Ryan Williams

Ryan Emilie Williams (born February 23, 1996) is an American soccer player who plays as a defender for the North Carolina Courage, a National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) club. Williams was born in Centennial, Colorado, and attended Cherry Creek High School, winning the 5A state championship as a sophomore. She also played club soccer with the Colorado Rush and became highly ranked in the region for recruiting. She committed to Texas Christian University (TCU) in 2014, playing 80 matches over the span of four years. Williams scored one goal and recorded 15 assists with the Horned Frogs. After her college career, Williams was drafted by the North Carolina Courage with the 40th pick of the 2018 NWSL College Draft. She played one regular season match as a national team replacement in 2018. In her next season, she started in three matches and made appearances in two more. During her stint with the Courage, the team won the NWSL Shield and the NWSL Championship in both 2018 and 2019. Early life Williams was born on February 23, 1996, in Centennial, Colorado, to parents Charles and Lisa. She has five siblings: Bailey, Megan, Charlie, Peter, and Patrick. Williams began playing soccer at four years old, and she played club soccer with an Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) team, the Colorado Rush, as a midfielder. The Rush won the ECNL national championship in the 2011–12 season. In her sophomore year at Cherry Creek High School, Williams was part of the soccer team that won the 2012 5A state championship. As a four-year letterwinner coming out of high school, she was ranked 16th regionally by TopDrawerSoccer.com.