After finishing her collegiate career in burnt orange, senior goalkeeper Mia Justus will leave Texas soccer to join the Utah Royals FC.
The professional soccer team plays in the National Women’s Soccer League, the highest division of women’s soccer in the United States. The club signed Justus on a three-year contract that will run through 2027.
“We are happy to welcome Mia to the Club and that she has chosen Utah to be the next step in her career,” said Kelly Cousins, the team’s sporting director. “She has shown that she has the talent to play at this level, and we are excited to continue her development.”
At Texas, Justus started in between the sticks during the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Over the span of 48 games, Justus produced 194 saves and 21 shutouts, holding the program record for single-season clean sheets with 12 in 2024. Her passing abilities have also led to three assists during her time at Texas.
Commandeering the defense, Justus played pivotal roles in Texas winning the Big 12 tournament and SEC title. She was named the SEC Tournament MVP after producing two clean sheets in three games, making 14 saves against No. 5 Arkansas in a 2–1 double-overtime win in the semifinals.
“Since the moment she stepped on campus … she commands presence,” head coach Angela Kelly said in a press conference. “She’s a fantastic distributor of the ball with both feet, which is a necessity at the next level, an unbelievable shot stopper … and she has the mentality for it.”
Prior to joining Texas, Justus played at Florida State University. In two years, she played 14 games, generated 28 saves and maintained a 77.8% save percentage. In her freshman campaign, Justus became a national champion while also earning a spot on the 2021 ACC All-Freshman Team.
In addition to her newly signed professional contract, Justus was also called up to the Futures Camp hosted by the U.S. Women’s National Team on Jan. 8. The training camp hosts 24 players from both the professional and collegiate levels who are prospects for the senior national team. Justus will attend the camp alongside senior midfielder Lexi Missimo.
“Her best years are not here with us. It’s going to be years from now between the pipes,” Kelly said. “Whatever NWSL team is fortunate enough to get her is going to be really fortunate.”
