Men's Soccer | 5/24/2017 3:03:00 PM
Moon Township, Pa. – "Speedy" isn't just a nickname about Devon Williams' pace – it also describes how quickly his professional career has gone.
"It's flown by pretty fast," admitted Williams after a training session at the GreenTree SportsPlex this past Friday. "But it's been good so far so I give thanks to that."
Williams, a former midfielder for the Robert Morris University men's soccer team (2011-14), is in his third United Soccer League (USL) season and first with Louisville City FC. He previously played with New York Red Bulls II, scoring a pair of goals in 36 appearances with the club.
This past campaign, Williams helped lead New York Red Bulls II to the USL regular-season and playoff championships, playing a total of 1,641 minutes during the Red Bulls' run to silverware.
"It felt great," said Williams of the 2016 USL Cup title. "We actually beat Louisville in the Eastern Conference finals, so being here now is kind of weird but it's all good."
Now with Louisville, Williams is feeling right at home and looking to help get the two-time Eastern Conference finalist over the hump. The club is ranked third in the division with 15 points – despite playing fewer matches than the first and second place teams – and Williams leads the squad in passes per 90 minutes at 64.5, according to the statistics website Opta.
"It's been an easy transition," said Williams. "All the guys have been very welcoming and the coaching staff is great. I would love to win (the USL Cup) again. That was one of the reasons why I came to Louisville, because they've been one of the best teams over the last two years."
Robert Morris has had 17 Colonials under head coach Bill Denniston's tutelage go on to play professionally, including former RMU teammates Miro Cabrilo and 2016 Major League Soccer (MLS) SuperDraft second round selection Neco Brett. While the list of Colonials in the pros is growing, Williams has on his résumé something that not only his fellow Robert Morris alumni lack, but most professional soccer players in general.
A victory over English Premier League champion Chelsea FC.
"To be honest I still don't believe I actually played in that game," reflected Williams with a grin. "It's still surreal to me this day, but it was a great experience and I'm truly grateful for it."
The Red Bulls' MLS side defeated Chelsea in the 2015 International Champions Cup, 4-2, as a newly-signed Williams appeared on the team's bench despite only playing in one USL match prior. In the 71st minute, he replaced Roy Miller and made an immediate impact against England's top team, who were playing first-choice players such as Diego Costa, Eden Hazard, and John Terry, among others. Williams registered a pair of shots, including one in the closing minutes of stoppage time that forced a save.
"I wasn't nervous at all," said Williams after the game. "The atmosphere wouldn't allow that. It's what I've always wanted to do and I wanted to make the most out of the opportunity."
That mental fortitude was instilled in him by Denniston, who will enter his 21st season on the RMU sidelines in August. As for advice Williams would like to bestow upon the 2017 Colonials, the message is pretty simple.
"Just listen to Coach and work as hard as possible."
