University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Adds Zbiljic to Roster as Transfer from UIC
12/13/2022 11:31:00 AM | Soccer
MINNEAPOLIS - University of Minnesota head soccer coach Erin Chastain has announced the addition of Minnesota native, Jelena Zbiljic, to the Maroon and Gold's roster. The midfielder will join the Gophers this upcoming spring after playing at the University of Illinois-Chicago for three seasons.
"I chose the University of Minnesota because I wanted to come back home and play college soccer in my home state at a high level," said Zbiljic. "I've always been a fan of the Gophers, my mom is a proud Minnesota dance team alumna, so being able to come back home and be a Gopher is a dream come true."
Her freshman campaign, the Minnetonka, Minn., native competed in all nine matches for the Flames, including five-straight starts to finish the season. She logged a season high of 102 minutes in an overtime draw against Green Bay, tallying four shots on goal. Ending her season with nine of her 11 shots on frame, she led the Flames with a .818 S.O.G. percentage.
In 2021, the midfielder made 11 starts and appeared in all 17 matches. Zbiljic set three season highs against Youngstown State, charting three shots, two shots on goal, and competing for 110 minutes. In her final eight matches, she started and competed in at least 84 minutes of each of them.Â
This past fall, Zbiljic saw the pitch 17 times making 16 starts. She tallied a season high of five shots against Eastern Illinois, while seeing a season high of two shots on goal against Murray State; matching it against Southern Illinois later in the season.Â
The incoming senior also competed for the MN Aurora USL Team, winning the Heartland Division and finishing second in the USL. The Aurora won every match last season except for the championship game.Â
As a prep, she was a member of the MTA ECNL program from 2017-19 and was a four-year varsity letter winner at Minnetonka High School. With the Skippers, she won the 2018 AA MSHSL State Championship, two Section 2AA Championships, and won the Lakes Conference in 2019. She received All-Conference nods in 2017 and 2019, and was honored to the 2019 First Team All-State and Second Team All-Metro teams.
Jelena is the daughter of Branka Zbiljic and has one brother, Nikola, who played soccer at St. John's University for two seasons. Mother, Branka, competed for the University of Minnesota dance team from 1986-89.Â
"I chose the University of Minnesota because I wanted to come back home and play college soccer in my home state at a high level," said Zbiljic. "I've always been a fan of the Gophers, my mom is a proud Minnesota dance team alumna, so being able to come back home and be a Gopher is a dream come true."
Her freshman campaign, the Minnetonka, Minn., native competed in all nine matches for the Flames, including five-straight starts to finish the season. She logged a season high of 102 minutes in an overtime draw against Green Bay, tallying four shots on goal. Ending her season with nine of her 11 shots on frame, she led the Flames with a .818 S.O.G. percentage.
In 2021, the midfielder made 11 starts and appeared in all 17 matches. Zbiljic set three season highs against Youngstown State, charting three shots, two shots on goal, and competing for 110 minutes. In her final eight matches, she started and competed in at least 84 minutes of each of them.Â
This past fall, Zbiljic saw the pitch 17 times making 16 starts. She tallied a season high of five shots against Eastern Illinois, while seeing a season high of two shots on goal against Murray State; matching it against Southern Illinois later in the season.Â
The incoming senior also competed for the MN Aurora USL Team, winning the Heartland Division and finishing second in the USL. The Aurora won every match last season except for the championship game.Â
As a prep, she was a member of the MTA ECNL program from 2017-19 and was a four-year varsity letter winner at Minnetonka High School. With the Skippers, she won the 2018 AA MSHSL State Championship, two Section 2AA Championships, and won the Lakes Conference in 2019. She received All-Conference nods in 2017 and 2019, and was honored to the 2019 First Team All-State and Second Team All-Metro teams.
Jelena is the daughter of Branka Zbiljic and has one brother, Nikola, who played soccer at St. John's University for two seasons. Mother, Branka, competed for the University of Minnesota dance team from 1986-89.Â
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