VIDEO: Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame’s Ella Stephan Was 6-year Starter at Satellite High, Standout at FSU

By  //  July 24, 2022

OUTSTANDING DEFENDER AT FSU

WATCH: As a senior at Satellite High, Ella Stephan was named Gatorade Player of the Year, All-Space Coast Player of the Year, a Parade All-American and received the Wendy’s High School Heisman Award.

2016 PREP INDUCTEE: Parade High School All-American, Gatorade Player of the Year, Florida Dairy “Miss Soccer”

SATELLITE HIGH GRADUATE

Soccer player Ella Stephan was a six-year varsity starter for Satellite High as she guided her squad to the state championship in 2007.

A native of Indian Harbour Beach, Fla., Stephan earned NSCAA High School All-America honors in 2007 and garnered NSCAA Youth All-American accolades in 2006 and 2007.

As a senior at Satellite, she was named Gatorade Player of the Year, All-Space Coast Player of the Year, a Parade All-American and received the Wendy’s High School Heisman Award.

Stephan was a five-time All-Space Coast Team honoree while earning a spot on the All-State second team in 2005. She was part of the U.S. National Team at Under 17, Under 20 and Under 23 levels.

In 2008, she made the Soccer Buzz Southeast Regional All-Freshman Team.

The Satellite High School soccer standout arrived in Tallahassee to play for the Florida State Seminoles in 2008 after a stellar career for the ‘Scorps which included a state championship and many individual honors.

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In 2008, the defender helped Florida State lead the Atlantic Coast Conference in the fewest goals allowed while ranking second in goals-against average and shutouts. Stephan, part of a defensive unit that for the first time in Seminoles history put together four consecutive shutouts in league play, was one of only two freshmen to start every game she played.

As a sophomore, despite missing the first half of the season due to injury, Stephan finished the season playing every minute of every game after returning to the starting lineup against Duke.

In FSU’s victory over North Carolina that year, she thrilled spectators by scoring the golden goal on a header off a corner with 12 seconds remaining in double overtime.

TOP-RANKED DEFENSE IN ACC

In her junior year, Stephan was part of a defensive unit that posted ACC-best 13 shutouts. She helped to lead the Seminoles to the top-ranked defense in the ACC. In the 20 matches in which she participated as a junior, she started in 18.

Stephan’s last year with the Seminoles, Stephan saw action in the national semifinal game against Stanford and played every minute in the regular season finale against Virginia Tech and in the ACC Quarterfinals against North Carolina.

Her senior year achievements on the field also included a career-high four goals in a home win over Miami.

She was poised for an outstanding professional career when injury intervened in the form of a torn meniscus during her senior year.

Doing rehab to get back in the game, she had signed up with a Russian professional team and was awaiting her visa.

“The day I got my visa, I tore my meniscus again,” said Stephan.

Back to rehab went Stephan, this time with her sister in Raleigh, North Carolina.

In January of 2014, Stephan began playing with Glasgow City in Scotland, but it was a short-lived stint, because in October, she again tore her meniscus.

“My knee just never got better,” she said.

She earned a Master’s in public health program at the University of North Carolina.

Although she has put soccer behind her as a professional, Stephan plans to pursue the sport as a leisure activity.

“It’s my first passion,” she said.

FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE SPACE COAST SPORTS HALL OF FAME, call 321-615-8111 or e-mail Contact@SpaceCoastDaily.com

CLICK HERE to see all the members of the Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame.

As a senior at Satellite High, Ella Stephan was named Gatorade Player of the Year, All-Space Coast Player of the Year, a Parade All-American and received the Wendy’s High School Heisman Award.
As a senior at Satellite High, Ella Stephan was named Gatorade Player of the Year, All-Space Coast Player of the Year, a Parade All-American and received the Wendy’s High School Heisman Award.
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