Olivia Smith '23 Recruiting Profile

I was adopted from South Korea at 6 and ½ months old, and my parents love to tell the story of how, for my first 3 days in the US, I didn’t stop crying until they put me in a swimming pool. I loved the water, and I still do. I'm happiest in the water, whether it is playing water polo, surfing, or simply just floating in the pool. That being said, surfing and floating in a pool would be considered “loner sports” but I would like to think that I am a people person. I love the dynamics of being on a team. Being a lifeguard, and a part of a water polo team has taught me that I would rather work with others than by myself.  I'm a very competitive person and being on a team pushes me to become a better player and to be a better person in and out of the pool. Growing up in Brooklyn NY I discovered that there are not many opportunities to play girls' water polo, so in order to play with a girl's team, I travel to Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and regularly to Connecticut to practice and play. It is my dream to play high-level polo in college!