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Emina Ekic

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Emina Ekić
Ekic with Racing Louisville FC in 2023
Personal information
Full name Emina Ekić[1]
Date of birth (1999-06-06) 6 June 1999 (age 25)
Place of birth Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Height 1.63 m (5 ft 4 in)
Position(s) Midfielder, Forward
Team information
Current team
 Spokane Zephyr FC
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2020 Louisville Cardinals 66 (29)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021–2023 Racing Louisville 35 (3)
2022–2023 → Melbourne City (loan) 6 (4)
2023–2024 Melbourne City 21 (8)
2024– Spokane Zephyr FC 5 (1)
International career‡
2019 United States U23 1 (0)
2023– Bosnia and Herzegovina 12 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 29 Sept 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 25 Aug 2024

Emina Ekić (born 6 June 1999) is a Bosnian-American professional women's footballer who plays as a midfielder for Spokane Zephyr FC of the USL Super League, and for the Bosnia and Herzegovina women's national football team.

Early life

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Ekić was born in Louisville, Kentucky to parents who were both born in Bosnia and Herzegovina.[2] Ekić attended DuPont Manual High School, where she was named the 2015–16 Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year.[3] Ekić also played for Javanon SC.[4]

Louisville Cardinals

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As a freshman in 2017, Ekić played in all 18 games for Louisville, starting 17 of them, and scored a team-high seven goals. She was named ACC Co-Freshman of the Year, as well as being selected to the All-ACC second team and ACC All-Freshman team.[4]

In 2018, Ekić started all 18 games for the Cardinals, and earned first team All-ACC team honors.[5]

In her junior season, Ekić started all 20 games. She scored 8 goals, including a game-winner vs. Vanderbilt on September 15.

In the 2020 fall season, Ekić started all nine games of the shortened ACC season. Ekić scored seven goals and was named ACC Offensive Player of the Year.[6]

Club career

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Racing Louisville, 2021–2022

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Ekić declared for the 2021 NWSL Draft on 17 December 2020.[7] She was drafted fifth overall by hometown expansion team Racing Louisville FC.[8][9] Ekić signed a one-year contract with an option for an additional year.[10]

She made her debut for Racing Louisville in their first match of the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup.[11] She scored Racing's first NWSL regular-season goal with a left-footed shot into the upper corner of the goal in a 2–0 win over the Washington Spirit, the club's first victory. Ekić finished her rookie season with 15 appearances, including three starts.[12]

Melbourne City (loan), 2022–2023

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In November 2022, Racing exercised its option on Ekić's contract[10] and loaned her to Australian club Melbourne City until mid-February 2023.[13] While on loan, Ekić suffered a broken ankle and missed the first weeks of the 2023 Racing Louisville season.[14]

Return to Louisville and Melbourne City signing, 2023

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In November 2023, Racing waived Ekic's contract two months early allowing her to return to Melbourne City.[15] She signed a two-year contract with the Australian club.[16] In June 2024, she left the club, exercising a clause in her contract to allow her to explore opportunities outside Australia.[17]

Spokane Zephyr, 2024–

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On 17 July 2024, Erić signed with Spokane Zephyr FC for the inaugural season of the USL Super League.[18] She scored her first goal for the club in the 17th minute from a penalty kick. Her first goal was also the first goal in club history.[19]

International career

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Ekić played with the United States women's national under-23 soccer team at the Thorns Spring Invitational tournament in 2019.[20]

In July 2023, the Bosnia and Herzegovina women's national football team called Ekić up to its senior team for friendly matches against Greece and Hungary.[14][2]

Career statistics

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College

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Team Season Regular season ACC Tournament NCAA Tournament Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Louisville Cardinals 2017 ACC 18 7 – – 18 7
2018 17 6 1 0 1 1 19 7
2019 17 8 1 0 2 0 20 8
2020 8 6 1 1 – 9 7
Total 60 27 3 1 3 1 66 29

Club

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As of September 29, 2024
Club[21] Season League NWSL Challenge Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Racing Louisville FC 2021 NWSL 15 1 4 0 19 1
2022 19 2 6 1 25 3
Melbourne City FC (loan) 2022–23 A-League 6 4 – 6 4
Racing Louisville FC 2023 NWSL 4 0 3 0 7 0
Melbourne City FC 2023–24 A-League 21 8 – 21 8
Spokane Zephyr FC 2024–25 USL Super League 5 1 – 5 1
Career total 70 16 13 1 83 17

References

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  1. ^ Emina Ekić at Soccerway
  2. ^ a b Arjona, Helena (6 July 2023). "Racing Louisville FC player gets national call-up for Bosnian and Herzegovina team". WLKY. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  3. ^ Grossman, Jack. "Emina Ekic wins Gatorade Player of the Year award". Manual RedEye. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Emina Ekic – Women's Soccer". University of Louisville Athletics. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  5. ^ "2018–19 Year in Review". University of Louisville Athletics. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  6. ^ "2020 All-ACC Women's Soccer Awards Announced". theacc.com. 13 November 2020. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  7. ^ "Emina Ekic to Declare for 2021 NWSL Draft". University of Louisville Athletics. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  8. ^ Yang, Stephanie (13 January 2021). "All the picks from the 2021 NWSL College Draft". All For XI. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  9. ^ Hamlin, Steve (10 April 2021). "Class of 2021: Emina Ekic, Racing Louisville FC". NWSL. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  10. ^ a b "Racing announces initial offseason roster moves" (Press release). Racing Louisville FC. 15 November 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  11. ^ "Racing Louisville (W) vs Orlando Pride (W) lineup in NWSL Challenge Cup East - Round 1 on Saturday, April 10 2021". FotMob. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  12. ^ "Emina Ekic". Racing Louisville FC. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  13. ^ "City signs American attacker Emina Ekic on loan" (Press release). Melbourne City. 8 November 2022.
  14. ^ a b "Ekic Called up by Bosnia and Herzegovina for International Friendlies". OurSportsCentral (Press release). Racing Louisville FC. 6 July 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  15. ^ "Ekic departs Racing, signs with Australian club". Racing Louisville. 9 November 2023.
  16. ^ "Emina Ekic re-joins City on two-year deal". Melbourne City. 10 November 2023.
  17. ^ "Four Premiers Plate winners depart Melbourne City". Melbourne City. 27 June 2024.
  18. ^ USL Spokane (17 July 2024). "Zephyr FC Adds Rising Star to Loaded 2024 Roster". Spokane Zephyr FC. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  19. ^ "Match Center - Spokane Zephyr FC vs Fort Lauderdale United FC". USL Super League. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  20. ^ Bernstein, Dan (15 March 2021). "USWNT U23 forward Ekic gets psychological push from Racing Louisville staff ahead of pivotal 2021". Goal. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  21. ^ "Bosnia and Herzegovina - E. Ekić - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". us.soccerway.com. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
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