Photo by: NATE SKVORETZ
Nagai Joins Utah Royals Ahead Of 2025 NWSL Season
March 5, 2025 | Women's Soccer
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Another member of the North Carolina women's soccer national championship team has joined the professional ranks: Aria Nagai has signed a salary cap exempt contract with the Utah Royals after exhausting her collegiate eligibility.
Nagai will suit up for the Royals with fellow UNC alumnae Ally Sentnor, who was the No. 1 overall selection by Utah in the 2024 NWSL Draft.
The midfielder, who helped guide the Tar Heels to the national title during her lone season in Chapel Hill as a graduate student in 2024, was one of five players to play in all 27 games and ranked fourth on the team with 2,178 minutes. She logged 14 matches of a full 90 and played every minute of the final three NCAA Tournament.
She finished the year with three goals and three assists for nine points. She bagged her first career brace at Florida State and dished out the game-winning assist vs. Duke in the ACC Tournament semifinals. She also had an assist against Penn State in the NCAA quarterfinals.
A native of Herndon, Va., Nagai is working towards her master's of applied professional studies with a focus on business and data science at UNC. She received her bachelor's degree in computer science from Princeton in May 2024.
The Utah Royals finished the 2024 season at No. 11 in the NWSL standings.
Stay up to date with UNC women's soccer by following the Tar Heels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Nagai will suit up for the Royals with fellow UNC alumnae Ally Sentnor, who was the No. 1 overall selection by Utah in the 2024 NWSL Draft.
The midfielder, who helped guide the Tar Heels to the national title during her lone season in Chapel Hill as a graduate student in 2024, was one of five players to play in all 27 games and ranked fourth on the team with 2,178 minutes. She logged 14 matches of a full 90 and played every minute of the final three NCAA Tournament.
She finished the year with three goals and three assists for nine points. She bagged her first career brace at Florida State and dished out the game-winning assist vs. Duke in the ACC Tournament semifinals. She also had an assist against Penn State in the NCAA quarterfinals.
A native of Herndon, Va., Nagai is working towards her master's of applied professional studies with a focus on business and data science at UNC. She received her bachelor's degree in computer science from Princeton in May 2024.
The Utah Royals finished the 2024 season at No. 11 in the NWSL standings.
Stay up to date with UNC women's soccer by following the Tar Heels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Players Mentioned
Midfielder
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