D1 Women: Why taking a chance on Penn State has paid off for Olivia Borgen

Sophomore midfielder Olivia Borgen is enjoying her time at Penn State. (Penn State Athletics)

Olivia Borgen (Hanson, Mass.) took a bit of a leap of faith when she committed to play soccer at Penn State University, without ever stepping foot on campus during her junior year at Whitman-Hanson High School (Mass.).

She had plenty of other big-time choices between Clemson, Michigan and Boston College -- all of which she did visit through a recruiting process under the constraints of the coronavirus health crisis. But she said when it came to making a final decision, she was convinced that this place she had never seen in person was the right place for her.

"Once I got on the calls with the Penn State coaches I just knew it was the right fit," she told New England Soccer Journal. "The coaches just basically sold it for me there."