That's why she's been named as one of the main stars in 2023 for U Sports, the national brand for university sport in Canada, which includes 57 schools and 15,000 student-athletes. U Sports is the alliance that unites together all university sports in the country. 

The record-breaking Minnesota native capped off the historic game by kicking the game-winning field goal to lead the Bisons past the Regina Rams 27-24 at IG Field, home of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. She also converted all three of her extra-point attempts for nine points in the win. 

Turner, who took over as the Bisons' starting kicker midway through the season, made nine field goals, the longest of which was a 48-yarder. The former Canadian footballer also converted all 14 of her try attempts. She became the first woman ever to play and score in a U Sports regular season Canadian football game. 

"I am very excited. It was such an unreal experience," she said after the match. "I felt like I was full of adrenaline and emotion after the last goal. We won a very important game and it was really tough. The team fought to the last second and I'm very proud of us all," added Turner. 

"It's not a question of gender, it's a question of technique and the process and everything that goes with it. She's talented, she works hard. She has proved it. She has proved it all through the camp. She got us our first points on the board today," said Bisons head coach Brian Dobie. 

Turner was born into a family of athletes in Maple Grove, Minnesota. His father played college hockey at Michigan State, his sister played soccer at De Paul University in Chicago and professionally in Portugal, and his mother was a high school gymnast and vaulter. Following in his sister's footsteps, Turner began his college career playing football at Loyola University in Chicago. But in his second preseason with the team, he decided to quit the sport. 

"Football just wasn't what I wanted to do, I just knew I didn't want to do it anymore, it didn't make me happy and I wanted to do other things with my life. I just knew I had to stop playing football." 

In the autumn of her sophomore year at Loyola, Turner was walking around the quad when she spotted the school's football team advertising tryouts. A decision to return that changed his life. 

"I used to say 'If I were a boy, I'd play football', but there just aren't the same opportunities for girls," she explained. "But then I thought: What's stopping me? If I want to play football, I should try to play football." Turner maintained despite not seeing options for women in her sport. 

She also scored the game-winning goal, from 21 yards out to give Manitoba the lead. Turner also made all three of her extra point attempts for a total of nine points in the game. It was a dream debut for the young woman already hailed as a 'pioneer'.