Forward Scored Five Goals with Six Assists in 2021 for Birmingham Legion FC
TULSA – FC Tulsa continues to add to its attack with the addition of a former first round MLS SuperDraft pick. The club has signed American forward JJ Williams to its 2022 roster, pending league and federation approval.
At only 24 years old, JJ Williams has already put together an impressive body of work in his American soccer career. During his three-year career at the University of Kentucky, Williams garnered numerous honors including First Team All-American and C-USA Offensive MVP and Player of the Year in 2018. He led Kentucky to the Elite Eight in the 2018 NCAA College Cup, the best finish in the program’s history.
After setting all-time university goal and assist records at Kentucky (24 goals and 15 assists) and being named a finalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy, the top honor awarded in NCAA soccer, Williams signed a Generation Adidas contract and was drafted No. 18 overall by the Columbus Crew in the 2019 SuperDraft. Williams appeared in nine matches for Columbus in 2019 and made another MLS appearance for Atlanta United FC in 2020 during the MLS is Back tournament.
Outside of MLS, Williams, a striker who stands at 6’3″, was loaned to Birmingham Legion FC in the USL Championship four different times between his 2019 and 2020 MLS stints before permanently signing with Legion FC in 2021. Over his Birmingham career, Williams made 46 appearances and started all four of Birmingham’s playoff matches during that three-year stretch. He totaled 13 goals and eight assists for Legion FC, capped by a 2021 season in which he scored five of those goals and recorded a career-high six assists.
“JJ will be well recognized by our supporters from our battles with Birmingham last season,” said head coach Michael Nsien. “For most people, what will jump out are his physical characteristics as a striker. However, JJ’s game is very well rounded. He has the ability to combine with players around him and speed to be a vertical threat. We’ve been missing a player in our attack with these qualities, and he will improve our attack right away.”
Williams played in both the NPSL and USL League Two during his collegiate career while at the University of Kentucky. Before his freshman, sophomore, and junior seasons, Williams played for the Birmingham Hammers of the NPSL, Reading United and the Dayton Dutch Lions of USL League Two, respectively. With Dayton in 2018, Williams scored seven goals in his last five appearances of the season.
“So thrilled to be a part of the FC Tulsa family and thankful for this opportunity,” said Williams. “I’m just ready to get to work and excited to see what this year has in store. Let’s go Tulsa!”
The forward appeared in all four matches between Birmingham Legion FC and FC Tulsa last season, recording 189 total minutes against his new club. He scored the equalizer in the final matchup, a perfectly-placed header that glanced off the post in the 80’ minute after coming in as a substitute in the 1-1 draw.
JJ Williams joins Rodrigo da Costa, Darío Suárez, Joaquín Rivas, Machuca, and Brian Brown to form the FC Tulsa forward group heading into the upcoming 2022 USL Championship season.
2022 FC Tulsa Roster
Keepers: Sean Lewis, Austin Wormell
Defenders: Bradley Bourgeois, Jorge Corrales, Adrián Diz Pe, Johnny Fenwick, Ronald Rodríguez, Matheus Silva, Gabriel Torres
Midfielders: Eric Bird, Petar Čuić, Kembo Kibato, Lebo Moloto, Abuchi Obinwa, Ciaran Winters
Forwards: Brian Brown, Rodrigo da Costa, Machuca, Joaquín Rivas, Darío Suárez, JJ Williams
