Emina Ekić

Emina Ekić
Ekić with Racing Louisville FC in 2023
Personal information
Full name Emina Ekić[1]
Date of birth (1999-06-06) 6 June 1999
Place of birth Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Height 1.63 m (5 ft 4 in)
Positions
Team information
Current team
 Parma
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2020 Louisville Cardinals 66 (29)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021–2023 Racing Louisville 38 (3)
2022–2023 → Melbourne City (loan) 6 (4)
2023–2024 Melbourne City 18 (7)
2024–2025 Spokane Zephyr 24 (10)
2025–2026 Lexington SC 20 (2)
2026 Houston Dash 5 (0)
2026– Parma 0 (0)
International career‡
2019 United States U23 1 (0)
2023– Bosnia and Herzegovina 20 (5)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 17 August 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 18 April 2026

Emina Ekić (born 6 June 1999) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Serie A Women club Parma. Born in the United States, she plays for the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team.

Ekić played college soccer for the Louisville Cardinals, winning ACC Co-Freshman of the Year in 2017 and ACC Offensive Player of the Year in 2020. She was drafted fifth overall by Racing Louisville in the 2021 NWSL Draft. She then spent time with Melbourne City before joining Spokane Zephyr in the new USL Super League, winning the league's inaugural Player of the Year award in 2025. She also played for Lexington SC before briefly returning to the NWSL with the Houston Dash in 2026.

Early life

Ekić was born in Louisville, Kentucky to parents who were both born in Bosnia and Herzegovina.[2] Ekić attended DuPont Manual High School, where she was named the 2015–16 Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year.[3] Ekić also played for Javanon SC.[4]

College career

As a freshman in 2017, Ekić played in all 18 games for Louisville, starting 17 of them, and scored a team-high seven goals. She was named ACC Co-Freshman of the Year (alongside Alessia Russo), as well as being selected to the All-ACC second team and ACC All-Freshman team.[4] In 2018, Ekić started all 18 games for the Cardinals, and earned first team All-ACC team honors.[5]

In her junior season, Ekić started all 20 games. She scored 8 goals, including a game-winner vs. Vanderbilt on 15 September. In the 2020 fall season, Ekić started all nine games of the shortened ACC season. Ekić scored seven goals and was named ACC Offensive Player of the Year.[6]

Club career

Racing Louisville

Ekić declared for the 2021 NWSL Draft on 17 December 2020.[7] She was drafted fifth overall by hometown expansion team Racing Louisville FC.[8][9] Ekić signed a one-year contract with an option for an additional year.[10]

She made her debut for Racing Louisville in their first match of the 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup.[11] She scored Racing's first NWSL regular-season goal with a left-footed shot into the upper corner of the goal in a 2–0 win over the Washington Spirit, the club's first victory. Ekić finished her rookie season with 15 appearances, including three starts.[12]

Loan to Melbourne City

In November 2022, Racing exercised its option on Ekić's contract[10] and loaned her to Australian club Melbourne City until mid-February 2023.[13] While on loan, Ekić suffered a broken ankle and missed the first weeks of the 2023 Racing Louisville season.[14]

Melbourne City

In November 2023, Racing Louisville waived Ekić's contract two months early allowing her to return to Melbourne City.[15] She signed a two-year contract with the Australian club.[16] In June 2024, she left the club, exercising a clause in her contract to allow her to explore opportunities outside Australia.[17]

Spokane Zephyr

On 17 July 2024, Ekić signed with Spokane Zephyr FC for the inaugural season of the USL Super League.[18] She scored her first goal for the club in the 17th minute from a penalty kick. Her first goal was also the first goal in club history.[19] She was named the inaugural USL Super League Player of the Year by both the league and Soccer Sheet, and included into All-League First Team.[20][21]

Lexington

On 18 July 2025, Lexington SC acquired Ekić in a transfer with the Zephyr.[22] Ekić debuted for Lexington on 23 August, starting and playing all 90 minutes of the club's season-opening draw with Fort Lauderdale United FC, recording two assists.[23]

Houston Dash

On 28 April 2026, the Houston Dash announced the signing of Ekić on a contract through 2027, with the mutual option to extend another year, following a transfer from Lexington SC.[24]

Parma

On 17 August 2026, Ekić joined Serie A Women club Parma after just 4 months with the Houston Dash.[25]

International career

Ekić played with the United States women's national under-23 soccer team at the Thorns Spring Invitational tournament in 2019.[26]

In July 2023, the Bosnia and Herzegovina women's national football team called Ekić up to its senior team for friendly matches against Greece and Hungary.[14][2]

Career statistics

College

Team Season Regular season ACC Tournament NCAA Tournament Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Louisville Cardinals 2017 ACC 18 7 – – 18 7
2018 17 6 1 0 1 1 19 7
2019 17 8 1 0 2 0 20 8
2020 8 6 1 1 – 9 7
Total 60 27 3 1 3 1 66 29

Club

As of match played 21 March 2026
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup[a] Playoffs[b] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Racing Louisville FC 2021 NWSL 15140—191
2022 19261—253
2023 4030—70
Melbourne City FC (loan) 2022–23 A-League 64——64
Melbourne City FC 2023–24 187—31218
Spokane Zephyr FC 2024–25 USLS 2410——2410
Lexington SC 2025–26 182——182
Career total 104261313112028

International

As of match played 18 April 2026
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Bosnia and Herzegovina 202360
202481
202521
202643
Total205
Scores and results list Bosnia and Herzegovina's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ekić goal.
List of international goals scored by Emina Ekić
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.25 October 2024Bosnia and Herzegovina FA Training Centre, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina Serbia1–02–2UEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying play-offs
2.25 February 2025Inver Park, Larne, Northern Ireland Northern Ireland1–12–32025 UEFA Women's Nations League
3.7 March 2026Bosnia and Herzegovina FA Training Centre, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina Liechtenstein7–113–12027 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
4.8–1
5.18 April 2026Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz, Liechtenstein Liechtenstein6–06–0

Honors

Individual

References

  1. ↑ Emina Ekić at Soccerway
  2. 1 2 Arjona, Helena (6 July 2023). "Racing Louisville FC player gets national call-up for Bosnian and Herzegovina team". WLKY. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  3. ↑ Grossman, Jack. "Emina Ekic wins Gatorade Player of the Year award". Manual RedEye. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  4. 1 2 "Emina Ekic – Women's Soccer". University of Louisville Athletics. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  5. ↑ "2018–19 Year in Review". University of Louisville Athletics. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  6. ↑ "2020 All-ACC Women's Soccer Awards Announced". theacc.com. 13 November 2020. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  7. ↑ "Emina Ekic to Declare for 2021 NWSL Draft". University of Louisville Athletics. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  8. ↑ Yang, Stephanie (13 January 2021). "All the picks from the 2021 NWSL College Draft". All For XI. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  9. ↑ Hamlin, Steve (10 April 2021). "Class of 2021: Emina Ekic, Racing Louisville FC". NWSL. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  10. 1 2 "Racing announces initial offseason roster moves" (Press release). Racing Louisville FC. 15 November 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  11. ↑ "Racing Louisville (W) vs Orlando Pride (W) lineup in NWSL Challenge Cup East - Round 1 on Saturday, April 10 2021". FotMob. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  12. ↑ "Emina Ekic". Racing Louisville FC. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  13. ↑ "City signs American attacker Emina Ekic on loan" (Press release). Melbourne City. 8 November 2022.
  14. 1 2 "Ekic Called up by Bosnia and Herzegovina for International Friendlies". OurSportsCentral (Press release). Racing Louisville FC. 6 July 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  15. ↑ "Ekic departs Racing, signs with Australian club". Racing Louisville. 9 November 2023.
  16. ↑ "Emina Ekic re-joins City on two-year deal". Melbourne City. 10 November 2023.
  17. ↑ "Four Premiers Plate winners depart Melbourne City". Melbourne City. 27 June 2024.
  18. ↑ USL Spokane (17 July 2024). "Zephyr FC Adds Rising Star to Loaded 2024 Roster". Spokane Zephyr FC. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  19. ↑ "Match Center - Spokane Zephyr FC vs Fort Lauderdale United FC". USL Super League. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  20. ↑ "Spokane Zephyr FC's Emina Ekić voted USL Super League Player of the Year". USL Super League. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
  21. ↑ "Soccer Sheet Names Emina Ekić USL Super League Player of the Year". Soccer Sheet by Y’all Weekly. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
  22. ↑ "Kentucky Native and USL Super League Player of the Year Emina Ekić Signs with Lexington Sporting Club". Lexington Sporting Club. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
  23. ↑ "Fort Lauderdale United FC 3–3 Lexington SC". USL Super League. 23 August 2025. Retrieved 24 August 2025.
  24. ↑ "Houston Dash Sign USL Super League Player of the Year Emina Ekić". Houston Dash. 28 April 2026. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  25. ↑ "Dash deal M Emina Ekic to Italy's Parma Calcio 1913". Reuters. 17 August 2026. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
  26. ↑ Bernstein, Dan (15 March 2021). "USWNT U23 forward Ekic gets psychological push from Racing Louisville staff ahead of pivotal 2021". Goal. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
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