Three-time Northwest Division champion, FC Olympia, has seen incredible success since its inaugural USL W League season in 2023. The team had a combined 17-0-3 record through its first two years and battled its way to the top once again for a third division title this summer. 

“This season, our approach is focused on building upon the strong identity we've developed over the last two years,” said Ben Willis, Technical Director. “The consistency at the top of the table speaks to our standards, but now it's about elevating those standards even further.” 

The Artesians have no trouble finding the back of the net, scoring over 100 goals since their first season. But the real key to the team’s success is on the defensive end, specifically its proven strength in goalkeeping. 

From current players to alumni, even up to the technical staff and club ownership, goalkeeping is embedded in the foundation of FC Olympia and is one of the biggest factors to the team’s accomplishments in the W League. 

The Artesians recorded clean sheets in six of its ten matches this season, split between the work of multiple goalkeepers. Faith Nguyen, a senior at Texas Tech, got the starting nod for Olympia for the majority of this summer, and she recorded a critical shutout in the team’s final match of the season to clinch the division. Izzy Lee, who was recently called up to the U.S. U-23 National Team training camp, also filled in, along with Japanese international Shu Obha, who has been with the team since its inaugural season. 

All three of these keepers bring impressive collegiate careers and international experience to Olympia, and they further develop those skills with the team’s goalkeeping-based technical staff. FC Olympia W League General Manager and Board Member Vanessa Crisp, Principal Owner and Operator Ryan Perkins, and Willis all have goalkeeping experience. 

Willis was the team’s head coach in 2024 following his extensive playing and coaching career before heading to USL Super League team Lexington SC as an assistant and goalkeeper coach for its inaugural season. He returned to FC Olympia earlier this month in the Technical Director role and mentioned that his goalkeeper perspective has impacted the team’s style of play. 

“It’s a unique and often underrated dynamic, but having a goalkeeper's lens at the core of FC Olympia’s leadership brings a distinct advantage,” he said. “Goalkeepers are trained to see the entire field, analyze the flow of the game and understand structure and communication in a way that naturally complements coaching.” 

The goalkeeping lens also creates unique training strategies at FC Olympia, which prove to be beneficial as the team has outscored its opponents 31-5 this season. 

“Our training sessions are built with clarity and detail, often rooted in what we see from behind the ball,” he said. “It enhances our ability to anticipate moments before they happen—something we bring into our style of play and preparation.” 

The Artesians’ on-field success is mirrored through the accomplishments of their former players who have gone on to have professional and international careers. Following the team’s 2024 season, Obha and Murphy Sheaff competed with Japan and New Zealand in the Olympics in Paris. Former Artesian Neeku Purcell was the starting goalkeeper for Brooklyn FC last season in the USL Super League before signing with Seattle Reign FC this summer. Kat Asman, Bre Norris and Diera Walton all signed professional contracts after playing in goal for FC Olympia. 

This successful alumni pathway stems from FC Olympia’s club culture, which is focused intently on developing players and coaches for the future. 

“The culture, ambition, and player-first mindset truly make it the definition of the Path to Pro—not just for players, but for coaches as well,” said Willis. 

As the Northwest Division champions ride their momentum into the playoffs, their presence in goal will pose a significant obstacle for opponents. With strategy shaped from the lens behind the ball, FC Olympia are one to watch heading into the Conference Semifinals this weekend.