Recent Colorado graduate and 2013 NCAA Tournament runner-up Kahlia Hogg has signed for W-League club Canberra United for the remainder of the 2016/17 season, returning to the club with which the fullback rose to prominence before making the move to college, and will be available for selection immediately.
Kahlia made 24 appearances for Canberra United between 2009 and 2011, chipping in a solitary goal in her time with the club prior to commencing her college career at Florida State. Opportunities were hard to come by in Tallahassee for the fullback, and although her time with the Seminoles provided Kahlia with a chance to be part of a national runner-up squad, the Young Matilda featured in just 10 games across two seasons. Kahlia then decided to transfer to Colorado after her sophomore year, teaming up with fellow Australian Alex Huynh in Boulder.
Kahlia played in 22 games in her first season at Colorado, playing in a variety of positions but finding plenty of success in a wide attacking role. Kahlia scored four goals and also chipped in four assists as Colorado caused a first round boilover in the NCAA Tournament by defeating BYU 2-0 before going down in overtime to perennial powerhouse North Carolina.
Kahlia’s first attempt at a senior season in 2015 was cut short after just six appearances due to injury, but her request for a medical redshirt was granted and 2016 was a far more productive year. Moved into a central defensive role, ironically after Alex Huynh’s transfer to Troy, Kahlia’s attacking output diminished, as was to be expected, as the defender contributed just one goal and one assist in 16 appearances. However, the Colorado defence conceded just 12 goals in Kahlia’s 16 appearances as the team punched well above its weight all season to earn another NCAA Tournament berth, where they went down 1-0 to South Carolina in the second round despite a valiant effort against one of the top sides in the country.
Whilst in the US, Kahlia spent time playing in the now-defunct USL W-League. Kahlia spent the 2012 season playing with Pali Blues, a club which at the time featured the likes of Matildas World Cup representative Servet Uzunlar, US national team player Whitney Engen, former Melbourne City player Anisa Guajardo, former Canberra United player Nikki Washington, and former Western Sydney Wanderers player Camille Levin. Unfortunately for Kahlia, the Blues were defeated on penalties by Katrina Gorry and Ottawa Fury in the championship game after conceding a 94th minute equaliser.
Kahlia also spent the 2014 season playing for Colorado Rush in a team that included the likes of Carson Pickett and Janine Beckie, and suited up for Colorado Storm for 3 games in United Women’s Soccer’s inaugural season in 2016.
Kahlia returns to Canberra United with a bevy of program and conference awards for both academic and athletic achievement, but most importantly, a degree in Mechanical Engineering in her back pocket. Canberra United fans will be fervently hoping that she can keep opposition attackers in her back pocket as she looks to help the team in green make a late charge for the title after last week’s 6-1 setback against Sydney FC.
Kahlia’s return swells the number of Australian college players playing in the W-League to no fewer than six, alongside Melbourne City pair Aivi Luik (Nevada) and Amy Jackson (Florida International), Newcastle Jets’ Liz O’Reilly (Wyoming), Melbourne Victory’s Selin Kuralay (Florida State), and Perth Glory midfielder Jaymee Gibbons (Lander).
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