University of West Florida

SHAKIRA DUNCAN
Women's Soccer (2009-10)
Kingston, Jamaica

Shakira Duncan came to UWF as a transfer student in 2009 looking for a place she could fall in love with and become part of a family environment.
 
In two seasons she became the most prolific scorer in program history, finishing with a school record 64 goals and 153 points. Her 33 goals in 2009 and 31 in 2010 rank as the top two single-season totals in Argo history.
 

As a result of her play, she earned a combined four All-America honors from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and the D2 Conference Commissioner's Association, and was the D2CCA National Player of the Year as a junior and senior.
 
UWF went 39-2-3 in the two years Duncan was on the team. The Argonauts won a pair of Gulf South Conference titles and advanced to the NCAA Tournament each season, reaching the national semifinals in 2009. 
 
She credits her time at UWF and as a member of the women's soccer program for shaping her life in a way that not many other things could.
 
"I learned a lot in college. I've learned a lot of discipline. I've learned to be on time, if not early… lol. I learned to be competitive and perform to the best of my ability. How to be humble in victory and gracious in defeat. And I've also learnt that everyone has something to bring to the table, no matter how small it may be. Everyone place a part in achieving the ultimate goal."
 
But for all of that, it was when she received the Pensacola Sports Amateur Athlete of the Year that she stopped feeling alone.
 
"Because I'm from Jamaica, I've always felt alone in the States and always felt as if my teammates and my coaches were just that, my teammates and my coach," she said. "I went to the (PSA banquet) with my coach but when I went up on the stage and I looked into the crowd, cheering the loudest and smiling with so much pride were my teammates.
 
"In that moment, I felt as if I was exactly where I was meant to be. That was the first time in a long time I never felt alone. From that moment I knew I didn't just have teammates and a coach, I knew I had a family away from home."
 
Since graduating from UWF, Duncan has spent time as a member of the Jamaican National Team and is currently playing professional soccer in Israel.