Lana Duke

Lana Duke has a distinguished record as a high school and college soccer player, but rather than seeking the limelight, she is focused on preparing for a lifetime of service to vulnerable populations in Oklahoma.

Duke grew up in Edmond, OK, with a family steeped in sports. Her grandfather, Alvin Duke, played three sports at the University of Arkansas and was drafted by the Chicago Bears.

Showing an early talent for soccer, Duke was a four-year starter and two-year team captain at Edmond Memorial High School. As a senior, she led the Bulldogs to the Class 6A state championship and earned all-state honors. She was recruited by several major universities, but she opted to attend Oklahoma State University and keep alive a four-generation family tradition.

Duke continued to shine as a college athlete, culminating in being part of the Cowgirls team that advanced to the Big 12 Championship in 2017. Yet she also focused on academics, majoring in nutritional sciences and becoming interested in a medical career.

Now a medical student at OSU, Duke says that she has become concerned about how underserved many rural communities in Oklahoma are. She plans to stay in the state and devote her life to helping those who are less privileged. She hopes to make both her family and the Chickasaw Nation proud of her by her dedication to giving back.