Honesty in a person is a very important characteristic. Having honest players on a soccer team, players who day in and day out put forth the effort to succeed, is crucial.

These are the kinds of players that men’s soccer coach Eric Luzzi looks for on his team, and freshman Charlie Oliver has fit right in.

“He’s just such on honest kid,” Luzzi said. “He just goes about his business. He puts his head down and goes to work.”

Oliver, a native of Crystal Lake, is the only freshman who has started all four games of the season. He has solidified the right back position and has made it his own, though it wasn’t easy.

“It’s definitely a challenge to begin with,” Oliver said. “Everybody was competing for the spot and everyone who came here deserves this spot. It really means a lot to me, that I am working my way into the starting level. It’s what I’ve worked up to in my whole life.”

Oliver and fellow freshman Gabe Christianson have had a little more time to adjust to life here at NIU, as they both graduated high school early.

“He graduated high school in December, so he actually came here last spring,” Luzzi said. “He and Gabe both did that, so he had a little bit of a head start from the stand point of him practicing with us all spring so he was able to get used to the pace.”

Seemingly always in the correct position in the game, Oliver credits his speed more than anything.

“I think my speed and my ability to get up and down the field definitely helps out,” Oliver said. “I can get out into the attack, but when I need to drop right away I can do that quickly.”

Luzzi is another who has been impressed with Oliver’s speed.

“He has an engine that doesn’t quit,” Luzzi said. “He covers more ground in a game at a sprint pace than anyone else on the field.”

Off to a shaky start this season, the Huskies’s defense has seemingly caught their stride, only allowing one goal in the last two games.

But they will need Oliver’s reliability, as they are still looking for their first win.