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Beyond the USYNT: Nealy Martin and Ryan Williams Change the Face of USWNT Recruitment

January 22, 2025
By Mia Newman

Women’s soccer, internationally, is developing at a rapid pace, giving opportunities for women in not just one singular form. Most of the stars we see representing the USWNT have been doing so since their youth soccer years. The United States Youth National Team is a program designated to identify and develop future national team players starting as young as U-15. Recently, this outlet has not proven to be the only one for becoming a USWNT player. Nealy Martin and Ryan Williams are two vital players who had their own impressive journey to the national team.

Nealy Martin

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Martin is a recent addition to the USWNT roster and a defensive player for Gotham FC. This January will be her first call-up to the camp, which has been hard-earned. Martin grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, where she played locally for the ECNL team, Birmingham United. In her senior year, she was known as a top recruit and Birmingham Player Of The Year in Alabama.

Martin was recruited to Auburn University as a defensive midfielder and defender, playing her first season in 2016. She became a backbone for her team offensively and defensively. She scored three goals in her senior year, and in her junior year, Martin stepped in as goalkeeper after their starting keeper got a red card. Throughout college, she was a versatile and crucial addition to Auburn.

Following graduation, Martin went overseas briefly to play soccer in Wales but returned to the United States in 2020 to try out for Racing Louisville and join the NWSL. In 2021, she made her professional debut for the team. After a solid season with the team, Martin transferred to Gotham FC in 2022. Since joining the team in 2022, Martin has become a consistent starter. She has been an asset in helping Gotham FC not to concede goals in crucial games, and she is willing to put herself on the line, once again putting on a keepers’ jersey in the last minutes of a game against Orlando Reign. Now, Martin is at her first USWNT camp.

Ryan Williams

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Williams has also been added to the USWNT roster for their January 2025 camp. Williams was born in Colorado, where she played for the ECNL team Colorado Rush, named 16th regionally by TopDrawerSoccer. After graduating from high school, Williams became a defender for TCU. During her freshman year in 2014, Williams started 18 of their 19 games that season. Despite residing on the defensive line, Williams consistently assisted throughout her career. She contributed six assists during her 22 games in her senior season.

Right after graduating in 2017, Williams was drafted by the NC Courage in 2018. She became the first player from TCU to be drafted into the NWSL. She was a part of the team during their win of the NWSL Shield and Championship. In 2023, Williams was a starter in all eight games in the NWSL Challenge Cup and played the entire match in their victory over Racing Louisville. By the end of the season, Williams started in all 22 games and had two assists.

These two players have what one might think is an untraditional path to reaching the USWNT, but are providing new paths to following one’s dreams. Keep a lookout for these fantastic players as they embark on a new journey to represent the United States.