Anaiah Williams | Elite Defender & USA U-17 Captain Headed to Penn State

From the Chicago suburbs, a defender who turned early rejection into a national team captaincy. Anaiah Williams, a center-back from Glenbard North High School, is one of the most accomplished players in the 2027 high school class — and her path to the top of U.S. youth soccer is a story built on persistence as much as talent.

Williams started playing soccer young and scored goals almost immediately, but it's the defensive side of the game where she's made her name. She embraces the unglamorous work of shutting down opponents, distributing out of the back, and organizing her teammates — a mindset shaped in part by her father Rob, a former college football player who has been a constant presence in her training.

Her road to the U.S. Youth National Team wasn't a straight line. Overlooked during U-14 call-ups, Williams used the missed camps as motivation, training harder and lifting more until she earned an alternate spot at the U-15 level. From there, she became a consistent fixture in the national team pool, eventually earning a captaincy with the USA U-17 squad and helping the team qualify for the U-17 Women's World Cup.

When she's not with the national team, Williams plays club soccer for Eclipse Select and has trained with the Chicago Stars of the NWSL. She's also a standout on the track, competing in the sprints for Glenbard North — her relay team ranks fourth in school history, and she holds one of the eight fastest individual times in the program.

Williams has committed to Penn State, where she said the coaching staff and facilities felt like the right fit from her first visit. She arrives in Happy Valley as one of the most decorated recruits in her class.