STATESBORO, Ga. – Former South Georgia Tormenta FC goalkeeper Jodi Medina has signed her first professional contract with K.F.F Mitrovica of the Women’s Football Superleague of Kosovo, the First Division of women’s soccer in Kosovo. The USL W League champion joins the pro side ahead of its 2022/23 regular season.
“Tormenta FC has given me a glimpse of what a professional environment looks like. It was incredible to be surrounded by the outstanding coaching staff and a quality group of players. Tormenta FC believed in me and helped me grow as a player and person. My Tormenta family will have a place in my heart forever. I decided to sign with K.F.F Mitrovica because I felt it was a great opportunity to continue playing the sport I love in a new environment and gain new experiences.”
Jodi Medina, K.F.F Mitrovica Goalkeeper
With Tormenta FC, Medina was part of the goalkeeper union that won the inaugural USL W League title. Medina competed for the starting goalkeeper position against three of the best goalkeepers in the league. Medina frequently appeared on gameday lineups throughout the summer and registered an appearance in the regular season, tallying 45 minutes in Tormenta FC’s dominating 8-1 win against Tennessee SC.
An Alabama A&M alum, Medina played 79 games for the historic HBCU program across all competitions. Before A&M, Medina attended Coral Springs Charter School in Coral Springs, Florida.
“Jodi has all the tools to be very successful at the professional level. She is athletic, can make all the saves, can play with her feet when needed, and is a respected leader, both on and off the field. Jodi also has excellent training habits and a ton of upside potential. She has made much progress this summer and took full advantage of the professional training environment we offer here at Tormenta FC. Jodi was invited to play here for the reasons above and was a member of the deepest GK group in the USL W League. It was a pleasure to work with her. I look forward to following her progress at the professional level as I know this was her dream when she chose to play at Tormenta FC.”
Jim Robbins, Tormenta FC USL W League Head Coach
Medina heads overseas to join a competitive K.F.F Mitrovica team, which aspires to compete for the league title after falling short last season. K.F.F Mitrovica has won the Kosovo Women’s Football League four times and the Kosovan Women’s Cup five times. Last year, K.F.F Mitrovica were able to fight for a spot in the UEFA Champions League but were knocked out by Vålerenga Fotball Damer of Norway.
The USL W League is a pre-professional women’s soccer league set to kick off in May 2022. It will serve as the nation’s premier pre-professional league developing the next generation of women’s soccer talent on and off the field. The USL W League strives to use women’s soccer as a force for societal good by creating a national platform to increase opportunity, gender equity, and career development.
Tormenta FC made its USL W League debut in May of 2022 and was crowned the inaugural USL W League champions following a historic run culminating in Minnesota after defeating the Minnesota Aurora FC in front of 6,000+ fans.
Medina joins Kelly Giddes and Emily Burke as the first players to sign a professional soccer contract following the conclusion of Tormenta FC’s historic 2022 season.
