Julia Lester (soccer)

Julia Lester
Lester with the Seattle Reign in 2025
Personal information
Full name Julia Nicole Lester
Date of birth (1998-01-16) January 16, 1998
Place of birth Tampa, Florida, USA
Height 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)
Position Defender
Team information
Current team
 Sporting JAX
Number 20
Youth career
Tampa Bay United
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2019 Florida Gators 86 (3)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020–2022 Apollon Ladies
2022–2023 Racing Louisville 33 (0)
2024– Seattle Reign 5 (0)
2025 → Sporting JAX (loan) 14 (0)
2026– Sporting JAX 4 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of March 14, 2026

Julia Nicole Lester (born January 16, 1998) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Sporting JAX of the USL Super League.

College career

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

Professional career

Apollon Ladies

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

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 JAX

On July 9, 2025, Lester returned to her home state of Florida on a loan to USL Super League team Sporting JAX through the end of 2025.[7] This move marked a reunion, as she rejoined her former college teammate Parker Roberts and her collegiate coaches, Becky Burleigh and Alan Kirkup. At the end of September, Lester was named to the USL Super League Team of the Month for her strong performances. She made the team as a bench player.[8]

After starting all 14 of Sporting JAX's games and leading the team in minutes, she joined the club on a permanent deal in January 2026.[9]

Career statistics

College

Season Games Scoring
GP GS G A PTS SH SOG
Florida Gators
2016 22 17 3 3 9 9 5
2017 24 14 0 1 1 7 2
2018 19 17 0 0 0 0 0
2019 21 21 0 1 1 1 0
Career
Career total 86 69 3 5 11 17 7

Professional

As of match played March 14, 2026[10]
Club Season Division League Cup Playoffs Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Apollon Ladies F.C. 2020–2021 Cypriot First Division 0 0 2 0 — 2 0
2021–2022 0 0 4 0 — 4 0
Racing Louisville FC 2022 NWSL 20 0 5 0 — 25 0
2023 13 0 5 0 — 18 0
Seattle Reign FC 2024 5 0 0 0 — 5 0
Sporting JAX 2025–26 USL Super League 18 0 0 0 — 18 0
Career total 56 0 16 0 — 72 0

* Apollon Ladies stats reflect ≥ 6 league/Champions League appearances based on available data.

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. ^ "Gainbridge Super League Team of the Month - September". USL Super League. October 2, 2025. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  9. ^ "Sporting JAX Signs Loanee, Adds Pair to Gainbridge Super League Roster for Second Half of Season". Sporting JAX. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
  10. ^ "Julia Lester – Player Info". globalsportsarchive.com.
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