LOGAN, Utah -
By Ashley Springer, USU Athletic Media Relations

When she's on the field, Shyani Terukina is called "Warrior Princess".

"That's her on-the-field persona," said Utah State head coach Heather Cairns. "She plays with the poise of a princess and the heart of a warrior."

Cairns gave Terukina the nickname when she saw her braid her ponytail into three braids. That is a tradition she has continued, doing her hair this way for every match.

"It was just so different from what she's seen before, so she started calling me Warrior Princess," Terukina said.

Since receiving the nickname, Terukina has received pictures of her cousins and sees fans with their hair braided like hers, which has made her very happy.

"Shy's just a breath of fresh air," Cairns said. "She's so fun to be around, she makes everybody around her feel comfortable and she wants everybody around her to be better."

When she's on the field, though, Cairns said Terukina is fierce.

Terukina is a green belt in Judo after taking it for eight years, so when she falls, she tumbles and rolls. She started playing soccer when she was 5 years old after her parents got her into it in order to be active.

Terukina, the only senior on the team not from Utah, is from Ewa Beach, Hawaii. She decided to come to Utah State because it gave her with something different.

"It provided me with a different opportunity to live my life somewhere else other than our little rock in the ocean," she said.

Terukina said her experience at Utah State has been amazing.

"I love Utah State and it's been a blessing," she said.

Terukina has a lot of favorite memories with the team from bus rides, getting together in hotel rooms, game days and being in the locker room.

Terukina said her senior year has been different and she has stepped up her game.

"Getting to the point where I passed the fitness test the first time, that was a huge accomplishment for me," Terukina said. "It gave me confidence in myself and allowed me to play the way that I am right now."

Cairns said she has seen Terukina mature in her mental approach to the game, as well as an increase in her fitness base, which has translated into her having a positive effect on games. Because of this, Cairns said Terukina has been able to compete for more minutes each year she's been here.

During her freshman season, Terukina played in 21 of the 22 matches and played at least 40 minutes in seven of those. During the season, she took six shots with one on goal. As a sophomore, Terukina played in all 20 matches with one start and had three shots with one on goal. She again played in 20 matches with six starts as a junior. That year, she scored the first and only goal of her career with the game-winner at San José State.

So far, in her senior season, Terukina has started and played in all 14 matches with two shots and one on goal.

"On the field she's really technical. She gets out of such tight spaces where you're sometimes in awe of the things she does," Cairns said. "She's got that burst of energy that can really drive you and she can just make a huge difference on the field."

Terukina is a difference-maker off the field as well.

"Shy's just infectious in her enthusiasm and you can really feed off of that," Cairns said. "Her energy, her smile, her love of life - it makes everybody around her feel really good."

Terukina still has goals she hopes to accomplish before the season is over.

"Honestly, I hope we can make it to the NCAA Tournament, I hope we win the regular season and I hope we can win the Mountain West Tournament," she said.

When she's not playing soccer, Terukina enjoys reading books, watching Netflix and hanging out with her teammates.

Though Terukina isn't sure what she wants to do after she graduates with a degree in family, consumer, and human development (FCHD), she definitely wants to work.

"I just want to help people and maybe move somewhere other than Utah or Hawaii and go from there," Terukina said.

Terukina said she knows she will definitely cry when the season and her career are over.

"I love this team and I love the friends that I've made out of it," she said. "I will miss them very, very much."