Morgan McAslan ’22 remembers the moment she stepped onto the field for her first professional soccer match. Standing in goal for Vancouver Rise FC, she took in the crowd, the magnitude of the moment and the start of something she had worked toward for years.
“It was a surreal experience,” McAslan said, “It felt extremely rewarding and emotional for me. Playing at this level has been something I’ve dreamed about since I was young, and being able to do it in the first-ever Canadian professional women’s soccer league made it that much more sentimental.”
Vancouver Rise FC, McAslan’s team, was founded in December 2022. The club officially launched its name and branding in August 2024 and played its inaugural match on April 16, 2025, as part of Canada’s new Northern Super League (NSL).
McAslan, a native of Waterdown, Ontario, developed her skills at Samford University, where she balanced the demands of NCAA Division I athletics, rigorous academics and life as an international student. The decision to attend Samford came down to four things: a strong soccer legacy under Head Coach Todd Yelton, excellent goalkeeping training, a close-knit team culture and the quality of education.
“During the first couple years at Samford, I found it difficult to acclimatize,” McAslan said. “The culture in the South was much different than where I grew up, and I struggled to adjust to being so far from home. With time and the help of my friends and faculty at Samford, I started settling in and finding my home away from home.”
Balancing soccer and academics was never easy. McAslan recalls studying on long bus rides, missing classes due to away games and pushing through early morning lectures after arriving home late from matches. But she credits her time at Samford with shaping both her work ethic and her professional readiness.
“Coach Yelton always preached that the two things we can control are our attitude and our effort,” McAslan said, “He demanded a high work rate every day, which is something I have taken with me to the professional game.”
Her time in the secondary education program also left a lasting impression. Every professor she had, she said, modeled passion and dedication.
McAslan’s transition to professional play has been a challenging but welcome adjustment. She now competes against athletes with national team and international club experience, and the game is faster, more physical and more tactically demanding. Still, she finds joy in the day-to-day of her new job.
“I genuinely really enjoy being at practice every day and always look forward to it,” she said. “Unlike my time at Samford, soccer is now my only responsibility. I don’t need to worry about school, a job or any other student-athlete requirements.”
Throughout her journey, McAslan has stayed grounded thanks to mentors who continue to impact her life. Goalkeeper coach Carl Goody was a daily presence at Samford and still watches her matches. She also fondly remembers secondary education professor Erin Gilchrist, who supported her both academically and personally, especially during her recovery from an ACL injury.
“Coach Yelton had a tremendous impact on my life and career,” she said. “His personal story of losing his wife to cancer and founding Shauna’s House to support youth aging out of the orphanage system was truly inspiring.”
In her first season in the NSL, McAslan brought home the Golden Glove award for the league’s best goalkeeper. She will have the chance to cap off the season with a trophy as Vancouver Rise plays in the NSL championship game on Nov. 15. Regardless of the outcome of this season, McAslan aims to inspire the next generation of Canadian female athletes and continue to develop as a player. One day, she hopes to stay involved with the game through coaching.
For current Samford students, especially international athletes, McAslan offers this encouragement: “Just because we aren’t a Power Four school doesn’t mean you can’t play professionally. If you love your sport and have the confidence to back your ability, you can make your dreams a reality.”
