Thursday, August 28
Eugene, OR
6:30 PM
University of Oregon
vs
New Mexico
Photo by: Rob Moseley/GoDucks.com
Chura Pursues Pair of Passions With UO
08/27/25 | Women's Soccer
Sydney Chura brings goal-scoring prowess and a passion for art and fashion to the University of Oregon and its soccer program.
EUGENE, Ore. — Sydney Chura came to Oregon to score goals and accelerate her career in fashion and apparel. She's well on her way.
Chura arrived at the university with a résumé that already included 70 goals at the NAIA level, and an undergraduate degree in fashion marketing. Since the UO soccer season began two weeks ago, she already added to that her first career NCAA Division-I goal, and she's working toward a graduate degree in sports product management.
"The jump was definitely a jump for real," Chura said of the transition from Savannah College of Art and Design. "But I also feel a lot of gratitude to be here."
Chura, a Michigan native, scored her first D-I goal in her fourth game with the Ducks, Sunday's 3-0 win at Hawai'i. With that first one out of the way, she'll look for more as the UO women return home this week, to host New Mexico on Thursday and Grand Canyon on Sunday.
"Regardless of level, it's really hard to score goals in college," UO coach Tracy Joyner said. "She's an incredible player."
The daughter of two college athletes, Chura has, in her words, "always been an artsy girl." She grew up drawing and painting; when the UO women took a team retreat to the Oregon coast, Chura packed her sketchbook.
Though her mother played volleyball at Michigan State, and Chura herself is now at a Big Ten school, she passed up an opportunity from a conference school out of high school and instead opted to start her college career at SCAD.
"I'm really proud of my journey, to really focus on academics and also really push and achieve great things athletically," Chura said.
When the NCAA approved a fifth year to play this spring, Chura did finally jump at the chance to fulfill a childhood dream of playing in the Big Ten. And, after an undergraduate career focused on marketing athletic apparel, playing at the birthplace of Nike only made Oregon a more attractive option.
"That was an exciting DM that I got from her, for sure, and the easiest recruiting I've ever done," Joyner recalled. "Nike obviously is huge for our program. We've got a lot of players that are super interested in the business side of the world, and having the Nike branding and backing is definitely opening us up to a lot of different recruits."
Including one in Chura with an eye-popping set of achievements already in her collegiate career.
In her initial season at SCAD, in 2021, Chura was named conference freshman of the year after scoring 20 goals. As a junior she was conference player of the year, and last fall she wrapped up her career at SCAD by winning a national championship, scoring 27 goals on the way to another conference player of the year honor, and earning scholar-athlete honors for the third year in a row.
Yes, the transition to Oregon this spring required adjusting to different levels of physically and speed, Chura said. But summers playing club soccer against other D-I players gave her an idea of what to expect. And regardless of the level at which she played, 70 career goals is a number that speaks volumes.
"What it does for her," Joyner said, "is provide just a whole different level of confidence in front of the goal."
Already the Ducks have benefitted from that, when Chura jumped on a defensive miscue Sunday at Hawai'i and slammed home her first UO goal. Based on her accomplishments the last four years, it will end up being the first of many.
Chura arrived at the university with a résumé that already included 70 goals at the NAIA level, and an undergraduate degree in fashion marketing. Since the UO soccer season began two weeks ago, she already added to that her first career NCAA Division-I goal, and she's working toward a graduate degree in sports product management.
"The jump was definitely a jump for real," Chura said of the transition from Savannah College of Art and Design. "But I also feel a lot of gratitude to be here."
Chura, a Michigan native, scored her first D-I goal in her fourth game with the Ducks, Sunday's 3-0 win at Hawai'i. With that first one out of the way, she'll look for more as the UO women return home this week, to host New Mexico on Thursday and Grand Canyon on Sunday.
"Regardless of level, it's really hard to score goals in college," UO coach Tracy Joyner said. "She's an incredible player."
The daughter of two college athletes, Chura has, in her words, "always been an artsy girl." She grew up drawing and painting; when the UO women took a team retreat to the Oregon coast, Chura packed her sketchbook.
Though her mother played volleyball at Michigan State, and Chura herself is now at a Big Ten school, she passed up an opportunity from a conference school out of high school and instead opted to start her college career at SCAD.
"I'm really proud of my journey, to really focus on academics and also really push and achieve great things athletically," Chura said.
When the NCAA approved a fifth year to play this spring, Chura did finally jump at the chance to fulfill a childhood dream of playing in the Big Ten. And, after an undergraduate career focused on marketing athletic apparel, playing at the birthplace of Nike only made Oregon a more attractive option.
"That was an exciting DM that I got from her, for sure, and the easiest recruiting I've ever done," Joyner recalled. "Nike obviously is huge for our program. We've got a lot of players that are super interested in the business side of the world, and having the Nike branding and backing is definitely opening us up to a lot of different recruits."
Including one in Chura with an eye-popping set of achievements already in her collegiate career.
In her initial season at SCAD, in 2021, Chura was named conference freshman of the year after scoring 20 goals. As a junior she was conference player of the year, and last fall she wrapped up her career at SCAD by winning a national championship, scoring 27 goals on the way to another conference player of the year honor, and earning scholar-athlete honors for the third year in a row.
Yes, the transition to Oregon this spring required adjusting to different levels of physically and speed, Chura said. But summers playing club soccer against other D-I players gave her an idea of what to expect. And regardless of the level at which she played, 70 career goals is a number that speaks volumes.
"What it does for her," Joyner said, "is provide just a whole different level of confidence in front of the goal."
Already the Ducks have benefitted from that, when Chura jumped on a defensive miscue Sunday at Hawai'i and slammed home her first UO goal. Based on her accomplishments the last four years, it will end up being the first of many.
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's SoccerTracy Joyner | Postgame vs. Grand Canyon
Sunday, August 31
Tracy Joyner | Postgame vs. New Mexico
Friday, August 29
Carly Cormack: "All focused on mentality."
Wednesday, August 27
Sydney Chura: "The energy was all there."
Wednesday, August 27
