Michelle Alozie, The Super Falcon who Moonlights as a Cancer Research Technician
Michelle Alozie was born and raised in Apple Valley, California, to Nigerian parents from Imo State. In her hometown, she attended Granite Hills High School. Michelle attended Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, and played football for the Yale Bulldogs as an Undergraduate.
Her senior season was cut short due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament, so she transferred as a graduate student to the University of Tennessee to continue playing for the Tennessee Volunteers. Michelle signed up for the 2019 National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) College Draught but was not chosen.
Michelle made her senior debut for Nigeria as a 65th-minute substitute in a 0-1 friendly loss to Jamaica on June 10, 2021. Randy Waldrum, who previously managed the Dash, chose Michelle as his national team manager. Michelle, who was still a trialist with the Dash at the time, had asked the team's then-manager, James Clarkson, to invite Waldrum to a Dash practice on June 8, 2021, after which Waldrum named Michelle and Esther Okoronkwo to the roster against Jamaica the next day. Michelle was forced to play fullback by Waldrum.
She was named to Nigeria's 23-player squad for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup on June 16, 2023. On 21 July 2023, she made her FIFA Women's World Cup debut, drawing 0-0 with Canada. She was also crucial in Nigeria's 3-2 victory over co-hosts Australia six days later. She eventually played every minute of the tournament for the Super Falcons, with Nigeria losing only on penalties to England after a 0-0 draw in a tense round of 16 matches in Lang Park, Brisbane.
She applied for a position as a cancer research technician to avoid "just wasting away" her free time as a professional athlete.
"I didn't have this job during the preseason. So, once we finished the morning session, with weights and everything, I felt like I was doing nothing," Michelle explained to the Dash media team in an interview. "I was just sitting at home, watching Netflix shows, or doing solo sessions with a trainer every other day, but for the most part, I felt like I was wasting away because we had so much free time, I felt."
Michelle worked part-time at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, Texas.
“If I finish here (with the Dash) at noon or 1 p.m., I’ll run to the lab,” she said. “Thankfully, it’s really close to our facility. So, I’ll just run over to the med centre and help out wherever my coworkers left off. I’ll usually go in on weekends, too.”
Michelle signed a contract with BIIK Kazygurt, the defending Kazakhstani women's football champions, in January 2020. She trained and played for the team for three months before COVID-19 called off the season, and she returned to California. She taught and played for the team for three months before the season ended, and she returned to California.
Michelle joined the Houston Dash as a preseason trialist in 2021, where her childhood friend Ally Prisock was playing. Twila Kilgore, a Dash assistant, had previously recruited Michelle when she was the head coach of the Pepperdine Waves. Michelle signed a national team replacement contract during the 2021 Houston Dash season, then signed a full-season contract in August 2021. Michelle made her first postseason start in the Dash's NWSL Playoffs appearance in 2022.
Michelle signed a two-year contract extension with the Dash in December 2022.
On June 10, 2021, Michelle made her senior debut for Nigeria In a 0-1 friendly loss to Jamaica, she was replaced in the 65th minute. Randy Waldrum, who previously managed the Dash, named Michelle to the national team. Michelle, who was still a trialist with the Dash at the time, had asked the team's then-manager, James Clarkson, to invite Waldrum to a Dash practice on 8 June 2021, after which Waldrum named Michelle and Esther Okoronkwo to the roster against Jamaica two days later. Waldrum forced Michelle to play fullback.
She was named to Nigeria's 23-member squad for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup on June 16, 2023. She made her FIFA Women's World Cup debut on July 21, 2023, in a goalless draw against Canada. She was crucial in Nigeria's 3-2 victory over co-hosts Australia. She eventually played every minute of the tournament for the Super Falcons, with Nigeria losing only on penalties to England after a 0-0 draw in a tense round of 16 tie in Lang Park, Brisbane.