Aria Nagai

Aria Nagai (born December 8, 2001) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for USL Super League club Dallas Trinity, on loan from the Utah Royals. She played college soccer for the Princeton Tigers and the North Carolina Tar Heels, winning the 2024 national championship with the Tar Heels.

Early life

Nagai was raised in Herndon, Virginia, the middle of three children born to Masaaki and Yuka Nagai. She played multiple sports growing up, including tennis, swimming, gymnastics, and figure skating. She began playing soccer when she was about ten after watching the Japan national team win the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. She played ECNL club soccer for Braddock Road Youth Club.

College career

After her freshman season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nagai played three seasons for the Princeton Tigers from 2021 to 2023, making 55 appearances (42 starts) and scoring 2 goals. She received All–Ivy League honors two times, including once on the first team.

Nagai joined the North Carolina Tar Heels as a graduate transfer in 2024, starting all 27 games and scoring 3 goals. In the semifinals of the ACC tournament, Nagai assisted Trinity Armstrong's go-ahead goal from a corner kick in a 2–1 win against Duke. In the NCAA tournament, she played every minute of the last three rounds as North Carolina won its 23rd national title and first since 2012.

Club career Nagai joined the Utah Royals as a non-roster trialist in the 2025 preseason, soon impressing head coach Jimmy Coenraets and the coaching staff. She said she hadn't planned to play professionally but welcomed the opportunity. She made her professional debut on April 25, replacing Cece Delzer as a second-half substitute in a 1–0 road loss to the Houston Dash. On August 3, soon after signing a new salary cap exempt contract until the end of the season, she made her next appearance and first professional start in a 1–1 draw with the reigning champion Orlando Pride.

On December 10, 2025, after making 11 appearances during her rookie season, she signed a one-year contract extension with the Royals on a salary cap exempt deal.

On July 31, 2026, Nagai was sent on loan to USL Super League club Dallas Trinity for the rest of the year.

Honors and awards

North Carolina Tar Heels NCAA Division I women's soccer tournament: 2024

Individual First-team All-Ivy: 2023 Second-team All-Ivy: 2023