Former Bullard High School soccer star Lynn Williams has made the U.S. Women’s World Cup team as a forward.

U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski named his 23-player squad on Wednesday. It is headlined by Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe, who were picked to the team for the fourth time.

But the roster also includes Williams and 13 other players making their World Cup debuts. Soccer’s pinnacle competition begins July 20 in Australia and New Zealand.

‘Holy S–t! I Did It’

“I was going to be throwing out the first pitch at the Yankee game and I needed to practice,” Williams told The New York Post. “So I said to get my mind off this let’s go get a baseball and start practicing. I was just getting ready to go throw when Vlatko (Andonovski, U.S. coach) called me. My first thought was ‘Thank God.’ I’ve been stressing about this all year, all day. But at the same time, I just felt relief.

“Then I said ‘Well, this was a better conversation than the last one.’ And he laughed and I was laughing. So it was just relief, and disbelief. Then when we got off the call I cried, just because all of the emotions were so pent up for so long that it’s just like a nice release to be like holy s–t, I did it. It’s surreal.”

To understand Williams’ emotions, you need to know her history. She was one of the last cuts four years ago and tore her hamstring in 2022. But she has become a force once again with her new team, NJ/NY Gotham FC, scoring six goals — with four match-winners — this season. Gotham rewarded her with a new three-year contract that she signed atop the Empire State Building on Tuesday, The Post reported.

The World Cup roster selection was revealed via a social media post that included President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden, Taylor Swift, Lil Wayne, and Megan Thee Stallion.

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We asked a few friends to help with this year’s World Cup roster announcement

Visit https://t.co/sLCJ8RhiOx for full details pic.twitter.com/TckXmhgQyy

— U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (@USWNT) June 21, 2023

Williams Played for US Olympic Team

Williams, who celebrated her 30th birthday last month, has made 52 appearances with the USA national team since her debut in 2016 against Switzerland — a match in which she scored. That call-up to the national team came after she won the National Women’s Soccer League scoring title and MVP award and led the Western New York Flash to the league title.

Her 57 career NWSL regular-season goals are the third most in league history.

In 52 appearances with the national team, she has 15 goals and 12 assists. She made her Olympic debut on July 27, 2021, against Australia, playing the final 16 minutes. Three days later, she got the start against the Netherlands in the quarterfinal and scored a goal and assisted on Samantha Mewis’ diving header.

While at Bullard High, Williams led the Knights to the 2011 Central Section title, scoring 50 goals. She then went on to an All-American career at Pepperdine.

Williams is the daughter of David and Christine Williams, both of whom competed in track and field at Fresno State.