Honors & Awards
- Big Ten Distinguished Scholar (2023)
- Academic All-Big Ten (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
- Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll (Fall 2021, 2022; Spring 2020, 2021, 2022)
- Sam Foltz Hero 27 Leadership Award (2023)
- Tom Osborne Citizenship Team (2021, 2022, 2023)
2023 (Senior)
Marissa Popoola played in nine games this season and amassed 80 minutes. She recorded one shot and one shot on goal in 2023.
2022 (Senior)
Popoola played in 20 games for a total of 488 minutes in 2022. She recorded four shots and two shots on goal.
2021 (Junior)
Popoola played in 15 games in 2021 and started two. She recorded one assist on the year in the matchup against Loyola Chicago on Sept. 5, as she shot a pass to Eleanor Dale who scored the game-winning goal in the fifth minute. Popoola saw action in eight Big Ten matches, including each of the final three contests of the season.
2020-21 (Sophomore)
Popoola played and started in all 10 games, amassing 841 minutes on the field for the Huskers. She scored the Huskers’ second goal against Michigan (Mar. 7), and the first of her career, off a corner to push the team ahead of the Wolverines in the first half. She took three shots on year with one on goal. Popoola played two full games, both double overtime matches against Michigan and Wisconsin (Mar. 13).
2019 (Freshman)
Popoola played in 17 games and made four starts, compiling 462 minutes during her first year at Nebraska. She tallied one assist and four shots, two of which were on goal. Popoola played a season-high 63 minutes against Gonzaga on Sept. 15 and had two additional games of playing at least 45 minutes. On Oct. 11, she recorded an assist against Maryland when she found Meg Brandt for a goal in the 37th minute.
High School
Popoola joined the Huskers from Blue Valley West in Overland Park, Kan., where she played under Coach Alex Aiman. Popoola helped the team win back-to-back state titles in 2017 and 2018 after a runner-up finish in 2016. She earned first-team all-state and first-team Eastern Kansas League honors during all three years. In 2018, Popoola scored 29 goals and tallied 13 assists en route to earning Eastern Kansas League Offensive Player-of-the-Year recognition. In 2017, she scored 19 goals after netting 12 goals in 2016. She was named 2018-19 Gatorade Kansas Girls Soccer Player of the Year and also earned All-America honors from the United Soccer Coaches.
Other Information
Popoola played club soccer for KC Blaze Academy Blue Angels under Coach Ben Popoola. The team’s leading goal scorer, Popoola helped the team win three consecutive Kansas State Cup titles from 2016 to 2018. The team also won the MRL First Division, the Heartland Midwest Classic Tournament, the Midwest All Girls Tournament, the Challenger Sports Invitational, the Heartland Invitational and Kansas City Invitational.
Personal Information
Marissa is the daughter of Ben and Christine Popoola, and was born on Sept. 24, 2001. She has one sister, Amber. Marissa is majoring in veterinary science and is a five-time Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll selection.
Popoola on Nebraska
“I chose Nebraska because of the quality of education, the tradition of excellence, the warm community, the chemistry of the women’s soccer team and the chance to be part of one of the best soccer programs in the country.”