University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Ashley’s Leadership & Resolve Has Tar Heels In Championship Form
October 1, 2018 | Women's Soccer
Senior in the midst of her final season as a Tar Heel
By Karen Vanderford, UNC Athletic Communications Student Assistant
Two-year Tar Heel captain, four-year starter, ACC Defensive Player of the Week, and National Player of the Week are only a few words to describe senior defender Julia Ashley as she leads the Carolina women's soccer's through another successful campaign in 2018. Though she already has a laundry list of achievements in her time at North Carolina, Ashley has her sights set on so much more.
Growing up in a family of athletes, Ashley knew she belonged on the field. In high school, Ashley and her two sisters competed for the track team, following in the footsteps of their dad who was a member of the track and cross country teams during his time at Boston College. She set school records in the 400-meter and 800-meter events as well as both the indoor and outdoor mile, the latter of which she set as a freshman after clocking in the third-fastest time in the nation. But, at the end of the day, the soccer field was where her heart longed to be.
As a New Jersey native, it was no surprise Ashley hoped to continue her career in the Southern Part of Heaven. The senior had always dreamed of walking out on the field in the Carolina Blue uniform and representing the one and only Tar Heels. Realizing she had a shot to play the game she loved at a collegiate level, Ashley hoped she would be end up at Carolina, whose decorated program history and competitive culture were exactly what she desired. The idea of playing at a sprint the entire game excited Ashley to no end and eventually brought her to Carolina.
Ashley found success the moment she stepped onto the field at UNC. In her freshmen year alone, she started all 21 games and played a total of 1,848 minutes, the second-most by an individual that season. As Ashley's career continues, she does not disappoint. She earned second-team All-ACC honors and was named to the All-Tournament team after Carolina won the ACC Tournament title in 2017. Her hard work has even carried over to the classroom and she was named to All-ACC Academic Team for women's soccer in 2017-18.
Although Ashley wants to succeed on a personal level, nothing compares to her dedication to her team. Ashley had the honor of helping head coach Anson Dorrance reach his 1,000th overall win on the collegiate level earlier this season, a memory she says she will cherish forever. Even her teammates recognize how much love she has not only for the game, but also for them. Ashley strives to create a close-knit environment for her fellow players, but the two-time captain does not feel titles are needed to be a leader.
"In order to instill that, I develop a lot of close relationships with girls on the team," Ashley said. "The culture here is why we are so good. We are very family oriented. We are not individuals."
In the future, Ashley hopes to pursue a professional soccer career in the National Women's Soccer League and dreams of playing for the U.S. National Team. With the NWSL draft quickly approaching in January, she hopes she earns the chance to be part of a professional team but intends on continuing her career abroad if not in the United States. Ashley does not see herself hanging up her cleats any time soon and plans on playing as long as her body lets her.
Recently, Ashley was among 30 NCAA Division I women's soccer players who were nominated for the Senior CLASS Award. The award recognizes the top senior player in the nation who excels in four particular areas – community, classroom, character and competition. The award also considers the nominees as whole, encouraging athletes to use their time in the spotlight as an avenue to make a positive impact on their campus or surrounding communities.
Despite receiving plenty, the glory, the reputation, the fame, none of that matters to Ashley. If she did not have the extra perks that come with being a student-athlete at one of the nation's top soccer programs, she wouldn't care. That is not what this sport means to her.
"All you need is a field," Ashley said. "As long as we have a field to play on, we are fine."
Two-year Tar Heel captain, four-year starter, ACC Defensive Player of the Week, and National Player of the Week are only a few words to describe senior defender Julia Ashley as she leads the Carolina women's soccer's through another successful campaign in 2018. Though she already has a laundry list of achievements in her time at North Carolina, Ashley has her sights set on so much more.
Growing up in a family of athletes, Ashley knew she belonged on the field. In high school, Ashley and her two sisters competed for the track team, following in the footsteps of their dad who was a member of the track and cross country teams during his time at Boston College. She set school records in the 400-meter and 800-meter events as well as both the indoor and outdoor mile, the latter of which she set as a freshman after clocking in the third-fastest time in the nation. But, at the end of the day, the soccer field was where her heart longed to be.
As a New Jersey native, it was no surprise Ashley hoped to continue her career in the Southern Part of Heaven. The senior had always dreamed of walking out on the field in the Carolina Blue uniform and representing the one and only Tar Heels. Realizing she had a shot to play the game she loved at a collegiate level, Ashley hoped she would be end up at Carolina, whose decorated program history and competitive culture were exactly what she desired. The idea of playing at a sprint the entire game excited Ashley to no end and eventually brought her to Carolina.
Ashley found success the moment she stepped onto the field at UNC. In her freshmen year alone, she started all 21 games and played a total of 1,848 minutes, the second-most by an individual that season. As Ashley's career continues, she does not disappoint. She earned second-team All-ACC honors and was named to the All-Tournament team after Carolina won the ACC Tournament title in 2017. Her hard work has even carried over to the classroom and she was named to All-ACC Academic Team for women's soccer in 2017-18.
Although Ashley wants to succeed on a personal level, nothing compares to her dedication to her team. Ashley had the honor of helping head coach Anson Dorrance reach his 1,000th overall win on the collegiate level earlier this season, a memory she says she will cherish forever. Even her teammates recognize how much love she has not only for the game, but also for them. Ashley strives to create a close-knit environment for her fellow players, but the two-time captain does not feel titles are needed to be a leader.
"In order to instill that, I develop a lot of close relationships with girls on the team," Ashley said. "The culture here is why we are so good. We are very family oriented. We are not individuals."
In the future, Ashley hopes to pursue a professional soccer career in the National Women's Soccer League and dreams of playing for the U.S. National Team. With the NWSL draft quickly approaching in January, she hopes she earns the chance to be part of a professional team but intends on continuing her career abroad if not in the United States. Ashley does not see herself hanging up her cleats any time soon and plans on playing as long as her body lets her.
Recently, Ashley was among 30 NCAA Division I women's soccer players who were nominated for the Senior CLASS Award. The award recognizes the top senior player in the nation who excels in four particular areas – community, classroom, character and competition. The award also considers the nominees as whole, encouraging athletes to use their time in the spotlight as an avenue to make a positive impact on their campus or surrounding communities.
Despite receiving plenty, the glory, the reputation, the fame, none of that matters to Ashley. If she did not have the extra perks that come with being a student-athlete at one of the nation's top soccer programs, she wouldn't care. That is not what this sport means to her.
"All you need is a field," Ashley said. "As long as we have a field to play on, we are fine."
Players Mentioned
Defender
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