ISU Soccer to Honor Tejada as Redbirds Host UNI Sunday

Illinois State will honor Redbird soccer legend Rachel Tejada by retiring her No. 14 jersey prior to the Redbirds' conference matchup with UNI at 1 p.m. CT on Sunday at Adelaide Street Field. The retirement ceremony will go alongside ISU's annual Julie Heidecke/Alumni celebration. Admission is free for all fans. The match will be broadcast on ESPN+.

QUICK KICKS

• Illinois State soccer legend Rachel Tejada will have her No. 14 jersey retired prior to the game on Sunday.

• The Redbirds are fresh off a shutout victory over UIC to begin MVC play 2-0 for the first time since the 2020-21 COVID-19 altered-season, extending their current unbeaten streak to six matches.

• Sosi Dadekian was named the MVC Defender of the Week after scoring her first career goal against the Flames, which ended up being the game-winner.

• The Redbirds went unbeaten in September with a 5-0-1 record, marking the first time since 1999 that ISU has gone unbeaten in the month of September.

• The Redbirds finished nonconference play with a 5-1-3 record, the first time in program history that ISU has had just one loss through the nonconference schedule.

• ISU completed an unblemished home non-conference season for the first time since 2009.

• The draw with the Northwestern Wildcats marks the Redbirds' first tie or win against a Power Four opponent since 2017.
SERIES BREAKDOWN

• Sunday's match will be the Redbirds' 30th all-time meeting with the Panthers.

• ISU holds a 18-9-2 advantage in the series.

• The most recent meeting between the two squads ended in a 1-0 victory for the Redbirds on Oct. 11, 2025.

• Illinois State holds a 6-5-1 record against the Panthers at Adelaide Street Field, with the last match in Normal ending in a 1-1 draw in 2024.

• UNI holds a 1-8-1 overall record and 1-0 mark in MVC play, with the Panthers' lone win on the season coming in a 1-0 shutout over Belmont on Sep. 27.

• UNI has snagged a conference-leading 65 saves this season, with Panther Hailey Luedtke leading all MVC goalkeepers with 52 saves and 6.50 saves per game.

SCORCHING HOT IN SEPTEMBER

The Redbirds went unbeaten in September with a 5-0-1 record, marking the second time in program history and the first time since 1999 that ISU has gone unbeaten in the month of September. The Redbirds went 6-0-1 in September of 1999.

MVC WEEKLY HONORS

Three Redbirds have earned Missouri Valley Conference weekly honors so far this season.

• Sosi Dadekian was the most recent honoree, as she was named the MVC Defender of the Week on Sep. 29 after aiding the Redbirds to their fifth shutout of the season and scoring her first career goal against UIC.

• Madi Valenti was named the MVC Goalkeeper of the Week on Sep. 22. Valenti's recognition came after recording her fourth shutout of the season against Murray State. Valenti was nominated for Save of the Week by the Intercollegiate Women's Soccer Organization for Coaches.

• Kaya Durkee was named the MVC Defender of the Week on Sep. 8. During the Redbirds' second shutout of the season, Durkee scored her first career goal with five minutes remaining in the first half.

TEJADA JERSEY RETIREMENT

Illinois State soccer legend Rachel Tejada will have her No. 14 jersey retired on Oct. 4 when the Redbirds host UNI, alongside ISU's annual Julie Heidecke/Alumni celebration.

• Tejada's No. 14 will be the second number in Illinois State soccer history to be retired, alongside the twelfth Redbird on the field, Heidecke's No. 13.

• The four-year letterwinner for the Redbirds is the only player in Missouri Valley Conference history to be named Conference Player of the Year four times.

• In her Redbird career, Tejada helped Illinois State earn three MVC regular-season championships and secure four straight MVC tournament titles.

Tejada still holds the Redbird and MVC career records for goals (74), assists (42) and points (190).

HOME SWEET HOME

With the win over Purdue Fort Wayne, Illinois State completed an unblemished home non-conference season for the first time since 2009. The win also extended the Redbirds' home unbeaten streak to 12 games with a 5-0-7 record dating back to last season. It is the fourth-longest home unbeaten streak in program history.

• The 12-game home unbeaten streak is tied for the 11th longest in Division I and the longest in the MVC.

CAREER SAVES LEADERBOARD

Goalkeeper Madi Valenti is working her way up the program record book in career saves, recently moving into fourth place in program history with her six saves against UIC.

1. 341 - Becky Feldmann............................1997-00

2. 337 - Haley Smith...................................2016-19

3. 301 - Aryn Newsom................................2010-14

4. 202 - Madi Valenti.......................... 2024-Present

5. 199 - Andrea Shaw................................ 2003-06

SHUTOUTS LEADERBOARD

Goalkeeper Madi Valenti recently moved into a tie for third place in program history after shutting out the UIC Fames. She is just the fourth Redbird in program history to amass 20 career shutouts.

1. 26 - Haley Smith  .......................................2016-19

2. 23 - Becky Feldmann....................................1997-00

3. 22 - Aryn Newsom........................................2010-14

            22 - Madi Valenti...................................2024-Present

       5. 17 - Allison Farrington...................................2001-03

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