CEDAR CITY, UTAH – Sadie Santiago recently signed to play soccer for Head Coach Kai Edwards and the Thunderbirds, but she also earned the opportunity of a lifetime when she got the call to play for the Puerto Rican National Team.
Santiago transferred from Salt Lake Community College, where she played her freshman year in 2023. She transferred mid-year to Southern Utah and was able to participate in a few Spring matches for the Thunderbirds this year.
Sadie has several different ties to Puerto Rico. Her eligibility comes from her great-grandfather being born and raised there, but her father also played professional basketball and served his LDS mission there.
"I think my dad was more excited when I got the call than I was," remarked Santiago.
Coach Edwards is well-connected throughout the soccer community, including internationally, so he was able to have some conversations with the coach of the Puerto Rican national team and ended up sending some tape of Santiago Nat Gonzalez, the head coach of the team, and the staff decided that it would be a good fit.
Santiago recalls Gonzalez's phone call: "He just said not to be nervous. Play to my strengths and know that I am there for a reason."
"When I first got there I was definitely feeling nervous. But once I started hanging out with the other women there and just started the training, I knew that I belonged," said Santiago.
Santiago arrived on Monday and was greeted with a photo shoot for a new sponsorship with which the team had just collaborated. On Tuesday they had training in the morning and night to get ready for the first friendly against the Cayman Islands on Wednesday. Santiago played about 20 minutes in the victory.
On Thursday, they took the day off and went to the Capital and on a tour of old San Juan. Friday, they were back in training and finished with a game on Saturday. Santiago played 40 minutes and recorded an assist in another win.
"It was such a cool and unique experience," said Santiago. "Getting to represent my island and learn more about myself and the Puerto Rican culture was really special. I hope to be invited back in the future."
"We are excited for Sadie and the opportunity she had to play for the Puerto Rican National Team. She has had a whirlwind of opportunities this past month and has stayed humble and hungry. To be able to represent your family heritage at a national team camp and in a match vs another country is a special experience that very few people earn," said Edwards.
