_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 | ||
| Place of birth | Tampa, Florida, U.S. | ||
| Height | 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| 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 | 7 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of May 24, 2026 | |||
Julia Nicole Lester (born January 16, 1998) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender. She played college soccer for the Florida Gators before starting her professional career with Cypriot club Apollon Ladies. She has also previously played for Racing Louisville FC and Seattle Reign FC of the National Women's Soccer League, in addition to 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]
Club career
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]
In March 2022, Lester followed Apollon Ladies' former manager Kim Björkegren and signed for Racing Louisville of the American NWSL.[4]
In January 2024, Lester was traded to fellow NWSL club Seattle Reign.[5] She subsequently extended her contract with the Reign until 2025.[6]
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 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] At the end of Sporting JAX's inaugural season, Lester departed from the club.[10]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played May 24, 2026[11]
| 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 | |||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | ||
| Racing Louisville FC | 2022 | NWSL | 20 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 25 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 13 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 18 | 0 | |||
| Total | 33 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 0 | ||
| Seattle Reign FC | 2024 | NWSL | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | |
| Sporting JAX | 2025–26 | USL Super League | 21 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 | |
| Career total | 59 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 75 | 0 | ||
* Apollon Ladies stats reflect ≥ 6 league/Champions League appearances based on available data.
References
- "Julia Lester - Soccer". Florida Gators.
- "Instagram". www.instagram.com.
- "Julia Lester".
- "Racing signs European champion defender Lester".
- "Julia Lester joins Seattle Reign FC, Sam Hiatt goes to Gotham FC in three-team trade". Sounder at Heart. January 24, 2024.
- "Seattle Reign FC Extends Defender Julia Lester". Seattle Reign FC.
- "Seattle Reign FC Loans Defender Julia Lester to Sporting Jax". Seattle Reign FC. Retrieved July 9, 2025.
- "Gainbridge Super League Team of the Month - September". USL Super League. October 2, 2025. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
- "Sporting JAX Signs Loanee, Adds Pair to Gainbridge Super League Roster for Second Half of Season". Sporting JAX. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
- Sporting Club Jacksonville [@sportingjaxwomens]; (June 10, 2026). "Florida native. Steady presence. The first player to join Sporting JAX on loan". Retrieved June 10, 2026 – via Instagram.
- "Julia Lester – Player Info". globalsportsarchive.com.
External links
- Julia Lester at Seattle Reign FC
- Julia Lester at Soccerway