Koa Santos
{{short description|American soccer player}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Koa Santos
| image =
| fullname = Laukoa Santos
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|9|21|df=y}}
| birth_place = Waikoloa, Hawaii, United States
| height = 178 cm
| currentclub = Orange County SC
| clubnumber =
| position = Right-back
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Kona Crush
| youthclubs2 = Kealakehe High School
| youthyears2 = 2013–2017
| collegeyears1 = 2017–2021
| college1 = San Diego State Aztecs
| collegecaps1 = 58
| collegegoals1 = 2
| years1 = 2018
| clubs1 = ASC San Diego
| caps1 = 2
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2021
| clubs2 = Portland Timbers U23s
| caps2 = 10
| goals2 = 2
| years3 = 2022–2023
| clubs3 = Charlotte FC
| caps3 = 1
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2022–2023
| clubs4 = → Charlotte Independence (loan)
| caps4 = 19
| goals4 = 1
| clubs5 = Loudoun United
| years5 = 2023
| caps5 = 25
| goals5 = 0
| clubs6 = Colorado Springs Swtichbacks
| years6 = 2024–2025
| caps6 = 28
| goals6 = 0
| clubs7 = Orange County SC
| years7 = 2025–
| caps7 = 0
| goals7 = 0
| club-update = April 27, 2025
}}
Laukoa Santos (born September 21, 1999) is an American soccer player who plays as a right-back for Orange County SC in the USL Championship.
Career
=Youth=
Santos played academy soccer for his local soccer club Kona Crush Academy. Concurrently, Laukoa played high school soccer for Kealakehe High School{{Cite web |date=2016-04-11 |title=BIIF Soccer: With Santos leading way, Kealakehe dominates Division I All-BIIF team |url=https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2016/04/11/sports/biif-soccer-with-santos-leading-way-kealakehe-dominates-division-i-all-biif-team/ |access-date=2022-03-13 |website=Hawaii Tribune-Herald |language=en-US}} in Kona, Hawaii. With Kealakehe, Laukoa served as the team's captain, being named Three-time Big Island Interscholastic Federation Player of the Year, Four-time Big Island Interscholastic,{{Cite web |title=Kealakehe, KS-Hawai'i Lead All-BIIF Boys Soccer Honors {{!}} Big Island Now |url=https://bigislandnow.com/2015/03/26/kealakehe-ks-hawaii-lead-all-biif-boys-soccer-honors/ |access-date=2022-03-13 |website={{!}} Kealakehe, KS-Hawai’i Lead All-BIIF Boys Soccer Honors}} First-team all-state honoree (2016–17), and All-Hawaii team (2016–17). During his career with Kealakehe High School Santos recorded 87 goals and 48 assists during his prep career.{{Cite web |title=Laukoa Santos - Men's Soccer |url=https://goaztecs.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/laukoa-santos/7310 |website=SDSU Athletics}}
= College =
Ahead of the 2017 NCAA Division I men's soccer season, Laukoa signed a National Letter of Intent{{Cite web |date=2017-02-02 |title=On scholarship: Santos signs with Aztecs, will play soccer in PAC-12 conference |url=https://www.westhawaiitoday.com/2017/02/02/sports/on-scholarship-santos-signs-with-aztecs-will-play-soccer-in-pac-12-conference/ |access-date=2022-03-13 |website=West Hawaii Today |language=en-US}} to play collegiately for San Diego State University.{{Cite web |title=Laukoa Santos - Men's Soccer |url=https://goaztecs.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/laukoa-santos/7310 |access-date=2022-02-22 |website=SDSU Athletics |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Pac-12 |url=https://stats.pac-12.com/sports/msoc/2019-20/players/laukoasantosoaym |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200811040935/https://stats.pac-12.com/sports/msoc/2019-20/players/laukoasantosoaym |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 11, 2020 |access-date=2022-03-13 |website=Pac-12 |language=en}} Laukoa is the first men's soccer player from state of Hawaii to play in the Pac-12.{{Cite web |title=Santos Signs with Charlotte FC |url=https://pac-12.com/news/2022/2/22/santos-signs-charlotte-fc.aspx |access-date=2022-03-13 |website=pac-12.com |language=en}} Laukoa would go on to red shirt his first season at San Diego and make his official debut during the 2018 season. On September 24, 2018, Laukoa scored his first collegiate goal against UNLV. Laukoa would finish his collegiate career with 58 appearances, scoring two goals and tallying three assists.. Santos was named to the Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll on three consecutive seasons from 2019 to 2021.
= Amateur =
While at college, Santos appeared in the National Premier Soccer League with ASC San Diego during their 2018 season, making two regular season appearances.{{Cite web|url=http://npsl.bonzidev.com/sam/standings/ss/schedule.php?v=3&containerID=NTkzMjUwOA==|title=National Premier Soccer League|website=npsl.bonzidev.com}} In 2021, Santos played with USL League Two Portland Timbers U23s, scoring two goals in ten appearances.{{Cite web|url=https://www.uslleaguetwo.com/roster_players/46286740|title=Portland Timbers U23 | uslleaguetwo.com|website=www.uslleaguetwo.com}}
=Professional=
On February 22, 2022, Santos signed with Major League Soccer club Charlotte FC ahead of their inaugural season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.charlottefootballclub.com/news/charlotte-fc-signs-goalkeeper-george-marks-and-defender-koa-santos|title=Charlotte FC Signs Goalkeeper George Marks and Defender Koa Santos | Charlotte FC|website=Charlotte Football Club}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2022/02/24/sports/mls-laukoa-santos-catches-on-with-charlotte/|title=MLS: Laukoa Santos catches on with Charlotte|date=February 24, 2022|website=Hawaii Tribune-Herald}} On April 17, 2022, Santos was loaned to USL League One club Charlotte Independence and started for the team the same day in a 2–1 win over Northern Colorado Hailstorm.{{Cite web|url=https://www.charlotteindependence.com/news/2022/04/17/charlotte-independence-win-2-1-in-extra-time-vs-northern-colorado-hailstorm-fc/|title=Charlotte Independence Win 2-1 in Stoppage Time vs. Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC}}
Santos joined Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on November 29, 2023.{{cite web |last1=Purslow |first1=Ashley |title=Switchbacks FC Sign Defender Koa Santos for the 2024 Season |url=https://www.switchbacksfc.com/news/2023/11/switchbacks-fc-sign-defender-koa-santos-for-the-2024-season/ |website=SwitchbacksFC.com |publisher=Colorado Springs Switchbacks |access-date=29 November 2023}}
On April 25, 2025, Santos made the move to fellow USL Championship side Orange County SC.{{Cite web|url=https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1337512|title=Orange County SC signs defender Koa Santos|author=USLChampionship com Staff|date=April 25, 2025|website=USL Championship}}
Honors
- First men's soccer player from state of Hawaii to play in the Pac-12
- Three-time Big Island Interscholastic Federation Player of the Year
- Four-time Big Island Interscholastic Federation first-team selection
- First-team all-state honoree (2016–17)
- All-Hawaii team (2016–17)
- Pac-12 All Academic (2017–21)
- Led Portland Timbers U23 to a Western Conference Title (2021)
References
{{reflist}}
{{Orange County SC squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Santos, Koa}}
Category:American men's soccer players
Category:Men's association football fullbacks
Category:Charlotte Independence players
Category:National Premier Soccer League players
Category:San Diego State Aztecs men's soccer players
Category:Soccer players from Hawaii
Category:USL League One players
Category:USL League Two players
Category:Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC players
Category:Loudoun United FC players
Category:Orange County SC players
Category:USL Championship players