COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Karlie Kisha (Hamburg, Pa.) has officially announced her retirement from the U.S. Women’s National Team following a five-year playing career at the senior level and ten years within the women’s system. The 29-year-old Paris 2024 Olympian competed in 73 international matches for Team USA.
When trying to pinpoint exactly how she got involved or started playing field hockey, Kisha jokes that she was born into the sport. Having a September birthday, the Hamburg, Pa. native was brought to the field when she was only a couple weeks old by her mother who was a long-time high school coach. As she grew up, she was always around a field, either watching her mom coach or her older sister play. Kisha started playing competitively in the sixth grade.
Kisha attended Hamburg Area High School where she was a four-year varsity letter winner and was tabbed the team’s Most Valuable Player in each of her four years. With the Hawks, she scored a combined 47 goals and registered 29 assists in her final two seasons enroute to two All-State selections and a Regional All-America honor in her senior campaign. She served as team captain in both her junior and senior years and finished her career with 73 total goals and 58 total assists.
In 2008, Kisha started her journey in the Olympic Development Pathway and was involved for 14 years. She participated in Futures (now Nexus) or Future Elite for seven straight years, advancing to the National Futures or Futures Elite Championship three times. From 2013 to 2018, she was selected to four consecutive Junior National Camps and named to the U-19 squad in 2014 and U-21 team in 2015. She competed in high performance centers for another seven years starting in 2015 and advanced every year to the Young Women’s National Championship (renamed the Senior Nexus Championship in 2022). Kisha was a member of the U.S. Women’s National Development Team for three years (2017, 2018, 2019) and went on tours to Chile and Holland.
Kisha played collegiately at the University of Connecticut (2014-2017), where she was a part of two national championship teams and made four final four appearances. In her sophomore through senior seasons, she started every contest and collected many personal accolades. She was a three-time All-BIG EAST Second Team honoree, two-time All-NCAA Tournament Team (2015, 2017) member, three-time NFHCA All-Mideast Region Team (2015, 2017 – first; 2016 - second) member, and named to the 2017 BIG EAST All-Tournament Team and a 2017 Third Team All-American. She helped the Huskies win four straight BIG EAST Conference Tournament Titles and two NCAA Division I National Championships in 2014 and 2017.
In January 2020, Kisha was named to the U.S. Women’s National Team and on February 7 played in her first cap against Argentina in the FIH Hockey Pro League. She competed in every edition of the League through the 2023-24 season, only missing nine of the team’s 57 matches.
She was part of the squad that earned fourth at the 2022 Pan American Cup in Santiago, Chile and was integral in the relocation of the USWNT to Charlotte, N.C. in the lead-up to the Olympic Games.
The final two years of Kisha’s career were marked by memorable moments. In October 2023, she helped the United Eagles to a second place finish at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, after a tight 1-2 battle with Argentina. A few months later she made the squad and represented USA at the 2024 FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifier in Ranchi, India. In the historic run, she helped the red, white and blue secure qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
A mere three months before the Paris 2024 squad was to be named, Kisha was diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer and had to have her thyroid and lymph nodes removed. Recovering from surgery is never easy – especially one for cancer – but just one week after the operation, she was back with the team in Europe preparing for a leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League. Competitive and resilient, Kisha returned to playing on June 2 and ten days later saw her name on the U.S. Olympic Women’s National Team roster to represent USA at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Reaching the pinnacle of sport is an achievement in itself, but Kisha notes the journey and build-up to get to that moment as some of her favorite highlights from her career.
“Being a part of two National Champion teams at the University of Connecticut, especially during my senior year where we went undefeated in 2017; winning a silver medal at the Pan American Games; and hearing that final horn blow to signify that we punched our ticket to Paris and celebrating with my teammates as our dreams were coming true in Ranchi, India – have to be some of the top highlights of my career.”
She goes on to note that, “The feeling of singing the national anthem for the first time in Paris as Olympians next to my amazing teammates and in front of my family and friends was chilling and super memorable. But overall, the best highlight of my career was being able to meet and befriend so many amazing people. I will cherish these friendships and the little moments with them forever.”
Kisha retires having competed in 73 international senior matches. She added, “Being able to represent your country is an honor like no other. I have nothing but gratitude for being able to represent Team USA on the world stage.”
Kisha has an extensive list of individuals she would like to thank. “I am so lucky to have had such loving, caring and supportive teammates and coaches throughout my life. I would like to thank all of my coaches and teammates from Hamburg Area High School, Reading YMCA, High Styx Club, the University of Connecticut, the U.S. Women’s National Development team and senior squad. They have all molded me into the person I am today.”
“My friends and family for going through the highs and lows throughout my career and being the best support system I could ever ask for. Specifically my mom for pushing me and driving me to all my sporting events, my sister for being the best role model ever and paving the way for me, and my dad for always being there for support and guidance. I want to say my biggest thank you to my husband, we have been together for over 12 years now and he has been through everything with me. I could not have done this without him, he has made me a better person, athlete and coach, and has been unbelievably supportive through my whole journey. I have so much gratitude and joy for my journey as an athlete and wouldn't trade it for the world.”
“Karlie is a unique and incredible human being and will therefore be a big loss to the team, our values and squad leadership,” said David Passmore, USWNT Head Coach. “She worked exceptionally hard on her hockey over several years to build on her great aerobic abilities to establish herself as part of the USWNT and it was through her determination that she became a natural selection and then Olympian. She had a great understanding of the tactical side of the game and was crucial in bringing a calm head during stressful match situations which was critical in qualifying for and competing in Paris. We will continue to draw on Karlie’s leadership abilities as we build the team toward LA28.”
“Obviously, Karlie faced some health issues and on behalf of myself we wish her the sincerest best in staying well and a successful coaching career and personal life with husband Josh, who was always a great support to the team.”
Kisha now lives back in Pennsylvania with her husband, Josh, and is the current assistant coach at Villanova University. She plans to spend time with her family and friends, go on plenty of hiking, biking, camping and ski trips and enjoy her puppy, Louis.
