Michigan Women's Soccer Meet the Freshmen: Sura Yekka
8/21/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Aug. 21, 2015
Sura Yekka is a defender from Mississauga, Ontario, and attended Our Lady of Mount Carmel. She played for Brams United SC club team and is also a member of the Canadian Women's National Team, making appearances with the U-17, U-20 and senior national teams throughout her young career.
In 2014, Yekka was named the Canadian U-17 Player of the Year. She competed for Canada in the 2014 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Costa Rica and the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Canada.
Yekka was just 16 years old when she made her debut with the Canadian Women's Senior National Team on Oct. 30, 2013, against South Korea in Edmonton, Alberta. While playing with the Senior National Team, she won the 2015 BaoAn Cup Women's International Football Tournament in Shenzhen, China, and took third place at 2013 Brazil International Tournament.
In addition to soccer, Yekka also excelled in track and field, winning bronze in the 800-meter run at the 2010 U-16 Track and Field National Championships. Track and field runs in the family, as her mother, Evelyn Adiru, still holds the outdoor 800m and 1,500m records at the University of Alabama. Academically, she was an Honor Roll student.
ACCORDING TO COACH RYAN:
"Sura is an internationally experienced player who has many 'caps' with the Canadian National Team. She is an extremely skillful player who can play in the midfield or at the back. I anticipate that Sura will play a significant role in our team this fall."
 | Defender |
On why she chose the University of Michigan ... "The whole atmosphere of the school -- I love the school pride here. I love the feeling of telling people 'I'm going to go to Michigan' and the positive reactions I got from them. Michigan is such a great school all around; academically it's amazing, athletically it's amazing, and bonus it's close to home. Overall the whole package of the school made me want to come here."
On how her Michigan experience has been so far ... "I love it -- it's awesome. I've met a lot of people and everyone is really nice and welcoming. Everything is amazing here."
On how her teammates and coaches have helped her become acclimated to college ... "When I first got here at the end of June, I was pretty much the only one here because I had to do the summer program. My teammates help us freshmen and give us someone to talk to if we had any questions. The rising seniors are very helpful; they helped me with stuff and showed me around and told me where to go for certain things on campus. When I first came the coaches told me I could go talk to them if I had any questions -- they offered to help me with anything I needed. They were always there for me which I really appreciate."
On her strengths on the field ... "As a defender I like to attack a lot so I feel that I bring that extra attacking presence onto the field when most teams wouldn't expect it."
On what she's looking forward to this season ... "I'm excited to see how well we will do this year because Greg (Ryan) keeps saying that we are miles ahead of where we were last year in preseason. I'm excited to see the larger bounds and steps that we take to do well and go towards our goals this year."
On an interesting fact about her that no one knows ... "I love traveling, I've been to every continent in the world except for Antarctica and Australia, and I hope to go to Australia next summer. My favorite place that I have visited is Spain."
Favorite food ... Shawarmas
Favorite band/artist ... Kanye West
Favorite movie ... Casino Royale
Favorite TV show ... Game of Thrones
Favorite thing about U-M ... the people
Favorite thing you did this summer ... went to Los Angeles with my friends as part of a soccer training camp
• Previous Spotlight: Jackie White
