NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State soccer head coach Raleigh DeRose announced the addition of defender Mikayla Carkhuff, who will join the Redbirds for the fall 2026 campaign.
She joins fellow transfers Rowann Law, Sosi Dadekian and Jordan Gary, along with freshmen Bailey Leach and Brooklyn Ludwig, as the newest Redbirds ahead of the 2026 season.
A native of Honolulu, Hawaii, Carkhuff spent last season at North Dakota State last season after beginning her collegiate career with Florida International.
During her time with the Bison, Carkhuff appeared in 16 matches with 11 starts, totaling 988 minutes on the pitch. She recorded her first collegiate goal at Idaho State on Aug. 21 and finished the season with one goal on seven shots while tallying two points.
Before transferring to North Dakota State, Carkhuff spent two seasons with Florida International, including a redshirt campaign in 2024. In her first active season with the Panthers, she appeared in five matches and logged 102 minutes while recording three shots. Outside of collegiate play, she also competed for FC Miami City in the USL W League.
Carkhuff completed her high school career at Onalaska High School after previously competing in Hawaii. She was a three-time USYS Hawaii State Champion and later earned selections to both the 2023 Rush National Team and the 2023 USYS ODP National Team. Carkhuff also helped Onalaska capture the 2023 WIAA State Championship in the 4x400 relay in track & field.
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