Michelle Alozie

Michelle Chinwendu Alozie (born 28 April 1997) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for National Women's Soccer League team Houston Dash. Born in the United States, she represents the Nigeria women's national team.

Early life

Alozie was born and raised in Apple Valley, California, to Nigerian parents from Imo State Nigeria. She attended the Granite Hills High School in her hometown.

College career

Alozie attended Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, as an undergraduate and played football for the Yale Bulldogs. She suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament that ended her senior season and transferred as a graduate to the University of Tennessee to continue playing for the Tennessee Volunteers.

Club career

Alozie registered for the 2019 National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) College Draft but was not selected.

BIIK Kazygurt

In January 2020, Alozie signed a contract with BIIK Kazygurt, the defending champions of the Kazakhstani women's football championship. She trained and played for the team for three months before COVID-19 ended the season, and she returned to California.

Houston Dash

Alozie joined the Houston Dash, where Alozie's childhood friend Ally Prisock was playing, as a preseason trialist without a contract in 2021. Dash assistant Twila Kilgore had previously recruited Alozie when Kilgore was head coach of the Pepperdine Waves. Alozie signed a national team replacement contract during the 2021 Houston Dash season, then signed a full contract for the remainder of the season in August 2021. In the 2022 season, Alozie made her first postseason start in the Dash's NWSL Playoffs appearance.

In December 2022, Alozie signed a two-year contract extension with the Dash.

International career

Alozie made her senior debut for Nigeria on 10 June 2021 as a 65th-minute substitution in a 0–1 friendly loss to Jamaica. Alozie was named by national team manager Randy Waldrum, who had previously managed the Dash. Alozie, still a trialist with the Dash, had asked the team's then-manager James Clarkson to invite Waldrum to Dash practice on 8 June 2021, at which Waldrum named Alozie and Esther Okoronkwo to the roster against Jamaica two days later. Waldrum played Alozie at full-back out of necessity.

On 16 June 2023, she was included in the 23-player Nigerian squad for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. She made her FIFA Women's World Cup debut on 21 July 2023 in a goalless draw against Canada. She also played a vital role in Nigeria's 3–2 victory over co-hosts Australia 6 days later. Eventually, she played every minute of the tournament for the Super Falcons with Nigeria losing only to England on penalties after a 0–0 draw, in a keenly contested round of 16 tie in Lang Park, Brisbane.

Off-field medical career

Alozie obtained a Bachelors Degree in Molecular Biology from Yale University. She works part-time as a cancer research technician at the Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, Texas.

References

External links

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Houston Dash player profile

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alozie, Michelle
1997 births
Living people
Citizens of Nigeria through descent
Nigerian women's footballers
Women's association football forwards
Nigeria women's international footballers
People from Apple Valley, California
Soccer players from San Bernardino County, California
American women's soccer players
Yale Bulldogs women's soccer players
Tennessee Volunteers women's soccer players
BIIK Kazygurt players
Houston Dash players
National Women's Soccer League players
American sportspeople of Nigerian descent
African-American women's soccer players
21st-century African-American sportspeople
21st-century African-American women
Expatriate women's footballers in Kazakhstan
American expatriate sportspeople in Kazakhstan
American expatriate women's soccer players
2023 FIFA Women's World Cup players
Yale University alumni