To play goalkeeper, one must embrace a role unlike any other on the field. Standing alone at the back, a goalie’s job requires nonstop communication, intense focus and a distinct presence.
For William and Mary senior goalkeeper Diego Garciarena, there is also an important characteristic that sets goalkeepers apart.
“Goalkeepers have to be a little bit crazier than the rest of the players, and I think I have that in me,” he said.
Garciarena knows a knack for reading the game and anticipating plays must accompany this personality.
“As a leader, you are the one that sees everything from the back; you give orders to your center backs, your midfielders, your strikers,” Garciarena said.
Wearing the No. 1 jersey, Garciarena has emerged as an anchor for the Tribe’s defense this season. He recently earned Coastal Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Week honors after securing a 2-0 shutout victory against Charleston (4-1-2, 1-1-1 CAA) and recorded 31 saves across seven matches.
Despite his recent success, Garciarena’s route to Williamsburg was anything but linear, taking him through three colleges and two countries.
Growing up in Asunción, Paraguay, sports were woven into daily life from the start.
“My dad is an athletic trainer, and since I was born, he’s been working for one of the biggest clubs in Paraguay,” he said. “I grew up going to the stadium, going to training, just going after him, and I fell in love with the sport instantly.”
While Garciarena is grateful for his upbringing in Asunción, he said life back home runs at a completely different speed than the United States college lifestyle.
“Every time I go there, it feels like I’m in another world,” Garciarena said. “Everything is five times slower. Not everything is as efficient as you can see in the [U.S.], but sometimes, it is nice to go back to relax and disconnect from everything.”
While Garciarena began playing organized soccer for a neighborhood club around age 10, he started out as a striker. The shift to goalkeeper came when he tried the position and realized his long kicks gave him a unique advantage.
“I tried goalkeeper once, and I was scoring full fields because I was kicking the ball hard,” Garciarena said. “I fell in love with the position since.”
By age 19, Garciarena worked his way to the third-choice goalkeeper in Paraguay’s first division, but the starting keepers across the league were established veterans with 15 years of experience over him. Seeing a close friend find success playing college soccer in the U.S., he decided to make the move — not just for soccer, but for himself.
“I felt that I was not moving forward at that point,” Garciarena said. “I was trying to take that next step and that next adventure in my life.”
Garciarena’s U.S. journey began at South Florida (1-6-1, 0-1-1 AAC), where he adjusted to living away from family and adapting to the physical demands of being a Division I athlete. Across two seasons in Tampa, Florida, Garciarena made zero appearances for the Bulls.
Looking for more playing time, he transferred to St. Francis (0-4, 0-2 PAC) in Pennsylvania, a transition from a school with 50,000 students to one with 2,000.
Although St. Francis was entering its final year in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I competition, the coaches there trusted Garciarena despite his inexperience. Placed on a squad with 27 new players, he quickly stepped into a key leadership role.
When he entered the transfer portal for the second time, William and Mary assistant coach Tyler Doll reached out within two hours.
The Tribe coaching staff eased Garciarena’s fears and offered him a clear academic path to ensure he graduated within his remaining eligibility window.
“Coach Tyler did a great job with recruiting,” Garciarena said. “He stayed on top of everything from the first call that we had to the day I committed.”
Garciarena mentioned the 2016 Leicester City Premier League title run victory as an underdog story from which he draws great inspiration.
That mindset has carried into his senior season with the Tribe. After battling through a difficult nonconference schedule, Garciarena said he and the team feel momentum shifting. The Tribe currently sits at 3-3-1,1-1-1 CAA and has already surpassed its win total from last season.
“Winning that award and getting that shutout against College of Charleston definitely gave me that boost of confidence again,” Garciarena said. “I think I’m in the right place, and the people around here just make me feel like I grew up here from day one.”
