The NJCAA is running a 2024-25 school year featured series on some of the organization's biggest sports storylines.
TAMPA, Fla. – Every professional athlete once had the same goal: to compete at the highest level in their sport. While this common goal is widely shared, athletes who accomplish this feat all took different paths to achieve it.
The United Soccer League (USL) launched a brand-new, Division I women's professional soccer league this year, called the USL Super League. It runs on the international soccer calendar, similar to that of an academic year. The inaugural match took place on August 17, 2024 in front of a sold out crowd in Charlotte, North Carolina. In its inaugural season, the USL Super League has eight clubs spread across the country. Four of those teams feature NJCAA alumni living out their dreams of playing the highest level of soccer in the world.
Jennifer Cudjoe, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, 2013-2015
The first soccer player to ever be inducted into the Northeastern Oklahoma A&M (NEO) Hall of Fame, Jennifer Cudjoe, has traveled the world playing professional soccer. Her most recent venture landed her in Washington D.C., where she currently plays for DC Power Football Club. Cudjoe is originally from Takoradi, Ghana, and she represented Ghana at the U17 and U20 FIFA Women's World Cups. In 2023, Cudjoe received her first call-up to the Ghanian Senior National Team for the 2024 CAF Women's Olympic Qualifiers. Since then, Cudjoe was named the Deputy Team Captain for Ghana.
Cudjoe began her time in the United States playing for the Lady Norse in the 2013 and 2014 seasons. She scored 23 goals in 22 appearances across both seasons and was recognized on the NJCAA All-Region Team both years. Cudjoe was named the 2014 NJCAA Region II Soccer Player of the Year as she led NEO to the regional championship. Her success at the collegiate level and at the U20 World Cup earned Cudjoe the honor of Sports Writers Association of Ghana Female Athlete of the Year, presented in 2015.
After her stellar performance at NEO, Cudjoe finished her college career at Northeastern State University and University of Maine at Fort Kent. Cudjoe signed her first professional contract with NJ/NY Gotham FC (formerly Sky Blue FC) in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She remained there for three years before transferring to FC Nordsjælland, playing in the Danish premier division.
The USL Super League brought Cudjoe back to the United States for a new opportunity. Cudjoe plays a consistent role for Power FC and assisted one of the team's two goals in DC Power FC's first home win in club history on October 25, 2024.
Wasila Diwura-Soale, Navarro, 2017-2019
Wasila Diwura-Soale has etched her name in the history books at numerous stops in her playing career. A native of Accra, Ghana, Diwura-Soale won Bronze at the 2012 U17 FIFA World Cup. She also represented Ghana at the 2014 and 2016 U20 FIFA World Cups. She accomplished all of this before stepping foot on the pitch at Navarro College, where she excelled in the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
Diwura-Soale became only the third player in Navarro program history to be a two-time First-Team NJCAA Soccer All-American. Across her two seasons with the Bulldogs, Diwura-Soale tallied 30 goals and 28 assists. Nine of her goals were game winners. Diwura-Soale helped Navarro to the NJCAA Quarterfinals in 2018. After shining at the two-year college level, Diwura-Soale transferred to Lamar University in 2019, but she suffered a season-ending injury after four appearances. Diwura-Soale then took her talents to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she earned All-SEC and NCAA All-Region honors with Louisiana State University.
While she was at LSU, Diwura-Soale received a senior national team call-up for the 2021 Aisha Buhari Invitational. She then went on to compete in the USL W League following college, searching for an opportunity to play professionally. The USL has been on a mission to expand the pathway for soccer players to reach the professional level, aided immensely by the start of the USL Super League. Diwura-Soale currently competes with Tampa Bay Sun FC and has competed in all but three of their matches so far this season.
Luana Grabias, Monroe College, 2019-2022
On the rise in 2019 with the Brazil U20 Women's National Team, Luana Grabias began her soccer journey in the United States at Monroe College. She made an instant impact, helping the Mustangs to the 2019 NJCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship national title match where she scored Monroe's lone goal in the Mustangs' loss to Tyler. Battling through the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on college athletics, Grabias played her second season for Monroe in 2021 where she again guided the Mustangs to the 2021 NJCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship. In 28 games across both seasons, Grabias totaled 26 goals and 13 assists.
After her time at Monroe, Grabias transferred to Nova Southeastern University where she earned numerous accolades and led the Sharks in goals, assists, and points in 2023. Immediately after her senior year, Grabias joined the USL Super League for her rookie season.
Currently playing for Brooklyn FC, Grabias has appeared in every match so far this season and has four goals and one assist. Her first professional goal came on October 31, 2024, as the game-winner against Spokane Zephyr FC. She then scored the first hat-trick in Brooklyn FC history against DC Power FC on November 13, 2024.
Makenna Gottschalk, Daytona State, 2018-2020
Goalkeeper Makenna Gottschalk made a name for herself on the NJCAA stage while playing for Daytona State during the 2018 and 2019 seasons. She recorded 110 saves in 21 games, posting a 78.6% save percentage. Her performance led to a transfer to New Mexico State University where she helped the Aggies win the program's first WAC title and punch a ticket to the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
After her senior year, Gottschalk signed a professional contract with SCU Torreense in Portugal for the 2023/24 season. As the only professional soccer league in the United States on the international calendar, the USL Super League was the perfect landing spot for Gottschalk next. She signed with Fort Lauderdale United FC, taking her back to the state where she began her college career. Gottschalk currently holds an 80% save percentage in the league and contributed to the first clean sheet in Fort Lauderdale United history.