SMU forward Nyah Rose is no stranger to playing soccer at a high level, but this past November she got the call up she had dreamt about, the Canadian Women's National Team.

It wasn't the first time Rose had been called upon by her country. She first put on the Canada shirt in 2019, at 14 years old, as part of the youth development program. She made her first game appearance in the 2022 CONCACAF Women's Under-17 Championship and then played in the 2023 CONCACAF Women's Under-20 Championship and the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. 

Over those three tournaments, she started nine of her 17 games played and scored five goals and two assists. Then came the big one, the senior national team.

"I think that it's always been a great accomplishment, making these national teams. My long term goal was always to make the full team, and I knew that it was a goal that I could achieve," Rose said. "And so I think that when I finally did get the call up, it was a very emotional moment, because I was like, 'I finally made it.' This is what I have been working on and working for through most of my childhood and then my teens. So I was just really excited."

Rose made her debut on Dec. 3, against South Korea. She has made two more appearances since, on Feb. 25, against Chinese Tipai and April 4, against Argentina. 

"There's no words to describe this feeling," Rose said. "I think that my first call up, which was back in December, the first time I ever put the jersey on, I just felt like this rush of emotion. I didn't cry because I was in the locker room, but I was just like, 'Wow. It's becoming so real, and I'm about to step on the field and I may not play, but I'm about to be with the team and be on the roster. There were just so many emotions I was feeling, but I was super, super proud of myself."

In 55 minutes of game play, the difference between the lower levels and senior level is already clear.

"It's very different from the youth teams, I will say, just like the speed of play, the environment," Rose said. "I love it, and I loved my time during the youth national teams. I think it prepared me for kind of how I would kind of act in the environment. So I'm very grateful for the opportunity to make both youth national teams, as well as the full team."

While playing for her country, she's also been a key piece for the Mustangs the last two seasons. She led the American Athletic Conference in goals with 11 as a freshman, earning All-AAC First Team, Co-Rookie of the Year, AAC All-Tournament Team and First Team All-South Region honors. 

Rose appeared in 11 games, starting nine, this past season and was second on the team with five goals scored, including the only goal in a 1-1 draw against No. 2 Florida State, earning Third Team All-ACC honors.

"It's been a roller coaster. There's been a lot of ups and downs, I think, but a lot more ups than downs," Rose said. "I know that when there are some times where it's a little bit harder, I know that I'll come out and I have my SMU family here, and I also have Canada family back home, supporting me and helping me. I'm super grateful for the both of them."

That Canadian family isn't just figurative, either. Rose's sister, Jade, is two years older and has been a regular fixture in the Canadian National Team. 

The two spent time together in the developmental program, but once they started making teams, they were just far enough apart in age to miss each other. 

Not anymore.

"This was the first time that I've actually, at this stage of my life, I've played with her, or practiced with her," Rose said. "I still haven't been on the field at the same time as her. I was subbed in when she was off. But I know that it's going to come soon, and I'm super excited for that."

It's an opportunity not many people get, and one Nyah doesn't take for granted.

"It's amazing. Not many people get the opportunity to play with their siblings," she said. "I know that not a lot of people play the same sports as their siblings, and that we're only two years apart. So just being able to have this opportunity, and we're both talented players, and being able to be on the same team and do that is just, it's amazing. I think that I'm super proud of myself, I'm super proud of her, and also being able to look at my parents and them looking at us, and seeing we're playing on the same team. It's just a dream come true. That's what we've always wanted."

With experience playing for SMU and Canada, the other piece will be a professional career. There are now more opportunities to play professionally, including a league starting up in her home country.

"It's great. I know that when I was younger, women's soccer didn't have a lot of recognition," Rose said. "But just being able to see the popularity grow throughout the years, and especially, we just got a new league in Canada, and super exciting because there's a lot more opportunity for players in Canada to get out on that professional level. I think that's nice because I didn't have the option to play at home, and now I do, if that's where my journey leads me. So it's just amazing to have that choice, and for a lot of players at home, for them to have that choice as well."