Harvey senior Diane Cortes on Thursday signed to continue her education and soccer career at Heidelberg University in Tiffin, Ohio.
“It’s so exciting,” Cortes said. “It’s honestly a dream come true, getting to play the sport I love and continuing my education. I am beyond blessed.”
The coaching staff at Heidelberg began recruiting Cortes in October.
A campus visit helped Cortes to make her decision.
“My soccer coaches kept telling me about different colleges and Heidelberg stuck out to me the most because of how highly my coach spoke about it,” she said. “The campus was beautiful and the people were so kind and caring.”
Cortes, a two-time first-team All-Chagrin Valley Conference selection, was recruited to play in the midfield.
“I think I would fit into that position because I’m quick and strategic,” she said.
Cortes is believed to be the first Harvey girls’ soccer player to have the chance to play in college.
Regardless, she’s thrilled to be a trailblazer and hopes her younger teammates and future Raiders will be inspired to follow her path.
“It means a lot to me,” she said. “I want to be able to inspire future girls to keep playing even after high school and strive for greatness. Opportunities like this are one in a lifetime; take it while you can.”
Now that her high school career is complete and she has mapped out her future, Cortes can take some time to reflect on her personal growth and development as a player.
“Some things that I will definitely miss are the team itself and the recognition from everyone around me,” she said. “It had a really big impact on me. Everyone always pushed me to be better every day, no matter what and I will forever cherish it.”
