Kaya Durkee, soccer player | Illinois State Redbirds
Kaya Durkee, soccer player | Illinois State Redbirds
Illinois State University sophomore Kaya Durkee has been named the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Defender of the Week for women's soccer. The announcement was made by the MVC league office on September 2, 2025.
Durkee played a key role in Illinois State's recent defensive performances, helping the team secure consecutive shutout victories over Western Illinois and UT Martin. In Thursday’s match against Western Illinois, she recorded her first two collegiate assists during a 5-0 win. This achievement makes Durkee the first Illinois State defender to tally two assists in a single game since Haylee Eastridge.
On Sunday, Durkee contributed to another strong defensive showing as Illinois State earned a 1-0 victory over UT Martin. These results mark the Redbirds’ first back-to-back shutouts under second-year head coach Raleigh DeRose and their first consecutive shutouts since the 2020-21 season.
Alerts Sign-up