Senior Olivia Thornton, a defender on the girls soccer team, announced her commitment to Gordon College on Oct. 11.
Gordon College is a private Christian college in Wenham, MA, with 1,610 students. The soccer team is a Division III program which plays in the Conference of New England. At the conclusion of their 2023 season the Gordon College Soccer team was ranked fourth in their conference and finished with a record of 10-5-4.
Thornton said, “My faith is super important to me and the fact that they provide that for me at Gordon is really special. The environment amongst the team was unlike anything I have ever seen before and is a huge factor in its appeal.”
Thornton has been a vital team member for the No. 11 ranked Blue Devils this season. On top of her contributions to Westfield Soccer, Thornton plays with her club team Union County Football Club throughout the year.
As a player, Thornton is a starter for the Blue Devils in the backline switching between outside back and center back on a game-to-game basis. On the field, she is a smart and calm presence as she can distribute the ball in a precise manner. Teammate Lauren Furey said, “In games she can always find the forward or the midfielders with long balls.”
Thornton has been a part of Westfield’s varsity team since her junior year and since then has made an immense impact on the team environment. Furey said, “She’s always doing whatever she can to help everybody else on the team. She is such a warm presence on the team and has such a positive impact on our team.”
Thornton has been playing soccer since she was a little girl and said, “I really could not imagine ending my soccer career now, so the decision to continue playing was quite easy.”
Before continuing her athletic career at Gordon College, Thornton will continue to help Westfield in the playoffs, closing out her final year as a Blue Devil.
Thornton said, “I am really excited to start a new chapter with the girls at Gordon and playing soccer at a place I love.”
