West Lafayette, Indiana – Soccer coach at Purdue University Drew Roff announced that Makena Smith has committed to the program and will join the team for the 2023 season.
Smith is a defender from Brighton, Michigan who has completed the Boilermaker’s Signature Class of 2023.
“Kenna is a perfect fit for our program and we are so excited that she is a boilermaker,” said Loff. “She’s dominant in the air, successful in one-on-one duels, and an athletic centre-back who can be trusted to build play from the back. The 2023 class will have a major impact next fall and beyond.” I’m ready…I’m looking forward to her being an integral part of it.”
“I chose Purdue not only because it has a great soccer program, but because it’s a phenomenal school,” says Smith. “The coaches really take the time to get to know the players and the team environment feels like family. increase.”
Smith is a Brighton High School student who plays club football for the Michigan Jaguars and coaches Dan Dalzocchio. She has played for the Jaguars in the Girls’ Academy League for the last three seasons, and she was named to the 2022 Mid-America GA Her Talent ID event. Smith played in the 2019 interregional event while she was an invitee to the 2020 She ODP international team and a member of the ECNL’s Michigan Hawks. In 2018, she led her team to a state championship and was selected for the ODP National Training Camp, whose 2020 season included qualifiers for the national competition.
At Brighton High, Smith has played for the national team’s basketball team for three years, including being team captain this season. She earned all-county Honorable Mention accolades in 2022 after she paced the conference with her rebounding.
Academically, Smith was a student athlete and won honors every year in high school.
She majored in business and aims to pursue a career in finance at the end of her football career. Smith’s parents are Becky and Steve and she has a twin brother Crew. Both of her parents played college football at Michigan State University.
Smith joins the 6-player signing class announced in November, with the transfer of Charlotte Sill. Joining the Smith, Cyr and November signatories are his 24 repeaters who make up his Boilermakers for 2023, who will take to the field at Folk Field in the fall.
For more information about the Purdue soccer team, visit PurdueSports.com/Soccer and follow and connect with Boilermakers at @PurdueSoccer. twitterInstagram, Facebook.
