WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue women's soccer alumna Maddy Williams has signed on to continue her career professionally in Europe with the Dutch club PSV Eindhoven.
Williams was the 2017 Big Ten Forward of the Year and a second team All-American after leading the league with 14 goals and 36 points. She finished her career as the Boilermakers' all-time leader in goals (38), assists (26) and points (102). She earned her bachelor's degree in environmental and ecological engineering in May.
PSV is based in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, and competes in the country's nine-club Eredivisie league. Eindhoven is located 120 kilometers south of Amsterdam and 90 kilometers east of Antwerp, Belgium.
"I was in Europe for two weeks, including a two-day tryout in Eindhoven," Williams said. "I was able to take part in tryouts for three teams while I was in Europe last month, but PSV was my favorite and I loved Amsterdam. We have training camp in Switzerland in August and then the season starts at the end of the month. I'll be here in West Lafayette training with Purdue this entire summer before I head back to Europe at the end of July."
PSV completed its third year in the Eredivisie this spring, finishing in fifth place and qualifying for the league's championship stage that determines the UEFA Women's Champions League bid. PSV finished in third place each of the previous two seasons after playing its first three seasons as a club in the BeNe League.
The Eredivisie season runs from September to May. PSV trains and plays its home games at De Herdgang in Eindhoven.
This marks the second summer in a row that a Purdue forward has a signed with a professional club in Europe after completing her senior season. Hannah Leinert played for the Romanian club CFF Olimpia Cluj in 2017, helping the team win its group in Women's Champions League qualification. Leinert is currently enrolled in a master's program at Missouri-St. Louis as she recovers from knee surgery in April. She plans to resume her career after completing rehab from the surgery.
Williams was a four-year starter for the Boilermakers, making a triumphant return as a fifth-year senior in 2017 after a knee injury sidelined her the previous season. She led Purdue in goals and points all four years she was able to play and the Boilermakers were 20-4-4 when she scored a goal during her career. With Williams leading the way offensively, Purdue was 19-15-3 during her upperclassman seasons. Without her in 2016, the Boilermakers' endured a tough-luck campaign during which their recorded dropped to 4-12-1.
In 2017, Williams was named first team All-Big Ten and an All-American by United Soccer Coaches and Top Drawer Soccer. She was invited to the U.S. Soccer Women's National Team training camp after her senior season.