| Michelle Alozie | |
| Fullname: | Michelle Chinwendu Alozie[1] |
| Birth Date: | 1997 4, df=y |
| Birth Place: | Apple Valley, California, U.S. |
| Height: | 1.68m |
| Position: | Forward / Defender |
| Currentclub: | Houston Dash |
| Clubnumber: | 11 |
| Youthyears1: | 2011–2014 |
| Youthclubs1: | Legends FC |
| Youthyears2: | 2011–2014 |
| Youthclubs2: | Granite Hills Cougars |
| Collegeyears1: | 2015–2018 |
| College1: | Yale Bulldogs |
| Collegecaps1: | 49 |
| Collegegoals1: | 19 |
| Collegeyears2: | 2019 |
| College2: | Tennessee Volunteers |
| Collegecaps2: | 17 |
| Collegegoals2: | 3 |
| Years1: | 2020 |
| Clubs1: | BIIK Kazygurt |
| Years2: | 2021– |
| Clubs2: | Houston Dash |
| Caps2: | 44 |
| Goals2: | 6 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2021– |
| Nationalteam1: | Nigeria |
| Nationalcaps1: | 23 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 1 |
| Pcupdate: | 23:02, 7 July 2024 (UTC) |
| Ntupdate: | 27 July 2023.[2] |
Michelle Chinwendu Alozie (born 28 April 1997) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for National Women's Soccer League club Houston Dash. Born in the United States, she represents Nigeria at international level.
Alozie was born and raised in Apple Valley, California to Nigerian parents from Imo State, Nigeria.[1] She attended the Granite Hills High School in her hometown.
Alozie attended Yale University and played soccer for the Yale Bulldogs from 2015 to 2018.[3] She suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her senior season. Alozie transferred as a graduate to the University of Tennessee to continue playing for the Tennessee Volunteers.[1]
Alozie registered for the 2019 National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) College Draft but was not selected.
In January 2020, Alozie signed a contract with BIIK Kazygurt, the defending champions of the Kazakhstani women's football championship.[4] She trained with the team for three months before COVID-19 ended the season, and she returned to California.
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.
Alozie made her international debut for Nigeria on 10 June 2021 as a 65th-minute substitution in a 0–1 friendly loss to Jamaica.[5] The game was part of the 2021 US Summer Series taking place in Houston where Alozie was training with the Dash. She was named to Nigeria's roster by national team manager Randy Waldrum after one training session with the team the day prior.[6] In Nigeria's second game of the series against Portugal, Alozie scored her first (and so far her only) goal for Nigeria in an enthralling 3-3 draw.[7]
On 16 June 2023, Alozie was named to the 23-player Nigerian squad for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.[8] She played every minute of the tournament for the Super Falcons with Nigeria eventually losing to England on penalties after a 0–0 draw in the Round of 16.[9] In the 87th minute of that game, Alozie was involved in an infamous incident that went viral. She had successfully won the ball off England forward Lauren James but was fouled and stamped on by James, who was subsequently sent off for violent conduct after a VAR intervention, receiving a two-game ban.[10]
In December 2023, Alozie was named to the CAF Women's Africa Best XI as one of the world's best African players.[11]
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.[12]