By: By Joseph Feldman
Olivia Hokanson has shown incredible ability to conquer the opposing team's goalkeeper. She's also shown that same resolve in overcoming injuries that could have derailed her career.
As one of just two Owls in history to surpass 100 career goals, her journey to that significant milestone has not been easy.
After a freshman season in 2014 where she led the team with 43 goals and was named second-team All-ASUN Conference, she entered her sophomore season with lofty expectations.
An ACL injury on the first day of practice abruptly ended the season before it even began.
"It's hard, obviously getting injured like that," Hokanson said. "Your role on the team completely changes. Instead of helping the team on the field, I became their biggest fan."
Grinding through a full season of rehab, watching from the sidelines as her team earned a spot in the ASUN tournament, Olivia was ecstatic to get back on the field with her teammates. Once she was back in the game, it was as if she'd never been away.
She netted 45 goals and once again earned second-team All-ASUN honors.
Totaling 88 goals in two seasons on the field, Hokanson returned to campus this past fall in the best shape of her career. But the injury bug would bite again during fall practice.
"To be honest when I went down I didn't think I had done anything," Hokanson said. "The first time I had gotten hurt I knew that I had torn it, but this time was completely different. To me, there was no chance that it was torn."
Despite it feeling different, Olivia had in fact torn the ACL in her other knee.
"When I eventually got the news, I never thought that my career was over. I knew what to expect for the process and was fully prepared for it."
Following the surgery, she progressed rapidly through her rehab. Hokanson was well on her way to returning in time for the final weekend of this season, and incredibly be able to play on Senior Day.
"Rehab is a process, there are good and bad days," Olivia said. "Especially in the beginning, my knee felt great and I felt as though I could do so much but biologically, my body was not ready. There are days when my knee felt like I had never even gotten surgery and then there were days when it felt like I had gone 10 steps backwards. I had some of the best trainers supporting and pushing me to improve more and more each day which made the whole process easier and for that I am so grateful."
She exceeded the original timeline laid out by a month coming back early last month against Delaware State.
It didn't take long to find the scoring touch.
With the Owls on a breakaway, Hokanson sprinted onto the field.
Connor Zophy hit her with a pass and instinct took over. She beat the goalie, and scored four seconds into her season debut and just six months after tearing her ACL.
"I've been playing lacrosse since I was 5 years old so to be back to playing the sport I love was surreal. I just feel so grateful to be back on the field again and be surrounded by the support system I have."
Two games later, she was crucial in the Owls clawing back from eight goals down on the road against Stetson as she netted seven goals in the contest to force overtime. Her fifth that night was the 100
th of her career.
Hokanson's courageous effort to keep battling back was not lost on her teammates. The ASUN Conference named her an Unsung Hero. Part of the nomination included this anonymous quote from a teammate:
"She works hard every single day to get healthy, do rehab and remain mentally tough as the glue of our team so that she can get back on the field with us. She is truly super women, and any person on our team would tell you so. She is our biggest fan and greatest supporter. Olivia is our unsung hero. We couldn't imagine our team without her."
During last week's Senior Day, the Owls found themselves down by seven goals early, but the seniors were determined to go out on top. The team went on an 11-2 run en route to securing a 13-12 victory over Furman to end the season.
With Hokanson leading the charge, the seniors combined to score 10 of the 13 goals as the Owls overcame the adversity to punctuate the best season in school history with a win.
She scored four herself in a game that really was a microcosm of her career.
She worked hard every day. She did rehab and remained mentally tough. She overcame adversity time and time again. She was the Owls' biggest fan and greatest supporter. She is an unsung hero. She'll leave the Nest as one of the best.
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Fifth Third Bank is the Official Bank of Kennesaw State Athletics. Fifth Third Bank Stadium, the signature athletics landmark on the Kennesaw State University campus, is a world-class facility that has been recognized as one of the premier multi-use outdoor athletics venues in the country. In the fall of 2015, it become the official home of Owls football team and is home to Owls soccer and lacrosse as well.
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