Concordia’s Oliver To Try Out For African U23 Team

If the junior defenseman makes the cut, he'll compete for the U23 National Cup starting July 3rd

MOORHEAD, MINN (KVRR) – Nigaba Oliver has known the game of soccer his whole life. The rising senior at Concordia watched his uncle play in Africa when he was young. After moving to West Fargo as a child, he took up the game.

“My love for soccer just grew and it led me here and I enjoy playing the sport,” Oliver said.

Oli, as his teammates call him, suited up for the Packers through 2017 before spending a year with a club team. A team that former Cobber men’s coach Ben Schneweis was at the front of. And he saw something in the defenseman.

“We coach our guys to not tackle,” Schneweis said. “Oli was the exception to the rule. We had to explain that to other players but certainly would just let him do his thing because he was so good at it.”

Schneweis later recruited him to play for the Cobbers. Fast forward to now, Oliver just wrapped up his junior season on the team having played five games. It might not not seem like many, but soon he just might have more out in front of him. The rising senior got an invite to try out for the Burundi National U23 team, which he said his family’s history of living in the country made him eligible for.

“It was something that I wanted to do as a kid,” Oliver said. “Every person that plays this sport wants to play for their country…now, it’s like a dream come true.”

If he makes the cut, he’ll compete in the U23 national cup starting in just over two weeks. But he’s got something driving him that many his age don’t. The 22 year-old isn’t just doing this for his love of the game, but to show his 10-month old daughter that the sky’s the limit.

“I want to show my child that you can become anything you want in the future if you really put in the work and that’s like my motto,” Oliver said. “That’s what is motivating me to do all this.”

“I’m not surprised at how good he is at all of that and I’m just really fortunate to have coached him,” Schneweis said. “I hope I’ve made him better as a player but I know he’s contributed really positively to my life personally and professionally and certainly made me a better coach, too.”

Oliver leaves for Africa on Friday to start training. He also said it is his goal to one day go pro but for now he will return to Concordia in the fall for one more go-around.