Julia Lester (soccer)

Last updated

Julia Lester
NC Courage vs Seattle Reign (Mar 2025) 014.jpg
Lester with the Seattle Reign in 2025
Personal information
Full name Julia Nicole Lester
Date of birth (1998-01-16) January 16, 1998 (age 27)
Place of birth Tampa, Florida, U.S.
Height 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
Sporting JAX
(on loan from Seattle Reign FC)
Number 20
Youth career
Tampa Bay United
College career
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2016–2019 Florida Gators 86 (3)
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2020–2022 Apollon Ladies
2022–2023 Racing Louisville 33 (0)
2024– Seattle Reign 5 (0)
2025–Sporting JAX (loan) 2 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of August 27, 2025

Julia Nicole Lester (born January 16, 1998) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Sporting Club Jacksonville of the USL Super League, on loan from Seattle Reign FC.

Contents

Collegiate career

A family youth and community sciences major, Lester played for the Florida Gators from 2016 to 2019. [1]

Club career

Apollon Ladies F.C.

After graduating from the University of Florida in August 2020, Lester signed for Cypriot club Apollon Ladies and played in the UEFA Women's Champions League. [2] She was named to the league's Best XI in 2021 and captained the team. [3]

Racing Louisville

In March 2022, Lester followed Apollon Ladies' former manager Kim Björkegren and signed for Racing Louisville of the American NWSL. [4]

Seattle Reign FC

In January 2024, Lester was traded to fellow NWSL club Seattle Reign. [5] She subsequently extended her contract with the Reign until 2025. [6]

Sporting Club Jacksonville

On July 9, 2025, Lester returned to her home state of Florida on a loan to USL Super League team Sporting Club Jacksonville through the end of 2025. [7]

Career statistics

College statistics

SeasonGamesScoring
GPGSGAPTSSHSOG
Florida Gators
2016221733995
2017241401172
2018191700000
2019212101110
Career
Career Total86693511177

Club statistics

As of match played July 11, 2025 [8]
ClubSeasonDivisionLeagueCupPlayoffsTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Apollon Ladies F.C. 2020–2021 Flag of Cyprus.svg Cypriot First Division 002020
2021–2022 004040
Racing Louisville FC 2022 Flag of the United States.svg NWSL 20050250
2023 13050180
Seattle Reign FC 2024 500050
Sporting JAX 2025 Flag of the United States.svg USLS 200020
Career total390160550

* Apollon Ladies stats reflect ≥ 6 league/Champions League appearances based on available data. Table will be updated when Sporting JAX plays in 2025.

References

  1. "Julia Lester - Soccer". Florida Gators.
  2. "Instagram". www.instagram.com.
  3. "Julia Lester".
  4. "Racing signs European champion defender Lester".
  5. "Julia Lester joins Seattle Reign FC, Sam Hiatt goes to Gotham FC in three-team trade". Sounder at Heart. January 24, 2024.
  6. "Seattle Reign FC Extends Defender Julia Lester". Seattle Reign FC.
  7. "Seattle Reign FC Loans Defender Julia Lester to Sporting Jax". Seattle Reign FC. Retrieved July 9, 2025.
  8. "Julia Lester – Player Info". globalsportsarchive.com.