Chai Cortez

Last updated

Chai Cortez
Personal information
Date of birth (1998-07-18) July 18, 1998 (age 26)
Height 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m)
Position(s) Full-back
Youth career
Hawaii Surf
College career
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2018–2022 Oregon Ducks 79 (1)
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2023 San Diego Wave 2 (0)
2024 San Diego Wave 0 (0)
International career
United States U14
United States U16
United States U17
United States U18
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of December 25, 2024

Chai Cortez (born July 18, 1998) is an American professional soccer player who most recently played as a full-back for San Diego Wave FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She played college soccer for the Oregon Ducks before joining the Wave for two professional stints.

Contents

Early life

Cortez grew up in Kahului, Hawaii, alongside three sisters. [1] Cortez's oldest sister, Kylie, was a college soccer player who starred for the Chaminade Silverswords. [2] As a teenager, Cortez attended Lokelani Intermediate school and Maui High School. [3] [4] She led Maui High School in scoring during her last three years of education and was named to the all-league first team. Cortez also played club soccer for the Hawaii Surf, where she helped the team win two club championships. [3]

College career

In 2018, Cortez started playing with the Oregon Ducks. She started all 19 of Oregon's games in two seasons and earned All-Pac-12 Third Team and Defensive Player of the Week honors in 2021. [3] [5] [6] She scored her only collegiate goal against California on March 26, 2021, converting the match-winner directly off of a corner kick. [7] Cortez finished her college career in 2022 with 79 appearances and 1 goal recorded. Her 11 assists tied for the seventh-highest in program history. [3]

Club career

During the 2023 NWSL preseason, Cortez joined the Houston Dash's squad as a non-rostered invitee. [8] She ended up sustaining an injury during the Dash's training camp and did not sign with Houston. [9] [10]

San Diego Wave, 2023

On July 27, 2023, Cortez signed her first professional contract with San Diego Wave FC as a national team replacement player, [11] [12] becoming the first Maui Interscholastic League graduate to sign in the NWSL. [10] She made her debut with the Wave on July 8, 2023, starting and playing 60 minutes in a 2–2 draw with the Washington Spirit. [13] [14] Cortez also started in the Wave's very next game, an NWSL Challenge Cup defeat to Portland Thorns FC. [15]

Later in July, Wave players who participated in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup returned to the club. [16] Subsequently, Cortez moved from a national team replacement contract to an injury replacement contract. [17] She made one more appearance for the Wave before getting released on October 7. [18]

San Diego Wave, 2024

With five Wave players out for the summer in order to compete in the 2024 Olympics, [19] Cortez again signed a national team replacement player contract on July 18. [20] She did not appear for the Wave before she was released in August 2024. [21]

International career

As a middle schooler, Cortez received her first youth international call-up in 2014 to the U-14 national team. [4] [22] She later went on to represent the United States at various other youth levels, including U-16, U-17, and U-18. [3] [23]

Career statistics

Club

As of December 25, 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season, and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCup [a] Playoffs [b] OtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
San Diego Wave FC 2023 NWSL 201000—30
San Diego Wave FC 2024 00——0 [c] 000
Career total2010000030

Honors

San Diego Wave

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References

  1. ↑ Haubner, Andrew (November 3, 2021). "Cortez reps Hawaiian, Polynesian culture with Oregon soccer". KEZI 9 News. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Kylie Cortez - 2014 - Women's Soccer". Chaminade University Athletics. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Chai Cortez - Women's Soccer". University of Oregon Athletics. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  4. 1 2 "Cortez will be out to impress". Maui News. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Cortez, Freeman Honored by Pac-12". University of Oregon Athletics. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Valley Isle Sports / In Brief". mauinews.com. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  7. ↑ "Ducks Bring Five-Match Unbeaten Streak Into the Weekend". University of Oregon Athletics. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  8. ↑ FC, Houston Dynamo. "Houston Dash announce 2023 preseason roster | Houston Dynamo". Houston Dynamo FC. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  9. ↑ FC, Houston Dynamo. "Houston Dash announce updated 2023 roster | Houston Dynamo". Houston Dynamo FC. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  10. 1 2 Collias, Robert (July 7, 2023). "Cortez's soccer journey has officially reached NWSL". mauinews.com. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  11. ↑ Emerick, Tyler (June 27, 2023). "San Diego Wave FC Sign Shea Connors, Chai Cortez and Sydney Cummings as National Team Replacement Players". San Diego Wave Fútbol Club. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  12. ↑ Herrera, Hayden (June 27, 2023). "Former Duck Chai Cortez signed by San Diego Wave". KPIC. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  13. ↑ Emerick, Tyler (July 9, 2023). "San Diego Wave FC Earns 2-2 Draw Against Washington Spirit". San Diego Wave Fútbol Club. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Cortez makes historic NWSL debut". mauinews.com. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  15. ↑ Emerick, Tyler (July 22, 2023). "San Diego Wave FC Falls 4-1 to Portland Thorns FC in 2023 UKG NWSL Challenge Cup at Providence Park". San Diego Wave Fútbol Club. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  16. ↑ Zepeda, Abraham (August 31, 2023). "San Diego Wave release four National Team replacement players". East Village Times. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  17. ↑ Emerick, Tyler (August 31, 2023). "San Diego Wave FC Announces National Team Replacement Roster Updates". San Diego Wave Fútbol Club. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  18. ↑ Emerick, Tyler (October 7, 2023). "San Diego Wave FC Release Defender Chai Cortez". San Diego Wave Fútbol Club. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  19. ↑ Gier, Kathleen (July 23, 2024). "NWSL sends record number of players to Olympics, teams sign replacements – Equalizer Soccer". equalizersoccer.com. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  20. ↑ Emerick, Tyler (July 18, 2024). "San Diego Wave FC Announce Signing of Two National Team Replacement Players". San Diego Wave Fútbol Club. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  21. ↑ Emerick, Tyler (August 3, 2024). "San Diego Wave FC Announces National Team Replacement Roster Updates". San Diego Wave Fútbol Club. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  22. ↑ "U.S. U14 GNT Comes Together for Second Camp | Club Soccer | Youth Soccer". TopDrawerSoccer.com. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  23. ↑ "U.S. U-17, U-18 Women's National Teams set for training camp". SoccerWire. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  24. ↑ "San Diego Wave claim 2023 NWSL Shield". ConcacafW. October 17, 2023. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
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