Hobart and William Smith Colleges Athletics

One of the very best defenders in William Smith soccer history, Olivia Zitoli ‘14 was the 2013 National Player of the Year, the D3soccer.com Defender of the Year and the Liberty League Player of the Year. She appeared in four NCAA tournaments, leading the Herons to the 2013 NCAA National Championship, earning the tournament’s Most Outstanding Defender award. Zitoli was the recipient of the 2014 Winn-Seeley Award and was a Top 30 honoree for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award.

Zitoli anchored one of the greatest defenses in NCAA Division III women’s soccer history. Her senior year, she guided the Heron defense to 21 shutouts and a nation’s best .875 shutout percentage. They allowed only six goals all year, posting 16 consecutive clean sheets to end the season, the third longest streak in NCAA history. Making the streak all the more impressive, it included all six NCAA tournament games and six nationally-ranked opponents.

Zitoli and her classmates won an eye-popping 90.2% of their matches (71-7-7), the highest winning percentage for any Heron soccer class to that point. They were 31-1-2 in Liberty League play and won four straight Liberty League Tournament Championships.

With Zitoli in the lineup, the Herons held opponents scoreless 60 times. In 18 NCAA tournament matches, Zitoli and the Herons were 15-2-1, recording 13 shutouts.

Zitoli arrived in Geneva in 2010 and made an immediate impact. She appeared on defense in most games to start the season and by the mid-season mark she was a full-time starter. She started 17 games in her first season, contributing to a defense that posted 12 shutouts.

Zitoli’s success continued through her sophomore year where she played in all 22 matches, starting 14. That Heron defense allowed only three goals all season which is tied for the second fewest in Division III history. Zitoli notched her first collegiate point, assisting on a second half, insurance goal in a 4-0 triumph over Williams in the NCAA quarterfinals.

As a junior, Zitoli garnered All-Liberty League second team honors. That year she notched her first two collegiate goals, the second of which was a game-winning goal in the 78th minute against RIT.

On top of her athletic success, Zitoli was a three-time Liberty League All-Academic Team selection. The history major was the fourth Heron to be named to the NSCAA Scholar All-American first team.

Zitoli earned a bachelor’s degree in history from William Smith and earned a master’s in education from Bridgewater State University.

Since 2016, Zitoli has worked for the Millis Public Schools. In addition to her full-time work as the Bridge Program counselor, she is also the head coach of the Millis girls varsity soccer team.