Midge Purce facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Midge Purce

Purce with Gotham FC in 2025
Personal information
Full name	Margaret Melinda Williams-Purce
Date of birth	(1995-09-18) September 18, 1995 (age 29)
Place of birth	Silver Spring, Maryland, United States
Height	5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	Gotham FC
Number	23
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2013–2016	Harvard Crimson	69	(42)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2017	Boston Breakers	22	(1)
2018–2019	Portland Thorns	41	(8)
2020–	Gotham FC	46	(16)
International career‡
2011–2012	United States U17
2013–2014	United States U20
2015–2018	United States U23
2019–	United States	30	(4)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of March 24, 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of March 10, 2024

Margaret Melinda "Midge" Williams-Purce (born September 18, 1995) is a talented American soccer player. She plays as a forward for Gotham FC in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Midge also plays for the United States national team.

She used to play for other teams like Portland Thorns FC and the Boston Breakers. Midge was named the Most Valuable Player when Gotham FC won the 2023 NWSL Championship. She is known for being strong with the ball and helping out on defense.

Midge first played for the United States at the under-17 level. She appeared in the 2012 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup and the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. She joined the senior national team in 2019 after a great season with the Thorns.

She played college soccer at Harvard University. In 2020, she was chosen to be on the Board of Overseers at Harvard. Midge is a strong supporter of equal pay for athletes. She also helped start the Black Women's Players Collective.

Early Life and Soccer Start

Midge Purce is the daughter of James Purce. She has an older brother named JP Purce. Midge started playing soccer when she was a child. She followed in her brother's footsteps.

She went to Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic High School in Maryland. In 2012, she was named Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year. She was also an NSCAA All-American in 2010 and 2011.

College Soccer Career

Midge Purce played for the Harvard Crimson women's soccer team. She scored 42 goals in 69 games. She was named Ivy League Player of the Year in both 2015 and 2016.

In 2016, she was also a first-team NSCAA All-American. Midge studied psychology at Harvard. She thought about a career in law after college.

Professional Club Career

Purce with Portland in 2018

Starting with Boston Breakers (2017)

After playing for Harvard, Midge Purce was chosen by the Boston Breakers. She was the 9th pick in the 2017 NWSL College Draft. She played in 22 games for Boston and scored one goal.

Playing for Portland Thorns FC (2018–2019)

The Boston Breakers team closed down in 2018. A special draft was held for their players. The Portland Thorns picked Midge with the 4th choice.

Midge played in 21 games for the Thorns in 2018. She mostly played as a right fullback. In the 2019 NWSL season, Midge moved to play as a forward. She scored 5 goals in just 5 games that season.

Success with Gotham FC (2020–Present)

Midge Purce with Gotham FC in 2025

Midge Purce joined Sky Blue FC in 2020. The team later changed its name to Gotham FC. In the 2021 NWSL season, Midge played as a forward. She scored nine goals, which was the most on her team.

She finished second in the NWSL Golden Boot race. She was also named to the NWSL Best XI for 2021. Midge was a finalist for the 2021 NWSL MVP award.

In January 2022, Midge signed a new contract with Gotham FC. She tore her quad muscle in 2023 and missed many games. However, she was very important in Gotham FC's NWSL playoff run. She helped set up both goals in Gotham FC's 2-1 win over OL Reign in the Championship. She was named the Championship MVP.

At Gotham FC, Midge became known as a strong player who can dribble well. She is a dynamic attacker who also helps defend. In 2024, Midge injured her ACL in a game against the Portland Thorns FC. This injury ended her season early.

She returned to playing in March 2025. In her second game back, she made an assist. While recovering, Midge signed a new contract to stay with Gotham FC. In May 2025, she scored her first goal since her injury. This happened in the semifinals of the 2024–25 CONCACAF W Champions Cup. Gotham FC won the final 1-0 against Tigres. They became the first winners of this competition.

International Career Highlights

Playing for Youth US Teams (2011–2018)

Midge Purce was called to play for the United States youth national teams. These included the under-17, under-20, and under-23 teams. She played in the 2012 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. She also played in 4 games in the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. She scored goals for the US U20s against France and Mexico.

Joining the Senior US Team (2017–Present)

Midge first joined the United States women's national team for the 2017 Tournament of Nations. However, she did not play in any games. She was called up again in June 2018 for friendly games. But she got an ankle injury and could not play.

In November 2019, Midge was called to Vlatko Andonovski's first training camp. She played her first game for the national team on November 10, 2019. This was a friendly match against Costa Rica. She played the whole game as a right back. Her cross led to an own goal for Costa Rica in the 6-0 win. Midge scored her first goal for the senior national team on January 21, 2021, against Colombia.

In November 2021, Midge was called up as a forward for the national team. She has played in 25 games for the team. She helped the United States win the SheBelieves Cup in 2021, 2022, and 2023. She also won the 2022 CONCACAF W Championship with the team. Midge was not chosen for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup team after an injury in April 2023.

Advocacy and Community Work

Purce delivers remarks during a virtual Equal Pay Day event Wednesday, March 24, 2021 at the White House.

Midge Purce is a member of the Board of Overseers at Harvard University. She was elected in 2020. She also helped start the Black Women's Players Collective (BWPC). This group is a nonprofit that helps black girls get more chances in sports and other areas. Midge was named to the 2023 Forbes 30 under 30 list for her work with the BWPC.

On March 24, 2021, Midge spoke at the White House. She was with her USWNT teammate Megan Rapinoe. They spoke about the importance of equal pay. Midge said, "You would never expect a flower to bloom without water, but women in sport who have been denied water, sunlight, and soil are somehow expected to blossom. Invest in women, then let's talk again when you see the return."

Personal Life and Creative Projects

Midge Purce created The Offseason. This is a reality TV show about NWSL players training before a new season. The show started in 2024.

Career Statistics

Club

International

Scores and results list United States's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Purce goal.

List of international goals scored by Midge Purce

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition	Ref.
1	January 22, 2021	Orlando, Florida	Colombia	6–0	6–0	Friendly
2	June 13, 2021	Orlando, Florida	Jamaica	3–0	4–0	Friendly
3	April 12, 2022	Chester, Pennsylvania	Uzbekistan	8–0	9–0	Friendly
4	July 4, 2022	San Nicolás de los Garza, Mexico	Haiti	3–0	3–0	2022 CONCACAF W Championship

Honors and Awards

Gotham FC

• NWSL Championship: 2023
• CONCACAF W Champions Cup: 2024–25

United States

• CONCACAF Women's Championship: 2022
• CONCACAF W Gold Cup: 2024
• SheBelieves Cup: 2021; 2022; 2023

Individual

• NWSL Team of the Month: June 2019, August 2019
• NWSL Player of the Week: 2019 week 19, 2021 week 1, 2021 week 21
• NWSL Goal of the Week: 2019 week 8
• Portland Thorns Supporters' Player Of The Year: 2019
• NWSL Best XI First Team: 2021
• NWSL Championship Game MVP: 2023

See also

In Spanish: Margaret Purce para niños