Next Monday marks the five-month anniversary of Utah Royals FC’s existence. From owner Dell Loy Hansen’s announcement in early November at Rio Tinto Stadium, to Head Coach Laura Harvey’s preseason in late February, to road points earned in both of the club’s first two official NWSL matches – the organization has already experienced a lot.
As the number of days towards the historic home opener wane, we now take a closer look at the women who will forever be known as “the first.” Bringing years of experience, talent and grit, all of the members of URFC left their homes, many leaving family, to chase their dreams of professional glory in Salt Lake City, Utah.
One distinct personality on the squad is USWNT defender, and long-time NWSL star, Kelley O’Hara (#5). O’Hara, who has 108 caps for the U.S. side and has found great success at Rio Tinto Stadium multiple times for the U.S., now calls “the RioT” home.
With five days left before the home opener, here are five things you need to know about URFC’s number five.
1. O’Hara has won almost every award available in women’s soccer. Her extensive list of accolades includes winning the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, a runner-up in the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup, a gold medal in the 2012 London Olympics, 2018 #SheBelieves Cup, and three-time Algarve Cup winner (2011, 2013, and 2015). On an individual level, O’Hara was the 2009 Hermann Trophy winner while playing for the Stanford Cardinals, an award given to the top collegiate soccer player in the country.
2. O’Hara moves to Utah from Sky Blue FC, for whom the versatile player scored 15 goals in 75 games in the last five NWSL seasons. As the 2018 season kicked off, O’Hara was on the NWSL top twenty list in assists (three), and finished number one in the league for touches per 90 min (averaging 80 touches per minute). This season, O’Hara played the full 90 against the Orlando Pride, before having to sit out with a hamstring injury at Houston in week two.
3. As a teenager, O’Hara was a star forward out of Peachtree City, where she led her local high school to the 5A Georgia state titled, netting 20 goals and 16 assists. Her stellar performance earned her the Georgia State Gatorade Player of the year as a senior.
4. O’Hara graduated from one of the most elite universities in the nation with a degree from Stanford in Science, Technology, and Society. The degree works jointly the arts and sciences, meaning O’Hara immersed herself in project-based courses – all while trying to balance her time as a student-athlete. While in college, O’Hara was also a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma.
5. Outside of soccer, O’Hara is an avid surfer. Taken up after moving to the west coast, O’Hara is known to have frequently ridden the waves in her free time. You can keep up with URFC’s number five by following her on twitter at @kelleymohara, or on Instagram at @kelleyohara.
Kelley O’Hara on coming to Utah: “I’m like ‘this is so professional’. I've been blown away. There really are no words because nothing rivals this. I’m pretty happy to be here… I’m also looking forward to the home opener and playing in Utah in front of our fans and being at the RioT.”
“In my time with the USWNT, playing in Salt Lake has always been a top-notch experience with amazing facilities and a dedicated fan base. I grew up coming to Utah as a kid and I'm looking forward to calling the mountains home.”
Utah Royals FC head coach Laura Harvey on O’Hara: “Kelley is a proven International player, who has been a standout player for both the USWNT and the NWSL over recent years. Her talent, work ethic and winning mentality is something I think will be infectious throughout the team. Kelley is the prime of her career and I feel coming to Utah is a great move for both her and the Royals.”
“Kelley is someone that has a winning mentality. Any game you play, she wants to win everything, and you need people like that on your team,” Utah Royals FC head coach Laura Harvey explained. “It’s huge in this league. You play 24 games and a cup final, and you need people that can go that extra mile to win games—and she’s willing to do that."
