Williams made 80 appearances (79 starts) during four years with the TCU Horns Frogs.[3] She was converted from midfielder to defender in college and named to the Big 12 Conference All-Newcomer Team after making 19 appearances (18 starts) as a freshman in 2014.[4][7] She provided a team-high 5 assists in 19 games in her sophomore season in 2015.[3] TCU lost in the opening round of the Big 12 tournament in her first two seasons.[8][9] Williams made 2 assists in 20 starts in her junior season in 2016, missing one game.[3] She helped TCU reach the final of the Big 12 tournament, where they lost to West Virginia 3–2 in overtime.[10] TCU nevertheless qualified for the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history, falling to Texas A&M 1–0 in the first round.[11][12]
Williams recorded a career-high six assists in 22 games in her senior season in 2017.[3] In the Big 12 tournament, she made her penalty kicks in back-to-back shootout victories over Kansas and West Virginia.[13][14] Head coach Eric Bell placed Williams as the fifth penalty taker "because we know she's got ice water in her veins".[14] In the Big 12 championship game, Williams scored the only goal of her college career, with the help of a penalty, in a 2–1 loss to Baylor.[15] TCU again qualified for the NCAA tournament, where they fell 2–1 to Arizona in the first round.[16][17] Williams received All-Big 12 first-team honors at the end of the season.[18]
Williams agreed to a new contract ahead of the 2019 season but was moved to a supplemental spot on the final roster.[28][29] Williams made her first NWSL start on June 1, winning 3–0 against the Orlando Pride on June 1.[30] She played her first full match in a 2–1 win at the Washington Spirit on June 29.[31] However, after 4 appearances (3 starts), she was listed out with injury for the rest of the season.[32] North Carolina went on to win their second consecutive NWSL Shield and Championship, defeating the Chicago Red Stars 4–0 in the title game.[33][34] Williams's contract option was exercised at the end of the season.[35]
When the 2020 season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Williams and her roommate Cari Roccaro prepared training videos for other teammates to follow from a far distance.[36][37] A new month-long tournament, the Challenge Cup, was announced in place of the beginning of the regular season.[38] Williams started in one Challenge Cup match, a 1–0 win over the Chicago Red Stars on July 5.[39] She also started 4 games of the Fall Series, recording her first professional assist, to Lynn Williams, in a 4–1 loss to the Houston Dash on October 4.[40][41] After the season, she signed a one-year contract with an option to extend for an additional year.[40]
2021–
Williams appeared in 17 games (2 starts) for the Courage in the 2021 regular season as they finished fifth in the standings.[42] She also appeared in 4 games (1 start) in the NWSL Challenge Cup. She made her playoff debut in the closing minutes of the Courage's 1–0 quarterfinal loss to the eventual champions Washington Spirit.[43]
Williams appeared in 3 games off the bench during the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup ahead of the regular season.[44] She was an unused substitute in the Challenge Cup final, which the Courage won 2–1 against the Washington Spirit.[45] She finished the 2022 regular season with 3 assists in 18 appearances (10 starts) as the Courage placed 7th of 12 teams, missing the playoffs.[46]
Williams started all 8 games in the 2023 NWSL Challenge Cup, playing the full match in a 2–0 victory over Racing Louisville in the final.[47][48] She started all 22 games and made 2 assists in the regular season as the Courage finished in third place. In the playoffs, she played every minute of their first-round 2–0 loss to eventual champions NJ/NY Gotham FC.[49]
Williams received two yellow cards and was sent off on June 8, 2024, with her second card giving Sophia Smith a penalty that led to a 1–0 away loss to the Portland Thorns.[50] She finished the regular season with 25 starts and 2,237 minutes played, with just her red card and one-match suspension keeping her from completing an iron woman season.[51] She ranked top two in the league in multiple defensive metrics, including tackles, challenges, and interceptions, and ranked first in attempted passes.[52][53][54] North Carolina finished the season in fifth place, losing 1–0 to the Kansas City Current in the playoff quarterfinals.[55] She signed a contract extension near the end of the season, keeping her with the club through 2027.[56] She was named to the NWSL Best XI Second Team at the end of the season.[57]
International career
Williams was called into camp with the United States national team in January 2025, her first national team call-up at any level.[58]
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