Oly Town Women’s Mariah Lee signs pro contract in Australia

Coming from a successful stint with Oly Town FC, Mariah Lee is ready to embark on another level of her soccer career as she enters the professional ranks.

South Australian side Adelaide United FC announced last Thursday that they have signed the former Oly Town FC forward just in time for their 2023-24 Liberty A-League campaign, which will start this October.

“Right now, it’s a really exciting time for women’s football in Australia coming off of the World Cup. Clubs have recorded historic attendance and investment and membership numbers for their women’s side, including United, so I’m just super excited to be playing and engaging with fans in a country with so much momentum surrounding the women’s game,” said Lee.

Lee will bring her extensive experience of playing soccer, starting with a promising college star at Stanford University, to playing in different international leagues such as OL Reign in the NWSL, Celtic FC Women in Scotland, and Sporting de Huelva in Spain.

But the Olympia faithful will most definitely remember her lone season with Oly Town FC in the 2023 season, where she carried the Artesians up to the USL W League playoffs, scoring seven goals and contributing four assists in Oly Town’s memorable debut season and undefeated run in the Northwest Division.

Lee after her hat trick vs Lane United

Last season, Lee’s performances for Oly Town guaranteed her place as the Northwest MVP of the 2023 USL W League and a part of the USL W League all-national team selection.

“The USL W was great because I hadn’t played in an actual game since the previous October, so it was nice to get back playing, get back into stride of scoring goals. I think a big part of United’s willingness to sign me so quickly was that I was coming off a big season with Oly Town,” said Lee.

“I don’t know if I have just one, but the hat-trick I scored in my Oly Town debut (4-1 win vs Lane United FC in Eugene, OR) and my birthday goal (4-0 win vs Lane United FC at South Sound Stadium) in front of my family and friends probably take the cake.”

Lee will be joining a team that finished eighth last season. Adelaide United, monikered as The Reds, finished with 18 points from five wins, three draws, and ten defeats, and their acquisitions of the summer, including Lee, would be detrimental for their campaign for the upcoming league campaign.

“ played throughout the world in different conditions and in front of passionate crowds, so we expect them to thrive in our fantastic environment here in Adelaide and across the A-Leagues.” said Adelaide United head coach Adrian Stenta in their press release.

Mariah Lee poses as the latest Adelaide United signing