Not Your Typical Spring Break: Seaver College First-Year Ariana Markey Competes with the Philippines for a Spot in the 2027 Women’s World Cup

Spring break.

For most undergraduates the reprieve in the middle of the spring semester means time with friends at a beach, in the sun, away from schoolwork; but for Ariana Markey, a Seaver College first-year student and defender on the Waves soccer team, spring break means something much different.

Rather than attempting to unwind, Markey will be flying to Australia with the Philippines’ women’s national soccer team. There, she and her teammates will compete through the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in an attempt to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. 

Adventures such as this are not foreign to Markey. In Australia, the 18-year-old will look to further solidify her presence on the world’s soccer stage—a dream that started in high school and has recently become a reality.

An International Contender

December 17, 2025. Gold Medal Match. Southeast Asian Games. Chonburi, Thailand.

The Philippines and Vietnam had held each other scoreless and were headed into overtime. Penalty kicks would decide who walked away with gold and who walked away with silver. As a defender, Markey wasn’t slated to participate in this end-of-game ritual, but when given a chance to shoot, she jumped at it. 

“Of course there's pressure, but for me, it feels more like excitement,” Markey said. “I wasn't even supposed to take a PK in that game. I was seventh in line and the girl who was fifth asked, ‘Do you want to take the PK?’ I was like, ‘Heck yeah.’ Walking up to the ball, I was saying Bible verses to myself because it helps me take my mind off of the negative possibilities. It helped me focus on what God could do with the moment.”

Feeling the strength of her faith, the teenager netted the kick. The Philippines won the match and achieved their first-ever gold medal at the Southeast Asian games. 

This exciting occasion put an exclamation point at the end of Markey’s first competitive tournament with the Philippines’ senior national team. The journey up until this point started her sophomore year of high school at Orange Lutheran in Orange, California. At just 15 years of age, Markey tried out for and was named to the Philippines U20 team. Since then, she has advanced to a spot on the nation’s main competitive roster.

The opportunity to represent the Philippines in international play extends beyond sports. For Markey, this a chance to represent her family’s heritage, as both her grandparents and mother were born and raised on the island nation. Following her passion for a competitive game has allowed Markey to both connect with her family roots and to improve on the field.

“I've been able to get much more deeply in touch with my Filipino side—the culture and its people—and now I understand what it means to represent a nation,” she explained. “Playing on the international stage is a game changer and has helped me realize that I'm able to compete at the highest level.”

Developing—and Displaying—a Spirit of Resilience

Markey’s international success followed Pepperdine’s fall soccer season, where the Waves rallied their losing midseason record into a second consecutive West Coast Conference Championship and third consecutive NCAA tournament appearance. The highs and lows of the collegiate season granted the first-year defender a chance to develop a host of new skills.

“At Pepperdine I've been able to learn what it means to be a true teammate on and off the field,” said Markey. “I've always been so driven by my goals and my dreams, but, here, I've also been able to take a step back, grow relationships with my teammates, and understand what it means to be a leader on this team—even as a first-year.”

In her first campaign with the Waves, Markey played in all 20 games, appearing in the starting lineup six times. Pepperdine’s head coach, Tim Ward, credits her early playing time to the habits she demonstrates in training and her spirit of resilience. While some young players allow their attitudes to ebb and flow with the success and failures of the season, Markey was different. 

“Ari could have allowed her attitude to go south in the middle of the year,” said Ward. “Lots of players get selfish and self-centered when confronted with adversity. 
Ari, on the other hand, was incredibly positive, incredibly team centered. She showed up every day with an unbelievable attitude, positivity, a smile on her face, and undeniable work ethic. And as a coach, you just want to reward that. I speak for our whole staff when I say that she just kept going and pursuing excellence.”

Markey, herself, claims that her first year in Malibu was transformational. She specifically said she learned how to have faith, challenge herself, and take risks—all skills that have allowed her to thrive on the global soccer stage. 

“There's been a lot of times when things haven't gone my way,” said Markey. “But, when I trust the process; it comes out better than I expected.”

Not Your Typical Spring Break

Carrying the lessons she learned at Pepperdine, along with her recent success on the international scene, Markey is prepared to help the Philippines in Australia. While abroad, she and her teammates must successfully navigate past the quarterfinals of the Asian Cup tournament in order to secure a position in the 2027 World Cup. 

Thus, while most college students relax, rest, and recuperate ahead of the push for finals, Markey will be taking the opposite tact. Instead, she’ll be representing her family’s heritage and her hopes and dreams on a soccer field across the Pacific Ocean.

“I'm hoping that in this upcoming tournament, we qualify for the World Cup,” she said. “That would be the Philippines' second World Cup appearance, and I'm hoping that I can be a part of that history-making team.”