Williams started 79 of 80 games 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 as a freshman in 2014.[4][7] She provided a team-high five assists in her sophomore year in 2015.[3] TCU lost in the opening round of the Big 12 tournament in her first two seasons.[8][9] Williams helped TCU reach the final of the Big 12 tournament in 2016, 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 her senior year in 2017.[3] In the Big 12 tournament, she made her penalty kicks in back-to-back penalty shootout victories over Kansas and West Virginia.[13][14] Williams was placed as the fifth penalty taker by head coach Eric Bell "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 off a penalty kick, but the Horned Frogs lost to Baylor 2–1.[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]
Club career
North Carolina Courage
2018–2020
Williams was drafted by the North Carolina Courage with the 40th and final pick of the 2018 NWSL College Draft, becoming the first player from TCU to be drafted into the NWSL.[19] The Courage did not sign her until May 31, when she inked a national team replacement contract.[20] Williams made her professional debut on June 3 in the 80th minute of a 1–1 draw to the Houston Dash.[21] She was waived two weeks later, but the next month she signed again as a national team replacement.[22][23] She appeared in two games at the 2018 Women's International Champions Cup, making her first start for the Courage in a 1–0 win over French club Lyon in the exhibition's final.[24][25] Williams did not make another appearance during the 2018 season,[26] and the Courage continued on to win the NWSL Shield and Championship, defeating the Portland Thorns 3–0 in the title game.[27]
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 in a 3–0 win over the Orlando Pride.[30] She played her first full match at the Washington Spirit, winning 2–1 on June 29.[31] Williams was listed out with injury for the rest of the season.[32] The Courage went on to win their second consecutive NWSL Shield and Championship, where they defeated the Chicago Red Stars 4–0.[33][34] A contract option was exercised for Williams 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 started in four games of the Fall Series and recorded her first professional assist 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 another year.[40]
2021–
Williams appeared in 22 matches for the Courage in the 2021 season, making three starts.[2] The Courage placed sixth in the standings but lost in the first round of the playoffs to eventual champions Washington Spirit.[42]
Williams was an unused substitute for the 2022 Challenge Cup final, which the Courage won 2–1 over the Washington Spirit ahead of the regular season.[43] She started 10 of her 18 regular-season games in 2022.[2]
Williams started all 31 games in which she played in the 2023 season.[2] She played the full match in the year's Challenge Cup final, in which the Courage defeated Racing Louisville 2–0.[44] The Courage placed third in the season but fell to eventual champions NJ/NY Gotham FC in the first round of the playoffs.[2]
Williams started 25 games in the 2024 season and was one red card away from an iron woman season.[2] She ranked second in the NWSL in multiple defensive metrics, including tackles, challenges, and interceptions, and first in attempted passes.[45][46][47] On November 7, the Courage announced a three-year extension to keep her with the club to the end of 2027.[48] The Courage finished the season in fifth place and lost to the Kansas City Current in the quarterfinals of the playoffs.[2]