Difference between revisions of "Kealia Ohai:Mormon Athlete"

Revision as of 15:06, 18 March 2014

Kealia Ohai is a celebrated American soccer player. She plays for the Houston Dash and is a member of the United States U-23 Women’s National soccer team.

Ohai was a four-year starter with the North Carolina Tar Heels from 2010 to 2013. As a member of the 2012 U-20 Women’s National team, she scored the game-winning goal in the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup final. Three months later she was named the NCAA tournament's most outstanding offensive player after scoring the game-winning goal during overtime in the semi-final and the first goal of the final in the second minute of the match. She was selected second overall by the Dash in the 2014 NWSL college draft.

Kealia (pronounced Kay-LEE-uh) was born on January 31, 1992, to Ben and Cindy Ohai and raised in Draper, Utah. Her father, who was born in Hawaii, named her after Kealia Beach on the island of Kauai. She is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Ohai graduated from Alta High School in June 2010 where she was a four-year varsity soccer player. She led the team to four straight state soccer championships from 2006 to 2009. She was three-time first-team high school All-America, three-time All-State selection, three-time 5A soccer MVP, and a two-time Gatorade state player of the year, She was the 2010 NSCAA National High School Player of the year. In June 2010, she earned Parade All-American honors. As a youth, Ohai also played club soccer for the Utah Avalanche. She won the state title with the team four times.

Ohai’s sister, Megan, lives in Houston and is married to Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing. Megan played collegiately at USC from 2007 to 2010, where she won the 2007 NCAA championship.