Venezuelan U20 National Team Member Vega-Peleka Signs With State

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State soccer has signed Venezuelan U20 National Team member Rebeka Vega-Peleka out of the transfer portal from Southern Miss.

Vega-Peleka brings international experience from the 2024 U20 World Cup where she played in all three of Venezuela's matches as well as the 2024 U20 Sudamericano Feminino where she started in seven of eight matches. On the friendly circuit, she boasts one goal and one assist in international play.

The international experience extends to her high school career as well as Vega-Peleka may have one of the most unique journeys to Starkville of any player to wear the Maroon and White. Born in Venezuela, she has lived in five different countries on four continents.

Following stops in Australia and Mexico, she began her high school career at the American School of Doha in Qatar where she guided her school's team to a third-place finish in the MESAC tournament in Oman. Vega-Peleka was the top scorer in the tournament, notching eight goals in six matches as the only freshman in the field. Following her sophomore season, her family moved to Lafayette, Louisiana, where she attended Ascension Episcopal and set the single-season record with 40 goals as a junior.

The two-time district MVP scored 27 goals as a senior while also setting school records in the long jump and 400m, winning the district title in those events and the 100m. She played club soccer for Albion Hurricanes FC and Cajun Rush and helped the Rush to a regional championship in 2023.

In her first season at Southern Miss, Vega-Peleka tallied two goals and an assist in 13 matches. This past season, she missed the first month of the season while competing with her national team but played the final 11 matches, totaling five goals.

Vega-Peleka joins Sofia Aguayo Mariño among the Bulldogs' 2025 signees that have already represented their national teams. Other recent Bulldogs from the 2024 roster on the international stage included Ruthny Mathurin, who played in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup with Haiti, and Ilana Izquierdo, who competed at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games with Colombia.

For more information on the Bulldog soccer program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSOC."

Mississippi State University Athletics

Venezuelan U20 National Team Member Vega-Peleka Signs With State

Players Mentioned

Ilana Izquierdo

Ruthny Mathurin

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