Michael Penix Jr.’s wife is Olivia Carter, a former University of Nevada women’s soccer player who graduated with a degree in biology in 2022. The couple announced their engagement in December 2024 and married on May 2, 2026. On October 5, 2026, they announced that they are expecting their first child in spring 2027.
Michael Penix Jr.’s wife, Olivia Carter, has an athletic background of her own. Before becoming known to NFL fans as the partner of the Atlanta Falcons quarterback, Carter played college soccer at the University of Nevada, Reno, and competed in track and field during high school. She graduated with a degree in biology in 2022.
The couple’s relationship reached two major milestones in 2026. They married on May 2, following their engagement in December 2024, and announced on October 5 that they are expecting their first child in spring 2027. The news added a new chapter to their relationship, which became publicly visible while Penix was completing his college football career and preparing for the NFL.
Carter has generally kept a lower public profile than her husband, but her education, sporting achievements and family background offer a clearer picture of her life beyond football.
Who Is Olivia Carter, Michael Penix Jr.’s Wife?
Olivia Carter, now known publicly as Olivia Penix following her marriage, is a former college soccer player from Kent, Washington. She attended Kent-Meridian High School before receiving a soccer opportunity at the University of Nevada, Reno.
Carter and Penix began appearing together on social media in November 2023. Their relationship subsequently became more public as Penix’s football career advanced from college to the NFL.
Penix was selected by the Atlanta Falcons with the eighth overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Carter was with him during important moments around that transition, including the draft celebration and his later promotion to Atlanta’s starting quarterback.
The couple announced their engagement on December 29, 2024, sharing photographs of the proposal on social media. They married on May 2, 2026, and announced their first pregnancy in October of the same year.
Key Facts About Olivia Carter
- Full name: Olivia Carter Penix, commonly known before marriage as Olivia Carter
- Hometown: Kent, Washington
- Education: University of Nevada, Reno
- Degree: Biology
- Sport: College soccer; also competed in high-school track and field
- Husband: Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons quarterback
- Marriage: May 2, 2026
- First baby: Expected in spring 2027, according to the couple’s announcement
Olivia Carter’s Education: University of Nevada, Reno
Carter attended the University of Nevada, Reno, where she studied biology and played for the university’s women’s soccer team, the Nevada Wolf Pack.
The university’s official athletic roster documents her playing career from 2018 through the 2021 season. She was listed as a forward and also played in defensive roles during her college career.
Carter had initially committed to Portland State University, but she ultimately accepted a soccer scholarship at Nevada. In a 2018 interview with the Kent Reporter, she spoke positively about the coaching staff, campus and the opportunity to develop as a student-athlete.
She graduated in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in biology. Her academic background is a notable part of her story because her interests extended beyond sports.
Did Olivia Carter Want to Become a Doctor?
Yes, earlier reporting described Carter’s interest in a medical career. During high school, she said she hoped to study medicine and potentially become an anesthesiologist.
After graduating from Nevada, she indicated that she planned to spend time traveling and with her family before applying to medical school. That was a reported ambition at the time, rather than confirmation that she later enrolled in medical school or became a practicing medical professional.
As of October 2026, the sources cited here do not establish that Carter is a physician or currently attending medical school. Her biology degree is confirmed; her later professional plans should not be overstated.
Olivia Carter’s Athletic Career Before Meeting Michael Penix Jr.
Carter’s athletic background began well before her relationship with the NFL quarterback became public. She played soccer from a young age and also competed in track and field during high school.
The Kent Reporter profiled Carter in April 2017, describing her as a strong sprinter and a key member of Kent-Meridian High School’s track program. She competed in sprint events and relays while continuing to play soccer.
Her high-school record included four years of soccer and track participation, as well as time playing basketball. She was recognized in soccer and track and served as captain of her soccer team.
Her College Soccer Career
At Nevada, Carter played as a forward and also took on defensive duties. The university’s official 2021 roster says she appeared in 16 games during her senior season and started 11 of them.
Her college career included the following milestones:
- 2018: Played in all 19 matches as a freshman and scored once.
- 2019: Played both forward and defense during the season.
- 2020–21: Continued playing for Nevada during the pandemic-affected college soccer calendar.
- 2021: Appeared in 16 games and started 11 during her senior season.
These records show that Carter was a committed college athlete, not simply someone who came from a sports-minded family. She balanced training, competition and academic work while completing her degree.
Her career was at the college level, and she is not known as a professional soccer player. Her athletic background is best understood through her school and university achievements.
Olivia Carter’s Family: Parents and Siblings
Carter grew up in an athletic family in Washington. Her parents are Christopher and Regina Carter, and she has two brothers, Quincy and Theo.
The University of Nevada’s official player biography identifies her parents and siblings. Earlier reporting from the Kent Reporter also described how sports were an important part of the family’s life.
Her Mother, Regina Carter
Carter has described her mother as a strong track athlete who influenced her own interest in running. In a 2017 interview with the Kent Reporter, she explained that her mother’s sporting background inspired her to pursue track.
That family influence helped shape Carter’s early life in athletics. She participated in both soccer and sprinting, developing speed that served her on the field as well as on the track.
Her Father, Christopher Carter
Her father, Christopher Carter, played basketball and supported her sporting activities. Carter told the Kent Reporter that her parents attended her track meets regularly.
Their involvement provided encouragement while she competed at high school and made decisions about college.
Her Brothers, Quincy and Theo Carter
Carter has an older brother, Quincy, and a younger brother, Theo. Quincy also pursued sports and played football at Central Washington University, according to the University of Nevada’s biography and local reporting.
The family’s shared interest in athletics helps explain why sports were such a familiar part of Carter’s upbringing. However, it would be misleading to suggest that every member of the family pursued a professional sporting career.
How Did Olivia Carter and Michael Penix Jr. Meet?
The exact circumstances of how Carter and Penix met have not been clearly established in reliable public reporting. Their relationship became visible on social media in November 2023, when Carter shared a photograph with Penix at a University of Washington football game.
Penix responded to her post, and the pair continued to share moments from their relationship. They later posted photographs from trips, including visits to Jamaica and Hawaii.
Their public relationship coincided with an important period in Penix’s football career. He had starred for the Washington Huskies and helped lead the team to the College Football Playoff National Championship game following the 2023 season.
In April 2024, the Falcons selected him eighth overall in the NFL Draft. Carter was among the people with him as he received the news and celebrated the milestone.
Carter Was With Penix When He Became Atlanta’s Starting Quarterback
In December 2024, Penix revealed at a press conference that he was shopping with Carter at Costco when he received the call informing him that he would become Atlanta’s starting quarterback for the remainder of the season.
The story offered a glimpse into their life outside football. One of the biggest moments of Penix’s early NFL career arrived during an ordinary shopping trip, with Carter beside him.
The couple’s engagement followed later that month. On December 29, 2024, they shared images from the proposal, marking the next step in their relationship.
Olivia Carter and Michael Penix Jr.’s Marriage
Carter and Penix married on May 2, 2026, according to People, which reported the date in its October coverage of their pregnancy announcement.
Their wedding followed the engagement they announced in December 2024. The couple did not make every detail of their relationship public, but their social media posts documented several milestones.
Their marriage came during Penix’s professional career with the Falcons, where he had moved from being a first-round draft selection to the team’s starting quarterback in his rookie season.
For Carter, the marriage also marked a change in how she is identified in public coverage. She is often referred to as Olivia Penix, although many earlier profiles and university records use Olivia Carter.
Michael Penix Jr. and Olivia Carter Expect Their First Baby
On October 5, 2026, Penix and Carter announced that they are expecting their first child. They shared a joint social media video showing the couple together, Carter’s baby bump and ultrasound images.
The video included a blanket reading “Baby Penix, Spring 2027,” indicating that the baby is expected in spring 2027. The Atlanta Falcons congratulated the couple after the announcement.
The news arrived around five months after their wedding. It marks another major milestone for the couple as they begin preparing for parenthood while Penix continues his NFL career.
The couple has not publicly disclosed further details about the baby, and there is no confirmed information in the cited reports about the child’s sex or name. Those details should not be guessed.
What Has Been Reported About Olivia Carter’s Life Today?
Carter has kept much of her life private, so there is limited verified information about her current employment or daily activities. Her confirmed background includes a biology degree, a college soccer career and a family with strong ties to sports.
Earlier reports said she intended to travel and spend time with family after graduation before considering medical school. That statement reflects her plans at the time and does not establish what she ultimately chose to do.
As Penix’s wife and the couple prepares for their first child, public interest in Carter has grown. Still, her personal and professional life should be described through verifiable facts rather than assumptions based on her husband’s fame.
Why Olivia Carter’s Story Matters Beyond the NFL
Carter’s background provides a reminder that the partners of professional athletes often have their own ambitions and achievements. Before her relationship with Penix attracted NFL attention, she had already competed in high-school track, played college soccer and completed a university degree.
Her story also highlights the balancing act involved in college athletics. Student-athletes must manage training, travel, competition and academic requirements. Carter’s degree in biology and her earlier interest in medicine show that her goals were not limited to sports.
For fans who want to understand the person behind the headlines, those details are more meaningful than unverified claims about her private life. They explain her background without reducing her identity to the role of an NFL player’s wife.
What Happens Next for Olivia Carter and Michael Penix Jr.?
The couple’s most recent confirmed family milestone is their pregnancy announcement. Their first child is expected in spring 2027, according to their public announcement.
Beyond that, the couple has not disclosed a detailed public timeline for their next personal milestones. Carter’s future professional plans are also not fully confirmed in the sources reviewed.
Penix’s NFL career and Carter’s life as a graduate, former college athlete and new wife will continue to attract public interest. The clearest facts remain her athletic and educational background, their May 2026 marriage and their announcement that they are preparing to become parents.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who is Michael Penix Jr.’s wife?
Michael Penix Jr.’s wife is Olivia Carter Penix, formerly known as Olivia Carter. She is a former college soccer player and a 2022 biology graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno.
2. When did Michael Penix Jr. and Olivia Carter get married?
They married on May 2, 2026, following their engagement in December 2024.
3. Is Olivia Carter expecting a baby?
Yes. The couple announced on October 5, 2026, that they are expecting their first child in spring 2027.
4. Where did Olivia Carter go to college?
She attended the University of Nevada, Reno, where she played women’s soccer and earned a bachelor’s degree in biology in 2022.
5. Did Olivia Carter play professional soccer?
There is no verified evidence that Carter played professional soccer. She played college soccer for the Nevada Wolf Pack and competed in soccer and track during high school.
6. What are Olivia Carter’s parents’ names?
Her parents are Christopher and Regina Carter. Both supported her athletic activities during her school years.
7. Does Olivia Carter have siblings?
Yes. She has two brothers, Quincy Carter and Theo Carter. Her older brother Quincy played football at Central Washington University.
8. Does Olivia Carter want to become a doctor?
Earlier reporting said she hoped to pursue medicine and potentially become an anesthesiologist. After college, she planned to spend time with family and travel before applying to medical school. Her current medical-school or professional status has not been confirmed in the sources cited here.
9. When did Michael Penix Jr. and Olivia Carter make their relationship public?
They began sharing photos together on social media in November 2023. The exact date they first met and began dating has not been confirmed publicly.
10. What is Olivia Carter known for besides being Michael Penix Jr.’s wife?
She is known for her background as a college soccer player, high-school track athlete and biology graduate. Her family also has a strong sporting background.
