By Marissa Essenburg | Sports Writer
Eighteen months ago, Olivia Hess was walking the halls of Prosper High School, fresh off a Texas state title and MVP performance that stamped her name among the nation’s best.
Twenty months ago, she was signing her National Letter of Intent and dreaming about what college soccer might look like.
Just one year after her last first day of high school, Hess laced up for Baylor and scored her first collegiate goal, marking the first of what would become a string of memorable moments. It was the perfect preview of the freshman phenom.
“Keep an eye on her,” head coach Michelle Lenard said after Hess’ breakout performance against Mississippi State on Aug. 28. “She’s adapting to the speed and physicality of things, but I believe she can do that every game. She’s that good.”
For Hess, soccer started as just another weekend activity in a busy house of five kids. Her parents signed her and her twin brother up in hopes of keeping them busy. But while the rest eventually moved on, Hess never did.
“I loved it, every part of it,” Hess said. “I wanted to play every second of every day, and my parents made sure I had extra training so I could better myself. I just fell in love with the game.”
That love turned into a drive. It carried her through a decorated high school career, where she became the state’s most dominant midfielder.
By the time she graduated, Hess had been named TASCO All-State Midfielder, District 5-6A and Region 1 Midfielder of the Year and State Championship MVP. She’d been one of just two freshmen to make Prosper’s varsity roster during the 2021-22 season, earning Second Team All-District honors before jumping to First Team All-District as a sophomore.
In three years, she led the Eagles to a 62-6-9 record and helped turn Prosper into a powerhouse.
With offers on the table from multiple top-25 teams, Hess chose Baylor for more than just soccer. She chose it because it felt like home — and because she saw a future she wanted to build.
“I knew what Baylor had was special, and I knew coming here that my life would change and that I could make an impact,” Hess said. “Michelle is an awesome coach, and the way she connects with all of us and interacts with me makes me feel good in that jersey and with who I’m representing.”
Just weeks after winning a Texas state title, Hess made her way to Waco in the spring of 2024, eager to learn and grow under Lenard and assistant coach Cole Ouren. That early arrival gave her a head start — but also a reality check on what college soccer demanded.
“Coming in the spring, I didn’t know what to expect,” Hess said. “I was kind of just like, ‘I’m at Baylor and I’m so grateful for this opportunity, but how am I going to be at that standard of the college level, and how am I still going to maintain Olivia and who I am?’
“With help from Michelle and Cole, by the time fall came around, my confidence changed,” Hess continued. “I knew what was expected of me and what I had to do to reach those standards and exceed them. I think I changed — not just on the field, but off the field too.”
That confidence and belief have defined Hess’s freshman campaign. One of four freshmen on Baylor’s roster, she’s already earned national recognition as TopDrawer Soccer’s midseason No. 5 freshman in the country heading into postseason play.
“The Bears have caught the nation by surprise this season, and one of the leaders has been Hess, a freshman midfielder whose 911 minutes are sixth on the team,” TopDrawer’s ranking reads. “Add the couple of goals and stellar box-to-box play she has provided, and the Texas native has undoubtedly been among the best freshmen in the country.”
For Hess, the recognition was as surprising as it was meaningful.
“I didn’t know people actually knew me, so it was awesome to see that people are seeing my successes and acknowledging me and Baylor,” Hess said.
Now a fixture in Baylor’s veteran-heavy starting lineup, Hess is the lone underclassman. She’s surrounded by six seniors and four juniors, all players she’s learned from and leaned on and will soon have to say goodbye to.
“It’s hard to think about, but in reality, we’re going to have people leaving and new people coming in,” Hess said. “For me, I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing and working hard, step up and be a leader when I need to.”
One of those players is senior Tyler Isgrig, Hess’s partner in the midfield and locker buddy. They’ve grown close on and off the field.
“I love playing with Liv in the midfield,” Isgrig said. “We have great chemistry and play the same style. She’s just really great.”
As her freshman season comes to a close and Baylor heads into the postseason, Hess finds herself back where she’s always thrived: on a big stage. But for her, the real victory goes beyond the field.
“Outside of soccer, it’s just awesome to know that you have a group of girls who love you for who you are and know what you contribute,” Hess said. “That’s something I love so much about this team, because soccer will come to an end someday for all of us, but building those lifelong relationships is what’s important.”
Hess and the Bears will hit the road for the Big 12 tournament semifinal match Wednesday against BYU. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Garvey-Rosenthal Soccer Stadium in Fort Worth.
