 Watt in 2014 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kealia Ohai Watt | ||
| Birth name | Kealia Mae Ohai[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1992-01-31)January 31, 1992 (age 33) | ||
| Place of birth | Draper, Utah, United States | ||
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) | ||
| Position | Midfielder /Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2000–2010 | Avalanche Soccer Club | ||
| 2006–2010 | Alta High School | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2010–2013 | North Carolina Tar Heels | 44 | (20) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2014–2019 | Houston Dash | 114 | (28) |
| 2020–2021 | Chicago Red Stars | 28 | (7) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 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) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of February 14, 2022 ‡ National team caps and goals as of November 13, 2017 | |||
Kealia Ohai Watt (/keɪˈliːə/kay-ə-LEE-ə; bornKealia Mae Ohai; January 31, 1992) is an American former professionalsoccer player who played for theChicago Red Stars and theHouston Dash in theNational Women's Soccer League (NWSL).
Watt played for theNorth Carolina Tar Heels in college, winning theNCAA championship in2012. She represented the United States on theunder-17,under-20,under-23 andsenior national teams. She scored the winning goal in the final match of the2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.
Watt was born to Ben and Cindy Ohai and raised inDraper, Utah.[2][3] Her sister, Megan, is a former youth national team member who played soccer atUSC where she won the 2007 NCAA championship.[4] She is partHawaiian on her father's side.[5] Her parents named her after Kealia Beach on the island ofKauai.[6]
Watt, who graduated fromAlta High School in June 2010, was a four-year varsity soccer player at the school.[7] She led the team to four straight state soccer championships from 2006 to 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.[7][8] In June 2010, she earned Parade All-American honors.[9]
As a youth, Watt also played club soccer for the Utah Avalanche. With the team, she won four state titles.[10]
A four-year starter with the Tar Heels from 2010 to 2013, Watt was a member of the2012 championship-winning team.[11][12] She was named the tournament's most outstanding offensive player after scoring the game-winning goal during overtime in the semi-final[13][14] and the first goal of the final in the second minute of the match.[11][15]
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.[10] 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.[7][10] In her third year with the Tar Heels, Ohai led the team in points (23) and goals (9).[7]
.jpg)
Watt was selected as the second overall pick in the2014 NWSL College Draft by theHouston Dash as the expansion team's very first college draft pick.[16][17] Of her draft selection, Dash head coachRandy 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."[18] She came second in voting forNWSL Rookie of the Year following the 2014 season.[19]
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.[20] She finished the season tied withLynn Williams for the golden boot, Williams was given the award as she had more assists.[21] Watt was named to the 2016 NWSLBest XI.[22]
In 2017, Watt scored two goals in 10 games before tearing her ACL on June 24 in a game against theOrlando Pride. This injury would force her to miss the remainder of the 2017 season.[23]
Watt returned to the field on April 22, 2018, against theOrlando Pride. In 2018, she appeared in 19 games and scored 5 goals.[24]
On January 6, 2020, Watt was traded to theChicago Red Stars in exchange fordefenderKatie Naughton and the 18th overall selection in the2020 NWSL College Draft.[25][26]
After the 2021 season, Watt was a free agent.[27] She did not officially announce her retirement from professional soccer, but Watt's husband later broke the news that she was retired from professional soccer during an interview withPeople in 2023, ending speculation about her return.[28][29]
.JPG)
A member of the U.S. youth national programs from the age of 13,[6] Watt has played with the under-15, under-17, under-18,under-20, and theunder-23 teams.[30][31] As a member of the2012 US U-20 Women's National Team, she won the2012 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.[32][33][34]
Watt made her international debut for thesenior 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.[35] She received a call-up in July 2018 to the team's training camp for the2018 Tournament of Nations, her first call-up since injuring her knee in 2017, but did not make the final roster for the tournament.[36]
Watt was announced as a contributor and sideline analyst for Amazon's Prime Video broadcast of the NWSL in 2024.[37] Her broadcast debut was on April 12, 2024 for a match between the Dash and theWashington Spirit.[38]
Watt was born and raised in Utah. Her father Ben was an All-American wrestler atBrigham Young University in 1973 and 1974.[39]
Watt is legally blind in her right eye.[40] Her brother-in-law is formerNational Football League (NFL)Houston Texans playerBrian Cushing.[41][42]
In October 2016, Watt confirmed that she was in a relationship with NFL playerJ. J. Watt.[43][44] They became engaged in May 2019.[45] They were married on February 15, 2020, in theBahamas,[46] and Watt subsequently began using her married name.[47] On October 23, 2022, Watt gave birth to her and J. J.'s first son Koa.[48] Their second son, Niko Benjamin Watt, was born on June 14, 2025.[49]
On May 1, 2023, the couple were announced as new minority investors inBurnley, which earned promotion from theEFL Championship to thePremier League for the 2023–24 season.[50]
| Club | Season | League | Cup[a] | Play-offs[b] | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Houston Dash | 2014 | NWSL | 23 | 4 | — | — | 23 | 4 | ||
| 2015 | 19 | 4 | — | — | 19 | 4 | ||||
| 2016 | 20 | 11 | — | — | 20 | 11 | ||||
| 2017 | 10 | 2 | — | — | 10 | 2 | ||||
| 2018 | 19 | 5 | — | — | 19 | 5 | ||||
| 2019 | 23 | 2 | — | — | 23 | 2 | ||||
| Total | 114 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 114 | 28 | ||
| Chicago Red Stars | 2020 | NWSL Fall Series | 4 | 2 | 6 | 0 | — | 10 | 2 | |
| 2021 | NWSL | 24 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 30 | 5 | |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 28 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 40 | 7 | ||
| Career total | 142 | 35 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 154 | 35 | ||
North Carolina Tar Heels women's soccer team
Chicago Red Stars
United States U20
