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USL Rhode Island FC

JJ Williams Voted USL Championship Player of the Month

November 7, 2024 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rhode Island FC News Release


PAWTUCKET, R.I. - The USL Championship announced today that Rhode Island FC forward JJ Williams has been voted the league's Player of the Month for October after collecting four goals and two assists. In Rhode Island FC's 8-1 regular-season finale victory over Miami FC on Oct. 26, Williams became the first RIFC player in club history to record a hat trick.

Williams had a remarkable October as Rhode Island FC made its final playoff push to close out the regular season. During RIFC's four October matches, Williams was twice named Man of the Match en route to his two USL Championship Team of the Week selections. After his historic hat trick against Miami, Williams took home Player of the Week honors.

"I'm really pleased for him and really pleased for the group." said Rhode Island FC Head Coach and General Manager Khano Smith. "I think he certainly relies on the supply of balls from his teammates, but he's worked hard to get to this point and we've always believed in him and knew that he would develop into a big player for us. So we are just really happy with the form that he's in."

Within his hat trick performance, Williams went down in Rhode Island FC history as the first player to successfully convert a penalty kick. Prior to the regular-season finale, the Montgomery, Ala. native also provided a goal and an assist in the Ocean State club's 3-1 win over Tampa Bay Rowdies.

"You know goal scorers, they just score in bunches and they need confidence," said Smith. "They rely on that and he's no different. As soon as he got that first one, you could just tell he had the taste for it to go out and get more."

Williams earned 68 percent of a weighted poll that included the USL Championship Technical Committee, a national panel of independent media representing every USL market and an online fan vote held at USLChampionship.com.

The first RIFC player to be voted as USL Championship Player of the Month, Williams's award represents the 27th regular season monthly or weekly league honor for Rhode Island FC:

WEEK DATE NAME HONOR

2 March 19 Clay Holstad Team of the Week

3 March 26 Albert Dikwa Team of the Week

5 April 9 Jackson Lee Team of the Week

6 April 16 Jackson Lee Team of the Week

7 April 23 Khano Smith Coach of the Week

7 April 23 Stephen Turnbull Team of the Week

12 May 28 Koke Vegas Team of the Week

16 June 25 Khano Smith Coach of the Week

16 June 25 Stephen Turnbull Team of the Week

16 June 25 Jojea Kwizera Team of the Week

17 July 2 Jojea Kwizera Team of the Week

18 July 9 Frank Nodarse Team of the Week

18 July 9 Marc Ybarra Team of the Week

19 July 16 Albert Dikwa Team of the Week

20 July 23 Zachary Herivaux Player of the Week

21 July 30 Frank Nodarse Team of the Week

July Aug. 7 Khano Smith Coach of the Month

25 Aug. 27 Koke Vegas Team of the Week

26 Sept. 3 Stephen Turnbull Team of the Week

29 Sept. 24 Noah Fuson Team of the Week

30 Oct. 1 Clay Holstad Team of the Week

30 Oct. 1 Albert Dikwa Team of the Week

30 Oct. 1 Jojea Kwizera Team of the Week

31 Oct. 8 JJ Williams Team of the Week

34 Oct. 29 JJ Williams Player of the Week

34 Oct. 29 Zachary Herivaux Team of the Week

Oct. Nov. 7 JJ Williams Player of the Month

Up next, Rhode Island FC will travel to No. 1 overall seed and 2024 USL Championship Players' Shield winners Louisville City FC in the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 7:30 p.m. Fans can join fellow Ocean State supporters at the Official Rhode Island FC Watch Party at The Guild Brewing Company in Pawtucket, home of the RIFC Pale Ale.

Check out the Rhode Island FC Statistics

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