San Jose, Calif. (December 30, 2024) – Bay FC, the professional soccer franchise representing the Bay Area in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), announced today that the club has signed forward Karlie Lema to a three-year contract through 2027 with an option for the 2028 season. Lema joins the club on her first professional contract after four seasons at the University of California, Berkeley.
“We are thrilled to announce the signing of Karlie Lema, a dynamic and talented player who embodies everything we strive for at Bay FC,” said Head Coach Albertin Montoya. “As the ACC Offensive Player of the Year, Karlie has proven her ability to make an impact with her exceptional pace and clinical finishing, making her a constant threat on the field. Adding a local talent of her caliber to our roster is incredibly exciting, and we can’t wait to see her bright future unfold as she grows with our team.”
Lema joins Bay FC after a stellar senior season at Cal where she was one of the country’s top offensive players. She netted 16 goals in 21 appearances in 2024, earning her ACC Offensive Player of the Year and All-ACC First Team honors. Lema’s contributions helped her squad to a top-25 national ranking and an at-large bid in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, where the Bears reached the second round after a tournament-opening 2-1 win vs. Pepperdine after extra time. For her college career, Lema tallied 31 goals in 76 appearances, sixth on the Bears all-time scoring list, and was named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman team in 2021 and All-Pac-12 Third Team her junior season in 2023. She also featured locally for San Francisco Glens Soccer Club in 2024 in USL W League action.
A native of Morgan Hill, Calif., Lema played her youth career with Mountain View Los Altos Soccer Club. She represented U.S. Youth National Teams throughout her youth career, earning five invitations to the U17 Women’s Youth National team from 2019-2020, and a selection to the U-17 Women’s Youth National Team roster for the 2019 UEFA Development tournament. She participated with the U-15 Women’s Youth National Team in 2018, earning a roster spot for the squad’s trip to the 2018 CFA Youth International Football tournament in China.
About Bay Football Club
Bay Football Club (Bay FC) is the professional soccer franchise representing the Bay Area and the 14th team to join the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). Bay FC was established in April 2023 and co-founded by USWNT legends Brandi Chastain, Leslie Osborne, Danielle Slaton, and Aly Wagner in partnership with global investment firm Sixth Street and an investor group of leading tech, business and sports executives. Sixth Street’s investment is the largest institutional investment to date in a women’s professional sports franchise. Bay FC is changing the face of women’s soccer as we know it. Beginning play in the 2024 season, we are building a squad that will play the beautiful game with power, passion, energy, and creativity. Tickets are now on sale for Bay FC at https://bayfc.com and fans can follow Bay FC’s social channels (@wearebayfc) for the latest news, merchandise, and events.
