Q & A with Diego Restrepo

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Senior goalkeeper and preseason All-America selection Diego Restrepo (West Palm Beach, Fla.) recently checked in with VirginiaSports.com to preview the team’s match vs. No. 2 North Carolina on Friday night. The third-ranked Cavaliers and Tar Heels square off at 7 p.m. at Klöckner Stadium.

Question: After shutting out Longwood, you are currently on a streak of three consecutive shutouts. In the 2009 season you strung together 11 matches in a row without giving up a goal. Are you feeling another streak coming on?
Restrepo: I’m not thinking about that right now. I just want to focus on UNC and winning. This year I don’t care about streaks or records – I just want to win. I don’t care if it’s 6-5, 10-9. I just want to win.

Question: You mentioned looking ahead to the North Carolina game. How are you feeling going into that matchup?
Restrepo: It’s going to be a great game. We are playing at home, and hopefully we will have a good crowd. UNC is one of the best teams we are going to face so I’m excited. Everyone’s excited. It should be fun.

Question: Describe your leadership style.
Restrepo: I try to be vocal but I try to communicate more with my actions rather than my words. I like to train a lot. [While] some of the starters are doing treatment massages I like to be with the reserve team and train with them and help them out. I like to train and I think that’s an example I am giving to the young guys. It doesn’t matter if I play tonight. The next day I’m going to be there working.

Question: Who is your favorite student-athlete at UVa?
Restrepo: That would be my roommate Felipe Libreros. He’s interesting to live with. He has a puppy that is very feminine – a little maltie-poo. It’s not a very manly dog and we get a lot of comments when we walk it.

Question: Do you have any nicknames?
Restrepo: On the team they call me ‘Papo.’ That’s what they call me.

Question: If you could be on any reality TV show, what would it be?
Restrepo: The Jersey Shore – it’s funny.

Question: Rumor has it you’re quite the chef – is there any truth to that?
Restrepo: I like to cook pasta, chicken, nothing crazy. I like to go online and look and see what I have in my fridge and just cook… I actually do a Peruvian dish. My favorite dish is called Lomo Saltado. It’s steak, potatoes and rice mixed with onions and tomatoes. It’s really good.

Question: Have you always played goalkeeper?
Restrepo: No, I started playing goalie when I was about 14. I was a field player but I got too slow so they put me in goal.