Julia Nicole Lester (born January 16, 1998) is an American professional

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...

player who plays as a defender for

Seattle Reign FC Seattle Reign FC is an American professional soccer team based in Seattle, Washington, that competes in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Founded in 2012, it is one of eight inaugural members of the NWSL. Since June 2024, the Reign ar ...

of the

National Women's Soccer League The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is a women's professional Association football, soccer league and the highest level of the United States soccer league system#Women's leagues, United States soccer league system (alongside the USL Supe ...

(NWSL).

Collegiate career

A family youth and community sciences major, Lester played for the

Florida Gators The Florida Gators are the College sports in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Florida, located in Gainesville, Florida, Gainesville. The University of Florida, its athletic program, its alumni an ...

from 2016 to 2019.

Club career

After graduating from the

University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida, United States. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and a preem ...

in August 2020, Lester signed for Cypriot club Apollon Ladies and played in the

UEFA Women's Champions League The UEFA Women's Champions League, previously called the UEFA Women's Cup (2001–2009), is a European women's association football competition. It involves the top club teams from countries affiliated with the European governing body UEFA. ...

. She was named to the league's Best XI in 2021 and captained the team. In March 2022, Lester followed Apollon Ladies' former manager Kim Björkegren and signed for Racing Louisville of the American

NWSL The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is a women's professional Association football, soccer league and the highest level of the United States soccer league system#Women's leagues, United States soccer league system (alongside the USL Supe ...

. In January 2024, Lester was traded to fellow NWSL club

Seattle Reign Seattle Reign FC is an American professional soccer team based in Seattle, Washington, that competes in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Founded in 2012, it is one of eight inaugural members of the NWSL. Since June 2024, the Reign ar ...

. She subsequently extended her contract with the Reign until 2025.

References

External links

Julia Lester
at

* 1998 births Living people American women's soccer players Seattle Reign FC players Women's association football defenders National Women's Soccer League players 21st-century American sportswomen Florida Gators women's soccer players Racing Louisville FC players Apollon Ladies F.C. players {{US-women-footy-defender-stub