Kealia Ohai (left) was the Houston Dash’s all-time goal-scorer. Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
The Chicago Red Stars have acquired forward Kealia Ohai from the Houston Dash in exchange for defender Katie Naughton and the 18th overall selection in the 2020 NWSL college draft, the two teams announced Monday.
Chicago received the ninth and 18th overall picks in the 2020 college draft from the North Carolina Courage in exchange for the sixth overall pick.
Following the trade, Chicago has four first round picks (4th, 5th, 8th and 9th) along with the 26th and 35th overall picks in the draft. Houston holds the 12th and 18th overall picks and North Carolina adds a first-round pick (6th overall) to their 27th, 28th and 36th overall selections.
Houston selected Ohai second overall in the 2014 NWSL craft, marking the expansion team’s first ever draft pick. Ohai leaves the Dash, where she served as captain for the last three seasons, as the team’s all-time leading goalscorer (28). She was named to the 2016 NWSL Best XI after scoring 11 goals in 10 games and was the 2019 Goal of the Week winner in Weeks 4 and 19.
Naughton was taken by Chicago as the 19th overall selection in the 2016 draft. She made 88 appearances and 75 starts during her career with the Red Stars. The defender was a key factor in Chicago’s strong back line, one that set the NWSL shutout record in 2016 (485 consecutive minutes) and was named the Red Stars’ Defender of the Year in 2018.
The 2020 draft will take place at the United Soccer Coaches Convention in Baltimore on Jan. 16 at 11 a.m.
NWSL college draft order
Round 1
No. 1 Orlando Pride
No. 2 Sky Blue FC
No. 3 Sky Blue FC
No. 4 Chicago Red Stars
No. 5 Chicago Red Stars
No. 6 North Carolina Courage
No. 7 Portland Thorns FC
No. 8 Chicago Red Stars
No. 9 Chicago Red Stars
Round 2
No. 10 Orlando Pride
No. 11 Sky Blue FC
No. 12 Houston Dash
No. 13 Sky Blue FC
No. 14 Portland Thorns FC
No. 15 Portland Thorns FC
No. 16 Portland Thorns FC
No. 17 Sky Blue FC
No. 18 Houston Dash
Round 3
No. 19 Orlando Pride
No. 20 Sky Blue FC
No. 21 Orlando Pride
No. 22 Utah Royals FC
No. 23 Washington Spirit
No. 24 Reign FC
No. 25 Portland Thorns FC
No. 26 Chicago Red Stars
No. 27 North Carolina Courage
Round 4
No. 28 North Carolina Courage
No. 29 Sky Blue FC
No. 30 Orlando Pride
No. 31 Utah Royals FC
No. 32 Washington Spirit
No. 33 Reign FC
No. 34 Portland Thorns FC
No. 35 Chicago Red Stars
No. 36 North Carolina Courage
