Mikayla Colohan Cluff, award-winning BYU soccer alum and the second leading goal scorer in program history, announced on social media this week that she is retiring from playing professional soccer.
In a post shared on Instagram, Cluff quoted Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler” saying, “‘You got to know when to hold' em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away … Even though I feel that now is the time for me to walk away, I can’t help but feel that I won big.”
A native of Kaysville, Utah, Cluff (then Colohan) was a decorated star out of Davis High School. Among her many accomplishments early on, Cluff was named first-team all-state from 2014-16, leading her team to state championships each of those three years. She set the record for assists in a season twice, in both 2015 and 2016, and was even named Utah’s “Ms. Soccer” in 2016.
Following graduation, she enrolled at BYU looking to take her game to the next level. During her tenure at BYU, Colohan appeared in 93 matches across four seasons, starting in 91 of them. She was a three-time All-West Coast Conference (WCC) first-team, two-time WCC player of the year, and four-time United Soccer Coaches All-American selection, the most in program history.
Cluff’s time at BYU was highlighted by her senior season in 2021, in which she led BYU to its first-ever national championship berth and most successful season in program history. She was named Top Drawer Soccer’s Player of the Year, and was awarded BYU’s very own “Y Award” for female athlete of the year. She finished her BYU career with 39 assists and 53 goals, second most in program history, leaving an undeniable mark on BYU soccer.
She was selected 14th overall by the Orlando Pride of the NWSL, and signed before the start of the 2022 season. Her professional career spanned five seasons, with two-year stints in both Orlando and Utah, and a final year in Seattle. Across her professional career, she totaled 58 appearances, scoring four goals and adding an assist.
In a reflective post shared the same day as her retirement announcement, Cluff expanded on the lessons she learned throughout her soccer career and her overall life as more than just a soccer player.
“I love what soccer has done to shape me as a person, and how it influenced my way of living," she wrote.
She added later, “I feel like I am equipped to face anything in life because of the experiences soccer has given me.”
Now moving past the playing stage of her life, Cluff will shift her focus to her other favorite things in life, including her marriage to fellow BYU alumnus and minor league baseball player Jackson Cluff. As she stated, “Soccer has shown me, LIFE IS BIGGER THAN SOCCER.”