Julia Dorsey (soccer)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Julia Dorsey

| image = NC Courage vs Portland Thorns (Apr 2024) 162.jpg

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption = Dorsey with the North Carolina Courage in 2024

| full_name = Julia Carroll Dorsey

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2000|08|08}}

| birth_place = Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.

| height = 5 ft 7 in

| position = Right back, wingback

| currentclub = Dallas Trinity

| clubnumber = 5

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| collegeyears1 = 2019–2023

| college1 = North Carolina (soccer)

| collegecaps1 = 69

| collegegoals1 = 2

| years1 = 2024

| clubs1 = North Carolina Courage

| caps1 = 0

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2024

| clubs2 = → Dallas Trinity (loan)

| caps2 = 13

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2025–

| clubs3 = Dallas Trinity

| caps3 = 1

| goals3 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2019

| nationalteam1 = United States U-20

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalgoals1 =

| medaltemplates =

| club-update = 17:32, February 16, 2025 (UTC)

| nationalteam-update =

}}

Julia Carroll Dorsey (born August 8, 2000) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a right back for USL Super League club Dallas Trinity FC. A former two-sport athlete, she played soccer and lacrosse at the University of North Carolina, winning the 2022 national championship with the lacrosse team. She was selected by the North Carolina Courage in the 2024 NWSL Draft.

Early life and college career

Dorsey was born in Baltimore, Maryland, to Van and Jessica Dorsey, and has an older sister.{{cite web|url=https://goheels.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/julia-dorsey/24520|title=Julia Dorsey – Women's Soccer|publisher=University of North Carolina Athletics|access-date=2024-01-09}}
{{cite web|url=https://goheels.com/sports/womens-lacrosse/roster/julia-dorsey/24041|title=Julia Dorsey – Women's Lacrosse|publisher=University of North Carolina Athletics|access-date=2024-01-09}} She began playing soccer at age five and lacrosse shortly thereafter. Her father played college soccer at Middlebury and coached Dorseys's first club team when she was six or seven.{{cite news|url=https://eheubeck.com/2018/10/two-sport-wonder/|title=Two-Sport Wonder|date=2018-10-04|work=The Towson Times|last=Heubeck|first=Elizabeth|access-date=2024-01-10}}

Dorsey played high school soccer, basketball, and lacrosse at McDonogh School, a private prep school in Owings Mills, Maryland. Her lacrosse team went undefeated to win IAAM championships in 2016, 2017, and 2019, with Dorsey in midfield; she sat out the 2018 season after suffering an ACL tear.{{cite news|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2018/09/13/mcdonogh-star-julia-dorsey-poised-for-senior-year-with-soccer-and-lacrosse-ahead-at-north-carolina/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20240109031108/https://www.baltimoresun.com/2018/09/13/mcdonogh-star-julia-dorsey-poised-for-senior-year-with-soccer-and-lacrosse-ahead-at-north-carolina/|title=McDonogh star Julia Dorsey poised for senior year with soccer and lacrosse ahead at North Carolina|date=2018-09-13|last=Graham|first=Glenn|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|archive-date=2024-01-09|url-access=subscription}} She also won three IAAM titles with the soccer team in 2015, 2017, and 2018, playing as a forward for her first three seasons and right back in her senior year.{{cite news|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2018/12/26/2018-all-metro-girls-soccer-first-and-second-teams/|title=2018 All-Metro girls soccer first and second teams|archive-url=https://archive.today/20240110052923/https://www.baltimoresun.com/2018/12/26/2018-all-metro-girls-soccer-first-and-second-teams/|date=2018-12-26|last=Graham|first=Glenn|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|archive-date=2024-01-10|url-access=subscription}}{{cite web|url=https://www.iaamsports.com/championships/soccer/past_champions|title=Past Champions – Varsity Soccer Champions|publisher=Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland|access-date=2024-01-10}} That year, after captaining both teams to undefeated records, she received All-American honors in both sports and was named The Baltimore Sun{{'s}} High School Female Athlete of the Year.{{cite news|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2019/07/02/2018-19-high-school-female-athlete-of-the-year-mcdonogh-three-sport-star-julia-dorsey/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20240109031110/https://www.baltimoresun.com/2019/07/02/2018-19-high-school-female-athlete-of-the-year-mcdonogh-three-sport-star-julia-dorsey/|title=2018–19 High School Female Athlete of the Year: McDonogh three-sport star Julia Dorsey|date=2019-07-02|last=Graham|first=Glenn|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|archive-date=2024-01-09|url-access=subscription}}{{cite news|url=https://unitedsoccercoaches.org/united-soccer-coaches-announces-2018-fall-high-school-all-america-teams/|title=United Soccer Coaches Announces 2018 Fall High School All-America Teams|date=2018-12-03|publisher=United Soccer Coaches|access-date=2024-01-10}}
{{cite news|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2019/05/21/five-more-baltimore-area-players-named-in-final-wave-of-under-armour-lacrosse-all-americans/|title=Five more Baltimore-area players named in final wave of Under Armour lacrosse All-Americans|archive-url=https://archive.today/20240110050028/https://www.baltimoresun.com/2019/05/21/five-more-baltimore-area-players-named-in-final-wave-of-under-armour-lacrosse-all-americans/|date=2019-05-21|last=Graham|first=Glenn|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|archive-date=2024-01-10|url-access=subscription}}
{{cite news|url=https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/high-school-soccer-article/hs-girls:-tds-fall-all-america_aid46479|title=HS Girls: TDS Fall All-America|date=2019-06-24|website=TopDrawerSoccer.com|access-date=2024-01-10}} While in high school, she played club soccer for the Bethesda Soccer Club and club lacrosse for Sky Walkers Lacrosse.

=North Carolina Tar Heels=

==Soccer==

Dorsey chose to attend the University of North Carolina because it was a school where she could play both soccer and lacrosse, doing so on a lacrosse scholarship.{{cite news|url=https://goheels.com/news/2022/11/10/womens-soccer-dorsey-looking-to-make-dual-sport-history|title=Dorsey Looking To Make Dual Sport History|last=Jones|first=Jody|date=2022-11-10|publisher=University of North Carolina Athletics|access-date=2024-01-09}} She was the sixth person in school history to play for both programs. In her freshman season in 2019, she appeared in all 27 games (18 starts) for the soccer team as they won the ACC tournament and reached the NCAA championship game, where they lost to Stanford on penalties.{{cite news|url=https://www.usalacrosse.com/magazine/beast-mode-north-carolinas-julia-dorsey-soccer-lacrosse-standout|title=Beast Mode: North Carolina's Julia Dorsey is a Soccer–Lacrosse Standout|magazine=USA Lacrosse Magazine|date=2020-03-05|last=DaSilva|first=Matt|access-date=2025-01-19}} She was named to the Freshman Best XI second team by TopDrawerSoccer.{{cite news|url=https://chapelboro.com/sports/unc-sports/top-drawer-soccer-places-five-tar-heels-on-womens-best-xi-teams|title=Top Drawer Soccer Places Five Tar Heels on Women's Best XI Teams|date=2019-12-16|last=Trendel|first=Avery|website=Chapelboro.com|access-date=2024-01-09}} She started all 12 games in the first half of the 2020 season, then sat out the spring half (held due to the COVID-19 pandemic) while with the lacrosse team.

Dorsey had an injury at the start of her junior season in 2021, returning to make 8 appearances (6 starts) and score her first goal, which came against Boston College.{{cite news|url=https://chapelboro.com/sports/maggie-pierces-match-winner-clinches-dramatic-victory-for-unc-womens-soccer|title=Maggie Pierce's Match-Winner Clinches Dramatic Victory for UNC Women's Soccer|date=2021-10-10|last=Koh|first=Michael|website=Chapelboro.com|access-date=2024-01-09}} In her senior season in 2022, she started 22 games and helped North Carolina record one of the best defenses in the ACC. During the NCAA tournament, she scored her second career goal in a 3–2 semifinal win against Florida State, before finishing runner-up to UCLA in the title game.{{cite news|url=https://chapelboro.com/sports/unc-womens-soccer-advances-to-national-championship-with-3-2-win-over-fsu|title=UNC Women's Soccer Advances to National Championship With 3–2 Win Over FSU|date=2022-12-02|last=Koh|first=Michael|website=Chapelboro.com|access-date=2024-01-09}} She missed the entire 2023 season due to an ACL injury she suffered with the lacrosse team in the spring.

==Lacrosse==

Dorsey played in all 7 games (2 starts) for the Tar Heels lacrosse team as a freshman in 2020, before the season was cancelled due to the pandemic. She appeared in 19 games in her sophomore season in 2021, helping North Carolina go undefeated on the way to the semifinals of the NCAA tournament, where they lost to eventual champions Boston College.{{cite news|url=https://goheels.com/news/2021/5/28/bc-ends-uncs-womens-lacrosse-season-11-10-in-ncaa-semis|title=BC Ends Women's Lacrosse Season, 11–10, In NCAA Semis|date=2021-05-28|publisher=University of North Carolina Athletics|access-date=2024-01-09}} In her junior season in 2022, she took on a bigger role and played 19 games (15 starts) as they went undefeated to win the NCAA championship, the program's third national title and first since 2016.{{cite news|url=https://goheels.com/news/2022/5/29/womens-lacrosse-unc-boston-college-recap|title=Perfection! Tar Heels Cap Undefeated Season With NCAA Title|date=2022-05-29|publisher=University of North Carolina Athletics|access-date=2024-01-09}} She started the first 11 games of her senior season in 2023, before suffering an ACL tear that ended her college career.{{cite news|url=https://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2023/10/sports-unc-womens-soccer-julia-dorsey-oct-2023-anson-dorrance-jenny-levy|title=Dual-sport athlete Julia Dorsey mentors UNC women's soccer, aims for national title|last=Singleton|first=Erin|date=2023-10-12|newspaper=The Daily Tar Heel|access-date=2024-01-09}}

Club career

=Dallas Trinity=

Dorsey was selected by the North Carolina Courage in the third round (40th overall) of the 2024 NWSL Draft.{{cite news|url=https://chapelboro.com/sports/sentnor-picked-1st-overall-4-other-unc-womens-soccer-players-selected-in-nwsl-draft|title=Sentnor Picked 1st Overall; 5 Other UNC Women's Soccer Players Selected in NWSL Draft|last=Koh|first=Michael|date=2024-01-12|website=Chapelboro.com|access-date=2024-01-13}} She was signed to a three-year contract.{{cite news|url=https://www.nccourage.com/news/courage-signs-2024-draft-class/|title=Courage signs 2024 Draft Class|date=2024-03-12|publisher=North Carolina Courage|access-date=2024-03-12}} On August 9, 2024, North Carolina announced that she would be loaned to Dallas Trinity FC for the rest of the year ahead of the USL Super League's inaugural season.{{cite news|url=https://www.nccourage.com/news/courage-loans-defender-julia-dorsey-to-dallas-trinity-fc/|title=Courage loans defender Julia Dorsey to Dallas Trinity FC|date=2024-08-09|publisher=North Carolina Courage|access-date=2024-08-09}} She appeared in the starting lineup of Trinity's first-ever game on August 18, a 1–1 draw against Tampa Bay Sun FC, which marked Dorsey's return to action after her ACL injury in 2023.{{cite news|url=https://www.uslsuperleague.com/tampabaysunfc-dallastrinityfc-2441107/|title=Tampa Bay Sun FC 1–1 Dallas Trinity FC|date=2024-08-18|publisher=USL Super League|access-date=2024-08-18}} She started 13 games for Dallas during the fall series and played more minutes for the team than anyone but Amber Brooks, helping them sit second in the league standings.{{cite news|url=https://www.uslsuperleague.com/dallas-trinity-fc-player-stats/|title=Dallas Trinity FC Player Stats|publisher=USL Super League|access-date=2025-01-19}} Dorsey was waived by North Carolina in December, and Dallas announced one month later that they had signed her themselves.{{cite news|url=https://www.nccourage.com/news/courage-to-waive-julia-dorsey-and-landy-mertz/|title=Courage to waive Julia Dorsey and Landy Mertz|date=2024-12-09|publisher=North Carolina Courage|access-date=2024-12-10}}{{cite news|url=https://3rddegree.net/dallas-trinity-fc-re-signs-julia-dorsey|title=Dallas Trinity FC re-signs Julia Dorsey|date=2025-01-24|website=3rd Degree|last=Carrick|first=Buzz|access-date=2025-01-24}} On March 9, 2025, she helped Trinity notch a 6–0 victory over league leaders Brooklyn FC.{{cite web|url=https://www.uslsuperleague.com/dallastrinityfc-brooklynfc-2487710/|title=Dallas Trinity FC 6–0 Brooklyn FC|publisher=USL Super League|date=2025-03-09|access-date=2025-03-09}}

International career

Dorsey was called up to the United States national under-20 team for friendlies at the end of 2019.{{cite news|url=https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2019/12/thirty-four-players-called-to-us-under-20-womens-national-team-at-2019-nike-international-friendlies|title=Thirty-Four Players Called to Represent U.S. Under-20 Women's National Team at 2019 Nike International Friendlies|date=2019-12-04|publisher=United States Soccer Federation|access-date=2024-01-10}}

Career statistics

= Club =

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! rowspan="2" \|Club ! rowspan="2" \|Season ! colspan="3" \|League ! colspan="2" \|Domestic Cup ! colspan="2" \|Other ! colspan="2" \|Total
Division !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals
North Carolina Courage \|2024 \|NWSL \|0 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|colspan="2"\|— \|0 \|0
Dallas Trinity FC (loan) \|2024–25 \|USL Super League \|13 \|0 \|colspan="2"\|— \|colspan="2"\|— \|13 \|0
Dallas Trinity FC \|2024–25 \|USL Super League \|1 \|0 \|colspan="2"\|— \|colspan="2"\|— \|1 \|0
colspan="3" \|Career total !14 !0 !0 !0 !0 !0 !14 !0

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

! rowspan="2" |Club

! rowspan="2" |Season

! colspan="3" |League

! colspan="2" |Domestic Cup

! colspan="2" |Other

! colspan="2" |Total

Division

!Apps

!Goals

!Apps

!Goals