Kealia Watt

Kealia Ohai Watt (/keɪˈəliːə/ kay-ə-LEE-ə; born January 31, 1992), née Kealia Mae Ohai, is an American soccer player who plays for the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) since 2020. She previously played for the Houston Dash from 2014–2019.

Kealia Watt
Watt in starting lineup for Houston Dash, July 2014
Personal information
Full name Kealia Ohai Watt
Birth name Kealia Mae Ohai
Date of birth (1992-01-31) January 31, 1992
Place of birth Draper, Utah, United States
Height 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Playing position(s) Midfielder / Forward
Club information
Current team
 Chicago Red Stars
Number 2
Youth career
2000–2010 Avalanche Soccer Club
2006–2010 Alta High School
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2013 North Carolina Tar Heels
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2019 Houston Dash 114 (28)
2020– Chicago Red Stars 0 (0)
National team‡
2010 United States U-17
2009–2012 United States U-20 24 (8)
2013 United States U-23 2 (0)
2016– United States 3 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of January 6, 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of November 13, 2017

Watt has represented the United States on the under-17, under-20, under-23 and senior national teams. She scored the lone winning goal in the final match of the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.

Early life

Watt was born to Ben and Cindy Ohai and raised in Draper, Utah. Her sister, Megan, is a former youth national team member who played soccer at USC where she won the 2007 NCAA championship.[1] Her father named her after Kealia Beach on the island of Kauai.[2]

Watt, who graduated from Alta High School in June 2010, was a four-year varsity soccer player at the school.[3] She led the team to four straight state soccer championships from 2006–2009. She was a two-time Gatorade state player of the year, three-time first-team high school All-America, three-time All-State selection, three-time 5A soccer MVP, and the 2010 NSCAA National High School Player of the year.[3][4] In June 2010, she earned Parade All-American honors.[5]

As a youth, Watt also played club soccer for the Utah Avalanche. With the team, she won four state titles.[6]

Career

College

North Carolina Tar Heels, 2010–2013

A four-year starter with the Tar Heels from 2010 to 2013, Watt was a member of the 2012 championship-winning team.[7][8] She was named the tournament's most outstanding offensive player after scoring the game-winning goal during overtime in the semi-final[9][10] and the first goal of the final in the second minute of the match.[7][11]

Following her freshman year playing for the Tar Heels, Watt was named to the First-Team All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and ACC All-Freshman Team. She led the team in scoring with 14 goals and started 22 of the team's 24 games.[6] During her sophomore year, she started in all 20 games in which she played. She scored six goals, including a team high of 3 game-winning goals and served six assists.[3][6] In her third year with the Tar Heels, Ohai led the team in points (23) and goals (9).[3]

Club

Houston Dash, 2014–2019
Ohai during a match against the Boston Breakers, August 2015

Watt was selected as the second overall pick in the 2014 NWSL College Draft by the Houston Dash as the expansion team's very first college draft pick.[12][13] Of her draft selection, Dash head coach Randy Waldrum said, "I couldn't have asked for things to fall into place so well. It was an amazing day for the Dash. Starting with the selection of Kealia Ohai, we got one of the nation’s best forwards. She has great pace, is extremely athletic, and can really stretch defenses with her speed."[14]

She became the club's captain midway through the 2016 season, which coincided with a scoring streak which saw her net 11 goals in 10 games. Watt was named NWSL Player of the Week for weeks 15 and 17.[15] She finished the season tied with Lynn Williams for the golden boot, Williams was given the award as she had more assists.[16] Watt was named to the 2016 NWSL Best XI.[17]

In 2017, Watt scored two goals in 10 games before tearing her ACL on June 24 in a game against the Orlando Pride. This injury would force her to miss the remainder of the 2017 season.[18]

Watt returned to the field on April 22, 2018 against the Orlando Pride. In 2018 she appeared in 19 games and scored 5 goals.[19]

Chicago Red Stars, 2020–

On January 6, 2020, it was announced that Watt was to be traded to the Chicago Red Stars in exchange for defender Katie Naughton and the 18th overall selection in the 2020 NWSL College Draft.[20][21]

International
Watt (top left) with the U.S. team at the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Japan, 2012.

A member of the U.S. youth national programs from the age of 13,[2] Watt has played with the under-15, under-17, under-18, under-20, and the under-23 teams.[22][23] As a member of the 2012 US U-20 Women's National Team, she won the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup and scored the game-winning goal in the 44th minute of the final to lead the U.S. to victory over Germany.[24][25][26]

Watt made her international debut for the senior team on October 23, 2016 against Switzerland in a friendly match in Minneapolis. She scored 48 seconds after entering the match as a substitute in the 81st minute, setting a record for the fastest goal in a US women's national team debut.[27] She received a call-up in July 2018 to the team's training camp for the 2018 Tournament of Nations, her first call-up since injuring her knee in 2017, but did not make the final roster for the tournament.[28]

Personal life

Watt is legally blind in her right eye.[29] Her brother-in-law is former NFL Houston Texans player Brian Cushing.[30][31]

In October 2016, Watt confirmed that she was in a relationship with NFL Houston Texans player J. J. Watt.[32][33] They became engaged in May 2019.[34] They were married on February 15, 2020 in the Bahamas.[35] Watt subsequently began using her married name in 2020.[36]

Honors

College

University of North Carolina

International

See also

References
  1. "Megan Ohai Profile". USC Trojans. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
  2. "Pretty Name, Dynamic Game". US Soccer. August 26, 2012. Archived from the original on October 30, 2013. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
  3. "Kealia Ohai Biography". University of North Carolina. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
  4. "High school sports: Kealia Ohai named national player of the year". Deseret News. June 16, 2010. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  5. Oram, Bill (June 15, 2010). "Alta's Kealia Ohai named to Parade's All America team". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
  6. "Kealia Ohai". United States Soccer Federation. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  7. "UNC women win 21st soccer title". ESPN. Associated Press. December 6, 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  8. Hays, Graham (December 3, 2012). "WINNING 21ST TITLE NO EASY FEAT FOR N. CAROLINA". ESPN. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  9. "Kealia Ohai scores at 5:53 of the second OT to lift North Carolina to 1–0 win over Stanford". Fox News. December 1, 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  10. "Ohai lifts North Carolina past Stanford in 2OT". Boston Herald. December 1, 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  11. "North Carolina wins 21st NCAA women's soccer crown". USA Today. Associated Press. December 3, 2012.
  12. Ortiz, Jose de Jesus (January 17, 2014). "Dash get a dose of speed with UNC's Ohai". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  13. "Tar Heels Dunn, Ohai go No. 1-2 in women's pro soccer draft". Herald Sun. January 17, 2014. Archived from the original on January 18, 2015. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  14. "Houston Dash select Kealia Ohai, Rafaelle Souza, Marissa Diggs and Jordan Jackson in 2014 NWSL College Draft". Houston Dynamo. January 17, 2014. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  15. "Kealia Ohai voted NWSL Player of the Week". August 2, 2016. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  16. "Here are the winners of the NWSL MVP and other awards". October 20, 2016. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  17. "National Women's Soccer League Announces 2016 Best XI". Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  18. "Houston Dash forward Kealia Ohai to miss the remainder of the season with left knee injury". June 26, 2017. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  19. "Kealia Ohai". Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  20. "Red Stars Acquire Kealia Ohai". chicagoredstars.com. Chicago Red Stars. January 6, 2020. Retrieved January 6, 2020.
  21. "Houston Dash acquire DF Katie Naughton and 2020 NWSL Draft pick from Chicago Red Stars in trade". houstondynamo.com. Houston Dynamo. January 6, 2020. Retrieved January 6, 2020.
  22. "Kealia Ohai". US Soccer. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
  23. "2013 Statistics". US Soccer. Archived from the original on July 27, 2013. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
  24. "U.S. Women Win U-20 World Cup". New York Times. September 8, 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  25. "FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Japan 2012 – USA 1:0 (1:0) Germany – Report". FIFA. September 8, 2012. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
  26. "U.S. women beat Germany 1–0 to win U-20 World Cup". USA Today. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  27. "Lloyd leads USA to 5–1 win vs. Switzerland on record-setting day in Minneapolis". US Soccer. October 23, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  28. "ELLIS CALLS 25 TO TRAINING CAMP AHEAD OF 2018 TOURNAMENT OF NATIONS". July 18, 2018. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  29. Ortiz, Jose de Jesus (May 13, 2014). "Ohai's vision a nonissue with Dash". Houston Chronicle. Houston. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
  30. "Dash use No. 2 pick on Kealia Ohai, sister-in-law of Brian Cushing". Houston Chronicle. January 17, 2014. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
  31. Kassouf, Jeff (January 17, 2014). "Kealia Ohai lands in Houston, where family awaits". Equalizer Soccer. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  32. Thompson, Dana (October 28, 2016). "Houston Dash player Kealia Ohai confirms she's dating J.J. Watt". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
  33. "J.J. Watt sends love to Kealia Ohai ahead of return from ACL injury". April 23, 2018.
  34. Duaine Hahn, Jason (May 26, 2019). "Houston Texans Star JJ Watt Is Engaged to Kealia Ohai: 'I'm the Luckiest Man in the World'". People. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
  35. Kimble, Lindsay (February 15, 2020). "JJ Watt Ties the Knot! NFL Star Marries Kealia Ohai in the Bahamas — See Her Dress!". People. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  36. "Chicago Red Stars Unveil 2020 Preseason Roster". Chicago Red Stars. March 9, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
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