Meleana Shim
Meleana "Mana" Shim (born September 25, 1991)[1] is an American soccer midfielder who played for the Houston Dash of the National Women's Soccer League. She spent most of her senior career with Portland Thorns FC, also of the NWSL.[1]
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Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Meleana Shim | ||
Date of birth | September 25, 1991 | ||
Place of birth | Honolulu, Hawaii | ||
Height | 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
College career | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2009–2012 | Santa Clara Broncos | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2013–2017 | Portland Thorns FC | 76 | (9) |
2015 | → Iga Kunoichi FC (loan) | ||
2017 | Växjö DFF | 2 | (0) |
2018–2019 | Houston Dash | 8 | (0) |
National team‡ | |||
2012 | United States U23 | 4 | (0) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of June 4, 2018 ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of April 10, 2013 |
Early life
Shim grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii where she attended Kamehameha Kapalama High School and helped the soccer team to three ILH championships. In 2007, the team won the state championship.[2][3]
Shim also played for the club soccer team, Ho'okalakupua. In 2003 and 2005, the team was Region IV Finalists. In 2004, 2006, and 2007, the team was Region IV semi-finalists. In 2008, they won gold at the Surf Cup U19 Championship.[2][4][5]
Santa Clara Broncos
Shim attended Santa Clara University from 2009 to 2012 where she was a three-year starting midfielder for the Broncos. As a freshman in 2009, she played in 20 of the squad's 23 matches. She finished the year with 21 shots, including seven during the Broncos' three NCAA Tournament matches. During her second year, Shim played in all 22 games, one of only four Broncos to do so, starting 18 matches for a total of 1,660 minutes played. She scored one goal and added three assists for five points and was named an All-West Coast Conference honorable mention. As a junior in 2011, she started all 21 games and tallied 12 points on four goals and four assists. She was named to the All-WCC Second-Team.[2][6]
Playing career
Club
![](../I/Meleana_Shim_cropped.jpg.webp)
Portland Thorns
Shim signed with the Portland Thorns as a discovery player for the inaugural season of the National Women's Soccer League.[7][8] She made her debut for the team during a match against the Washington Spirit on May 4, 2013.[9] She scored her first professional goal on June 16, 2013 at Jeld-Wen Field in a match against Seattle Reign FC. After receiving a through ball from teammate Angie Kerr near the penalty spot, Shim finished with a left-footed shot past the goalkeeper. She also served her first assist during the match after stealing the ball off a bad pass and passing it to forward Danielle Foxhoven, who was making a run into the left side of the penalty box.[10] She was the Thorns' lone scorer in a 1–1 draw with the Western New York Flash on July 14, 2013 which began a scoring streak in which she scored a goal in four consecutive matches.[11][12] In 2015, Shim went on loan to Japanese football team Iga Kunoichi FC[13] but did not appear in a domestic match.
Drafted by Houston Dash
On January 10, 2014, it was announced that Shim was drafted by the Houston Dash with the fourth pick in the 2014 NWSL Expansion Draft.[14] She was traded back to the Thorns one week later during the 2014 NWSL College Draft.[15]
Växjö DFF
In 2017, Shim signed with Swedish side Växjö DFF of the Elitettan.[16] She appeared in two matches as Växjö earned promotion to the 2018 Damallsvenskan.[17]
Houston Dash
Shim returned to the NWSL in 2018, signing with the Dash.[18]
International
Shim has represented the United States at the U-23 level. She played in both matches for the U-23 team during the Three Nations Tournament in June 2012 and helped the United States win the competition. On June 19, 2012 she started and played 90 minutes in a friendly against Norway.[19][20]
Personal life
Shim publicly came out as a lesbian on August 30, 2013 in an interview with Outsports, the day before the Portland Thorns FC entered the National Women's Soccer League Championship.[21]
Shim was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.[22]
References
- "Meleana Shim Player Profile". Archived from the original on April 14, 2013.
- "Meleana Shim". Santa Clara University. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
- "Meleana Shim". Honolulu Advertiser. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
- "Kamehameha's Shim homes in on third title". Honolulu Advertiser. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
- "Meleana Shim followed her dream and landed back in Hawaii". Star Bulletin. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
- "Hawaii Grown: Shim and Santa Clara coming on strong". Star Advertiser. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
- "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet: Portland Thorns season preview". SB Nation. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
- "Portland Thorns FC Announces Roster". SB Nation. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
- "Washington vs Portland". National Women's Soccer League. Archived from the original on May 7, 2013. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
- "RECAP: Portland Thorns FC 2, Seattle Reign FC 0". Portland Thorns. Archived from the original on August 21, 2013. Retrieved August 1, 2013.
- "THORNS COMEBACK TO EARN 3–1 WIN OVER SKY BLUE FC". National Women's Soccer League. Archived from the original on January 11, 2014. Retrieved August 1, 2013.
- "Alex Morgan, Meleana Shim & Allie Long lead Portland Thorns to victory (video highlights)". Oregon Live. Retrieved August 1, 2013.
- "Portland Thorns loan out Catley, Johnson, Polkinghorne, Sanderson and Shim". Oregon Live. October 6, 2015.
- "Houston Dash select 10 players in 2014 NWSL Expansion Draft". Houston Dash Communications. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
- Goldberg, Jamie (January 17, 2014). "Portland Thorns reacquire Meleana Shim and shake up roster at NWSL College Draft". The Oregonian. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- Sanzone, Emily (August 29, 2017). "Portland Thorns and Mana Shim mutually agree to part ways". Vavel. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
- "M. Shim – statistics". Soccerway. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
- "Houston Dash sign midfielder Meleana Shim". HoustonDashSoccer.com. March 6, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
- "Meleana Shim". Portland Thorns. Archived from the original on April 14, 2013. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
- "U-23 USWNT: May 2012 Camp Roster". Women's Soccer Express. Archived from the original on January 11, 2014. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
- "Portland Thorns midfielder Meleana Shim comes out publicly the day before national title game". Retrieved August 30, 2013.
- "Dash's Mana Shim tries to shine a light on her bipolar disorder". HoustonChronicle.com. August 24, 2018.