Erika Zschuppe

Erika Zschuppe
Personal information
Full name Erika Vrban Zschuppe[1]
Date of birth (2003-09-10) September 10, 2003[2]
Height 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)
Position(s)
Youth career
2018–2021 Kirtland Hornets
2020–2022 Internationals SC
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022–2025 Florida Gulf Coast Eagles 78 (46)

Erika Vrban Zschuppe (born September 10, 2003) is a soccer player who plays as a midfielder or forward. She played college soccer for the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles and was named the ASUN Player of the Year after leading the nation in goals per game in 2025.

Early life

Zschuppe grew up in Kirtland, Ohio.[3] She was coached by her father in her early years.[4] She played four seasons for Kirtland High School, setting a program record with 170 career goals and providing 39 career assists.[5] She helped the team reach the OHSAA Division III state title game as a freshman in 2018.[5] After another semifinal appearance, she led Kirtland to their first state championship in her junior year in 2020, scoring a hat trick in the final.[6] She joined ECNL club Internationals SC that year and helped the under-18/19 team finish runner-up at the ECNL national finals in 2021.[7] That performance led to her recruitment to Florida Gulf Coast.[8] She was named United Soccer Coaches high school All-American twice, the Ohio DIII Player of the Year twice, and Ms. Soccer Ohio in 2021.[3]

College career

Zschuppe was an immediate starter for the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles as a freshman in 2022, scoring 3 goals in 20 games and earning third-team All-Atlantic Sun (ASUN) honors.[3] She helped the Eagles win their seventh ASUN tournament, scoring the overtime winner in the semifinals and converting a penalty in the final shootout.[9] She led the team with 10 goals in 22 games as a sophomore in 2023, earning first-team All-ASUN honors.[3] She helped FGCU repeat in the ASUN tournament, scoring a second-half hat trick to erase a 3–0 deficit in the final, and was named tournament MVP.[10] In her junior year in 2024, she again led the team with 12 goals in 19 games and was again named first-team All-ASUN, helping the Eagles win the ASUN regular-season championship.[3]

Previously a striker or winger, Zschuppe moved to attacking midfielder for her senior season in 2025.[4] The move paid off when she scored a program record 21 goals in 17 games, winning the NCAA Division I's statistical scoring championship with 1.27 goals per game.[3] FGCU won their second consecutive ASUN regular-season title but were upset in the ASUN tournament quarterfinals, snapping Zschuppe's ten-game scoring streak.[4] She was named the ASUN Player of the Year and ASUN Midfielder of the Year and named third-team Best XI by TopDrawerSoccer.[11] She finished her college career trailing only Tabby Tindell (66) for the most goals in program history (46).[12]

Club career

Zschuppe attended the NWSL Combine in December 2025.[13]

International career

Zschuppe received her first call-up to the Croatia national team in February 2026, being named to the roster for FIFA Women's World Cup qualifiers against Bulgaria and Kosovo.[14]

Personal life

Zschuppe is the daughter of Lucy and Hans Zschuppe Jr. and has a sister.[3] Her father played college soccer for Lakeland Community College, and her grandfather Hans Sr. played professionally in Germany.[4] Zschuppe excelled academically at Florida Gulf Coast University, graduating with a 3.96 grade point average (GPA) and being named the ASUN Women's Soccer Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2025.[15]

Honors and awards

Florida Gulf Coast Eagles

Individual

References

  1. ^ "Commencement LXIV". Florida Gulf Coast University. December 13–14, 2025. p. 16. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  2. ^ "2022 FGCU Women's Soccer" (PDF). Florida Gulf Coast Eagles. October 9, 2022. p. 23. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Erika Zschuppe". Florida Gulf Coast Eagles. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d Weber, Rick (December 2, 2025). "After record-setting year, soccer star sets her sights on European career". FGCU 360 Magazine. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  5. ^ a b Lillstrung, Chris (November 16, 2021). "Erika Zschuppe era ends in a sense on her signing day, but what an era it was". The News-Herald. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  6. ^ Harvey, Kayla (November 13, 2020). "Kirtland claims Div. III state girls soccer championship with 3-2 upset of Cincinnati Country Day". Cleveland.com. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  7. ^ "Internationals Soccer Club Girls Shine in the ECNL National Playoffs". Internationals SC. July 21, 2021. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
    "Internationals SC has 17 players finalize commitments on National Signing Day". SoccerWire. November 11, 2021. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  8. ^ Hrunka, Jeffery (November 18, 2025). "Erika Zschuppe ends collegiate career breaking records and a final run to postseason glory". Eagle Media. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  9. ^ Wilson, Nick (October 31, 2022). "Catching up with the Eagles from Oct. 24-30: Soccer, volleyball, tennis, and golf results". The News-Press. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
    "Champions! Women's Soccer Wins ASUN Tournament in Penalties over Liberty". Florida Gulf Coast Eagles. November 4, 2022. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  10. ^ Reed, Ed (November 5, 2023). "Led by Erika Zschuppe, FGCU women's soccer makes furious comeback to win ASUN title". The News-Press. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  11. ^ "Zschuppe named ASUN Player of the Year". Florida Gulf Coast Eagles. November 12, 2025. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
    "2025 Women's DI Postseason Awards". TopDrawerSoccer. December 16, 2025. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  12. ^ "Zschuppe sets program record for goals, Eagles soar over Stetson". Florida Gulf Coast Eagles. October 25, 2025. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  13. ^ FGCU Women's Soccer [@fgcu_wsoccer]; (December 19, 2025). "Zschuppe at the combine!". Retrieved December 24, 2025 – via Instagram.
  14. ^ "Zschuppe called up to Croatian National Team". Florida Gulf Coast Eagles. February 19, 2026. Retrieved March 4, 2026.
  15. ^ "FGCU's Zschuppe Tabbed 2025 Scholar-Athlete of the Year". Atlantic Sun Conference. November 12, 2025. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
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