Emily Zurrer

Zurrer attended the University of Illinois and ended her collegiate career as one of the most decorated players in Illinois history. She was the first three-time All-American in program history and earned first-team All-Big Ten honours three years in a row. Additionally, Zurrer was named Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Year during her sophomore campaign.[2]

During her tenure on the back line, Illinois produced 42 shutouts and gave up the second-fewest goals in program history in 2008, allowing just 19.[2]

Coach Janet Rayfield said of Zurrer, "Emily keeps everything in perspective and weathers the ups and downs of life and of athletics with an amazing positive demeanor and a constant smile. She has lofty goals and goes after them with intent and purpose. She is in simple words – a positive life force."[3]

During her time at the University of Illinois, Zurrer was also very active off the field, taking a lead role in Illinois' Hometown Heroes program, which includes visits to local elementary schools and seniors' centres, in addition to involvement with Read Across America, Carle Pediatrics, Relay for Life, Yankee Ridge After School Program, Crisis Nursery Holiday Shop and Big Brothers Big Sisters.[2]

Zurrer was awarded the Big Ten Medal of Honor[4] her senior year in 2009. Awarded to one male and one female student-athlete from the graduating class of each member university who had "attained the greatest proficiency in athletics and scholastic work."

Zurrer played for the Vancouver Whitecaps off and on for multiple seasons starting in 2004, in between Canadian national team duty and attending university. Her most recent stint was during the 2010 season.[5] She made seven appearances and scored one goal.[6]

Played for the Red Eleven in 2009, starting all appearances and scoring 3 goals.

During the 2009–10 season, Zurrer played for SG Essen-Schönebeck in Germany's Bundesliga. She started in all nine games in which she played.[7]

With Seattle Reign in 2013

In July 2011, she signed a three-month contract with Swedish side Dalsjöfors GoIF.[8] Zurrer started in all ten games that she played.[7]

On January 11, 2013, as part of the NWSL Player Allocation, Zurrer joined the Seattle Reign FC in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).[9][10] She played in seven games for the Reign, tallying 583 minutes.[7]

In December 2013, Zurrer signed with Jitex BK for the 2014 Damallsvenskan. She captained the team.[11]

Zurrer has played for the Canadian national women's team, most notably at the 2004 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship, FIFA Women's World Cup 2011, the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, and the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. She started playing for Canada at age 15 as a forward, and burst onto Canadian soccer radar when she scored 3 goals as a defender and was named MVP of the U-19 World Cup Qualifying tournament in 2004 at age 16. She has played defence ever since. She also received her first senior national team cap that year, when she played 90 minutes against the United States in Nashville, Tennessee, as one of the youngest capped players in Canadian soccer history.

As a member of the Canadian team at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, Zurrer started every game in the defensive backfield.[12]

Zurrer scored her first senior goal for Canada in the 2011 Cyprus Cup group stage match against Scotland in a 1–0 victory. Less than a week later, Zurrer scored the winning goal in extra time of the Cyprus Cup final against the Netherlands.[13]

Zurrer was also a member of the national soccer team that competed in the 2012 Olympics. She won a bronze medal with the national team when Canada defeated France 1–0 on August 9, 2012.[14][15][16]