Lucy Parker signs first professional contract with West Ham United FC Women
After graduating from UCLA, one Englishwoman has signed a deal that will let her play back in her native country.
Former UCLA women’s soccer defender Lucy Parker has joined West Ham United FC's women’s team for their upcoming season in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League, Parker announced on Twitter on Tuesday. Joining the east London squad, Parker comes back to England after being a youth international, representing the Lionesses at the U15, U17 and U19 levels.
After making seven appearances for the Bruins in their 2020-2021 season, the 22-year old was drafted 16th overall in the NWSL Draft by Kansas City. The UCLA graduate will now leave Kansas City for a new opportunity across the pond without appearing in one match for the club.
“It’s good to be able to come back to England and play in the top division, I couldn’t ask for a better opportunity,” Parker told whufc.com. “The experience that I’ve had over in the states has been a good one, I’ve grown up away from football and (it) was a fantastic life experience.”
Before arriving in Westwood for the 2019 season, the defender had previously played for LSU, earning First-Team All-SEC honors in 2018.
Prior to playing for the Tigers, the Cambridge local had been a part of the Arsenal Women’s FC Academy for 10 years. She won the FA Youth Cup twice with the Gunners and received the U17 Arsenal Player of the Year award before leaving for the states.
Parker showed ability on both sides of the ball in her time with the Bruins. The British transplant scored four times in the 2019-2020 season, also racking up one assist in 24 matches played. She earned 2019 Second-Team All-Pac-12 recognitions for her efforts.
Six games into the 2020-2021 campaign, Parker went down with a knee injury against Oregon State that forced her out of the match late in the first half. The Bruins' defensive rock recovered in time to play her last match as Bruin, which put her right back into crucial circumstances.
The new West Ham United defender played 109 minutes against Clemson in the NCAA tournament Round of 16 in May, eventually getting subbed off before the penalty shootout that sent the Bruins back home in defeat.
"Lucy has incredible work ethic, is very internally driven, extremely humble and a good teammate,” said West Ham manager Olli Harder. “These are always the qualities I look for when bringing players in our football club. I believe she will represent West Ham and those who support us well."
Parker will join several other former Bruins in the FA WSL this upcoming season.
Jessie Fleming and Abby Dahlkemper – who are currently playing for Canada and the United States in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics – will return to Chelsea FC and Manchester City FC, respectively, before facing off against West Ham United and their new Bruin signing this fall.
Parker and West Ham United kick off in the FA WSL on Sept. 5 on the road against Brighton & Hove Albion.
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