her team achieved the extremely rare feat of reaching the final four in the playoffs.
Redden made significant contributions to his success in club soccer while being on the basketball and track teams. Redden said he commuted an hour and a half from his home two to three times a week, juggling a demanding schedule as a three-sport athlete, academics, and club soccer.
Redden's consistency throughout her formative years helped mold her into the strong team leader she is today.
“She was a great captain,” Fordham women's soccer head coach Magnus Nylerud said. She added, “She always spoke for the team, she put the team before herself, she was committed to Fordham women's soccer, and she led by example every day.”
Redden credits his success in college to the time he spent playing club soccer.
“Playing on a club team has made me a standout player on my high school team. Playing on a club team is a whole different level than high school soccer,” she said.
In fact, Redden played a different position on the field in club soccer than he did in high school. She is a center back and played that position in college. Without club soccer, Redden said, she wouldn't have been able to get so much attention from Fordham.
“Club soccer is a whole different world with travel recruiting and general recruiting,” she said. “Playing club soccer is very important in order to go to a top school.”
Ultimately, it was clear she would need surgery, but that wasn't an option for Redden. She wasn't going to miss a year of playing and that's what her surgery meant.
Fordham began recruiting Redden when he was a freshman in high school. She visited this school as her sophomore year and soon after earned her scholarship that year. Fordham became her home for Redden when she was just 16 years old.
The transition from high school to college was difficult for Redden. Her injuries she sustained at the beginning of the pandemic certainly didn't help. She sprained her ankle, which kept her out of the game all of her junior year. This injury was extremely tough on Redden considering her extreme passion for the sport. At the same time, Redden was facing her novelty of being a college freshman and struggling to balance all of her new responsibilities.
Redden continued to struggle with his ankle throughout his early collegiate athletic career. She also suffered a severe sprain, which affected her performance on the field. Ultimately, it was clear she would need surgery, but for Redden, that wasn't an option for her. She had no intention of missing a year of play and that's what her surgery meant. Instead, she went to rehab and worked tirelessly to get her back to where she needed to be.
“It ended up being one of my biggest blessings,” Redden said of the injury.
“I’m honestly so grateful for everything that happened, because without it I wouldn’t be where I am today.” Olivia Redden, GSBRH '24
In a twist of fate, she ended up signing a name, image and likeness deal, a deal between an athlete and a brand with potential compensation, and an endorsement of Ultra Ankle and ankle braces. Ultra Ankle is an ankle brace company that offers “protection without limiting performance.” Website. Fortunately for Redden, the company's claims were true.
She wears an ankle brace every time she's on the field, whether it's a game or practice. Redden hasn't had another injury to her ankle since she started wearing her brace.
Redden's deal with Ultra Ankle means she will earn money by posting about orthodontic appliances on social media. Plus, if you need a new ankle brace, you'll always receive a free ankle brace.
“I’m honestly so grateful for everything that happened, because without it I wouldn’t be where I am today,” Redden said.
The 2023 football season was Redden's last at Fordham. However, she has not yet said goodbye to the sport. Redden will be exercising her fifth and final year of eligibility at Johns Hopkins University (JHU) in Baltimore, Maryland, while earning a Master of Science degree in Marketing.
After his time at JHU, Redden is considering playing soccer overseas, perhaps somewhere in Europe, but he isn't thinking that far ahead yet.
“It's definitely something I've dreamed of and if it feels right for me at the time, I'm definitely going to do it,” Redden said. “After years of hard work, I really realized that this is something I can consider now.”
