Aria Nagai
American soccer player (born 2001)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Aria Nagai (born December 8, 2001) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for the Utah Royals of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She played college soccer for the Princeton Tigers and the North Carolina Tar Heels, winning the 2024 national championship with the Tar Heels.
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Nagai with North Carolina in 2024 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Aria Nagai[1] | ||
| Date of birth | December 8, 2001 | ||
| Place of birth | Herndon, Virginia, U.S. | ||
| Height | 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Utah Royals | ||
| Number | 33 | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021–2023 | Princeton Tigers | 55 | (2) |
| 2024 | North Carolina Tar Heels | 27 | (3) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2025– | Utah Royals | 16 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of May 10, 2026 | |||
Early life
Nagai was raised in Herndon, Virginia, the middle of three children born to Masaaki and Yuka Nagai.[2] She played multiple sports growing up including tennis, swimming, gymnastics, and figure skating.[3] She began playing soccer when she was about ten after watching the Japan national team win the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.[4] She played ECNL club soccer for Braddock Road Youth Club.[2] She played high school soccer at Chantilly High School, in Fairfax County, Virginia, and was named the Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year in 2020.[5]
College career
Princeton Tigers
After her freshman season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nagai played three seasons for the Princeton Tigers from 2021 to 2023, making 55 appearances (42 starts) and scoring 2 goals. She received All–Ivy League honors two times, including once on the first team.[6]
North Carolina Tar Heels
Nagai joined the North Carolina Tar Heels as a graduate transfer in 2024, starting all 27 games and scoring 3 goals.[2] Two of those goals came in the span of about two minutes during a 4–2 away loss to the defending national champions Florida State.[7] In the semifinals of the ACC tournament, Nagai assisted Trinity Armstrong's go-ahead goal from a corner kick in a 2–1 win against Duke.[8] In the NCAA tournament, she played every minute of the last three rounds as North Carolina won its 23rd national title and first since 2012.[2][9]
Club career
Nagai joined the Utah Royals as a non-roster trialist in the 2025 preseason, soon impressing head coach Jimmy Coenraets and the coaching staff.[10] She said she hadn't planned to play professionally but welcomed the opportunity.[10] On March 4, the Royals announced that they had signed Nagai to a short-term salary cap exempt contract.[11] On April 25, she made her professional debut as a second-half substitute for Cece Kizer in a 1–0 road loss to the Houston Dash.[12] On July 29, she signed another salary cap exempt contract for the remainder of the season.[13] Five days later, she made her first professional start and second appearance in a 1–1 draw with the reigning champion Orlando Pride.[14] She finished her rookie season with 11 appearances, starting 7.[15] On December 10, the Royals announced a one-year extension for Nagai on a salary cap exempt contract.[16]
