Growing up, most of the girls Izi Murray played against had private trainers, elite club teams and years of a head start. Izi had none of it. She wasn’t allowed to play club soccer, so she ran before school every single day, played pickup at the park whenever she could find enough friends, and taught herself what no coach was there to teach.
When one coach finally gave her a chance at fourteen, she scored in her first game. Then the next. Then the next. She became the leading scorer for both her club and her high school.
Then a local recruiting expert told her the words that could have ended it: You started too late, kid. Division I isn’t in the cards.
She proved him wrong. In 2021, Izi took the field as an NCAA Division I player at MTSU. Today she also competes as a professional beach soccer athlete.
Then a local recruiting expert told her the words that could have ended it: You started too late, kid. Division I isn’t in the cards.
She proved him wrong. In 2021, Izi took the field as an NCAA Division I player at MTSU. Today she also competes as a professional beach soccer athlete.
Counted out, but not finished
Izi is the founder and CEO of Push the Goal Soccer, a college recruitment and athlete development company that helps student-athletes earn collegiate scholarships while becoming confident leaders on and off the field. Her coaching philosophy is simple: belief first, strategy always. As she puts it, talent alone doesn’t open doors; guidance does. Most athletes who get overlooked aren’t lacking ability. No one ever showed them the plan.
She coaches from the exact place her athletes are standing, because she was the kid who was behind, overlooked and quietly counted out. Drawing on her own story of adversity and setbacks, she now speaks to youth groups, schools, athletic programs and churches about confidence, perseverance and the God-given worth of every young person.
A crown with a cause
On June 6, 2026, Izi was crowned National American Miss Tennessee Elite 2026. She has used the title to deepen her service across Tennessee, mentoring youth, building self-esteem, and bringing awareness to the fight against sex trafficking.
That last part matters deeply to us. Izi has committed to becoming a leading advocate in the fight against sex trafficking, using her platform, her voice and her community partnerships to bring awareness, provide hope and resources, and help the next generation live with confidence and purpose.
This November 20–29, she will represent the Volunteer State at the National American Miss Elite competition in Orlando, Florida. We’ll be cheering her on.
Why her story sounds familiar to us
At Rescue 1 Global, we meet people every week who have been told, in a hundred different ways, that it’s too late for them. Too broken. Too far gone. Too far behind.
We don’t believe it. Neither does Izi.
The survivors we serve rarely need a pep talk. They need what Izi gives her athletes: someone who honestly believes in their God-given worth, and a real plan behind that belief. That looks like a safe bed tonight, an advocate beside them tomorrow, and a team that stays for the long climb.
That work is growing. So far in 2026, our teams have provided 2,815 nights of safe housing, already more than in all of 2025, and 3,556 therapeutic services. In the last quarter alone, an average of nine safe beds were filled every night.
Behind every number is a name. Behind every name is someone who was told it was too late, and found out it wasn’t.
Standing with survivors
Izi is a sponsor of this year’s One Freedom Gala, celebrating 15 years of Rescue 1 Global. We are grateful she chose to stand with survivors, to lend her crown and her voice to this fight, and to stand with the people who refuse to count anyone out.
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed.”
Proverbs 31:8
Join us
One Freedom Gala: The Key to Freedom
Thursday, October 29, 2026 · 6:30 PM · Double Barrel Angus Barn, College Grove, TN
- Get your ticket ($100), and bring a friend who has never heard our story
- Can’t be there? Give toward the $50,000 Gala Match. Every gift is doubled.
- Become a Freedom Partner at $50 a month
Learn more about Izi’s coaching at push-the-goal.com, and follow her journey on Instagram at @izimurray_.