Cam McCann, Gonzaga University ’25
Spokane Zephyr FC is loaded with talent from a plethora of locations, but a batch of their athletes are familiar with the Pacific Northwest.
A couple of Gonzaga’s finest now load the roster, Sophia “Sophie” Braun and Jodi Ülkekul. The two donned the same uniform back in 2018. At that point in their careers, Ülkekul was an established veteran and co-captain on the team, while Braun was an unpolished freshman who looked up to her more experienced teammates.
“When I came to Gonzaga, Jodi was like a mentor to me,” Braun said. “She was definitely someone I looked up to, being able to come back and play with her is a full circle moment for me.”
The duo has gone from playing on Gonzaga’s Luger Field to less than a mile away on ONE Spokane Stadium’s pitch. This is a transition that speaks to the rapid maturation of Spokane women’s soccer, but Zephyr’s northwest connection doesn’t end in the Lilac City.
Haley Thomas and Taryn Ries are two PNW-based athletes who have also shared a pitch together. The duo played for MSV Duisburg in Frauen-Bundesliga, Germany’s top soccer league.
Before the two were playing abroad, they began their careers in high school playing less than four hours away from one another, Ries in Ridgefield and Thomas in Kennewick. As their collegiate careers kicked off, Thomas chose to venture to Utah, competing for Weber State, while Ries stayed out west, playing for University of Portland.
During part of Ries’ time as a Pilot, future Zephyr teammate Hailey Coll was playing for Henry Sheldon High School in Eugene, two hours from Ries. Coll would stay in Oregon at the next level, playing for the Beavers of Oregon State University in her collegiate years.
Up north in Newcastle, Washington, was where Makena Carr grew up, playing for Liberty High School and winning a state championship in 2017. Her connection to the state of Washington continued after high school, attending the University of Washington before getting drafted by Seattle Reign FC in the 2024 NWSL Draft.
As for the coaching staff, there may not be as much familiarity with the northwest compared to some of the players, but they are already taking in and admiring the growing culture and atmosphere of Spokane.
“I love to walk around the downtown area, you look at Velocity and their support here for that is amazing; I couldn’t ask to be in a better situation.” said Zephyr assistant and goalkeeper coach Brian Periman.
Periman served as a goalkeeper coach at the University of Arizona and acted as a scout for the U.S. youth national program. His expertise at a national level helps a unit that holds a northwestern group but also plenty of talent from around the country and the world.
