Julia Marie Benati (born September 18, 1996) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Northern Super League club Ottawa Rapid FC.
Early life
Benati played youth soccer with North London SC, Dorchester SC, and NorWest London.[2]
College career
In 2014, Benati began attending the University of Buffalo, where she played for the women's soccer team.[3] She scored her first goal in her debut on August 22, 2014, in a 1-0 victory over the St. Bonaventure Bonnies.[4] At the end of her first season, she was named to the Mid-American Conference All-Freshman Team.[5] At the end of her sophomore season, she was named to the All-MAC Second Team, earned Academic All-MAC honours and was named to the MAC Distinguished Scholar Athlete list.[6][7] In 2016, she was once again named to the All-MAC Second Team and earned Academic All-MAC honours once again.[8][9] At the end of her senior season, Benati was named to the All-MAC First Team,[10] All-Midwest Region Third Team,[11] Academic All-MAC,[12] and Academic All-District.[13] She was became the first Buffalo women's soccer student-athlete to receive the NCAA postgraduate scholarship and was nominated for the 2018 NCAA Woman Of The Year.[14][15]
Club career
In 2016, Benati began playing with FC London in League1 Ontario.[16] In 2016, she was named to the mid-season league all-star team that played the PLSQ All-Star team[17] and was named a league Second Team All-Star at the end of the season.[18] In 2017, she was named a league Third Team All-Star.[19] In 2018, she was named a league First Team All-Star.[20] In 2019, Benati was named the league's Midfielder of the Year and a First Team All-Star.[21][22] In 2021, she once again was named the league's Top Midfielder and a First Team All-Star.[23] In 2022, she became team captain[24] and at the end of the season was named the league Most Valuable Player, Midfielder of the Year, and a First Team All-Star.[25][26]
In August 2022, Benati signed with Norwegian club Medkila in the top tier 1. divisjon.[24][27][28]
In January 2023, she signed with Portuguese club Valadares Gaia in the Campeonato Nacional Feminino.[29][30]
In June 2023, she returned to FC London, with her arrival delayed while she had to wait for the Portuguese Football Federation to approve her contract termination with Gaia.[31] In 2024, she was again named the league Midfielder of the Year and a First Team All-Star.[32]
In January 2025, Benati signed with Ottawa Rapid FC in the Northern Super League, becoming the club's first ever signing, ahead of their inaugural season.[33]
Personal life
Benati is a licensed chiropractor.[34]
Career statistics
- As of August 4, 2024
| Club | Season | League | Playoffs | Domestic Cup | League Cup | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| FC London | 2016[35] | League1 Ontario | 10 | 4 | — | — | ? | ? | 10 | 4 | ||
| 2017[36] | 8 | 1 | — | — | ? | ? | 8 | 1 | ||||
| 2018[37] | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | ? | ? | 10 | 1 | |||
| 2019[38] | 13 | 5 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 5 | ||||
| 2021[39] | 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 3 | ||||
| 2022[40] | 17 | 12 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 12 | ||||
| Total | 68 | 26 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 75 | 26 | ||
| Medkila | 2022[1] | 1. divisjon | 8 | 2 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 8 | 2 | ||
| Valadares Gaia | 2022–23[41] | Campeonato Nacional Feminino | 11 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 11 | 0 | ||
| Valadares Gaia B | 2022–23[41] | Campeonato Nacional II Divisão Feminino | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | |||
| FC London | 2023[42] | League1 Ontario | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 9 | 2 | ||
| 2024[43] | 17 | 11 | — | — | 4 | 4 | 21 | 15 | ||||
| Total | 26 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 30 | 17 | ||
| Career total | 115 | 42 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 126 | 46 | ||
Honours
Club
Individual
References
- ^ a b "Julia Benati". Norsk & Internasjonal Fotballstatistikk (in Norwegian). NTB.
- ^ "Women's Soccer Reveals 2014 Recruiting Class". Buffalo Bulls. February 13, 2014.
- ^ "Nor'West breeding success". London Sports Xpress. November 8, 2013.
- ^ "Women's Soccer Blanks Bonnies In Season Opening Victory, 1-0". Buffalo Bulls. August 22, 2014.
- ^ "Women's Soccer Sweeps Major MAC Awards; Eight Earn All-Conference Honors". Buffalo Bulls. November 6, 2014.
- ^ "Julia Benati Buffalo Bulls profile". Buffalo Bulls.
- ^ "Five Women's Soccer Players Earn All-MAC Accolades". Buffalo Bulls. November 5, 2015.
- ^ "Women's Soccer Places Four On All-MAC Team". Buffalo Bulls. November 3, 2016.
- ^ "Women's Soccer Sees Program Record Eight Student-Athletes Earn Academic All-MAC Honors". Buffalo Bulls. November 17, 2016.
- ^ "Women's Soccer Places Five On All-MAC Squads". Buffalo Bulls. November 2, 2017.
- ^ "Julia Benati Earns United Soccer Coaches Third Team All-Midwest Region Nod". Buffalo Bulls. November 29, 2017.
- ^ "Seven Bulls Earn Academic All-MAC Nod". Buffalo Bulls. November 16, 2017.
- ^ "Cutrona And Benati Earn CoSIDA Academic All-District Nod". Buffalo Bulls. November 13, 2017.
- ^ "Julia Benati Earns NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship". Buffalo Bulls. April 20, 2018.
- ^ "Julia Benati Named 2018 NCAA Woman Of The Year Nominee". Buffalo Bulls. July 13, 2018.
- ^ Devlin, Todd (August 18, 2021). "Benati, FC women off to fast start". Gameday London.
- ^ "Club thrilled with League1 debut". London Sports Xpress. September 10, 2016.
- ^ "League1 Ontario Announces 2016 Women's First And Second Team All-Stars". League1 Ontario. November 18, 2016. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021.
- ^ "Standout Performers Recognized At League1 Ontario 2017 Awards Banquet". League1 Ontario. November 13, 2017. Archived from the original on October 17, 2023.
- ^ "Top 2018 Performers Recognized At Year-End Awards Gala". League1 Ontario. November 26, 2018. Archived from the original on December 9, 2023.
- ^ "Stakic, Benati Selected As 2019 League1 Midfielders Of The Year". League1 Ontario. October 3, 2019. Archived from the original on October 2, 2023.
- ^ "Men's And Women's 2019 First, Second And Third Team All-Stars". League1 Ontario. September 30, 2019. Archived from the original on February 11, 2024.
- ^ Thompson, Marty (December 21, 2021). "2021 L1O Women's Premier Division Awards: Twidle Earns MVP, FC London Dominate Again". League1 Ontario.
- ^ a b "Former Bulls Carissima Cutrona and Julia Benati Reunite To Play Professionally in Norway". Buffalo Bulls. August 25, 2022.
- ^ "Julia Benati and Olivia Smith highly commended as Women's Premier Division 2022 awards are confirmed". League1 Ontario. November 15, 2022. Archived from the original on February 26, 2024.
- ^ "Simcoe skipper Cloey Uddenberg at the heart of the 2022 Women's Premier Division All-Star team". League1 Ontario. November 17, 2022. Archived from the original on February 9, 2023.
- ^ "Her er jentene som kan redde Medkila: – Vi er alle angrepsspillere" [Here are the girls who can save Medkila: - We are all attacking players]. iHardstad (in Norwegian). September 10, 2022.
- ^ "Ny angrepsduo dro rett på Medkila-trening" [New attacking duo went straight to Medkila training]. Harstad Tidende (in Norwegian). August 25, 2022.
- ^ Pyette, Ryan (January 12, 2023). "Sports Notes: Lightning prep for tip-off; Jr. Knights shine: Benati signs". London Free Press.
- ^ "Går fra Medkila til portugisisk klubb" [Going from Medkila to Portuguese club]. Harstad Tidende (in Norwegian). January 11, 2023.
- ^ Pyette, Ryan (June 1, 2023). "Soccer MVP awaits Portuguese pro club's all-clear before rejoining FC London". London Free Press.
- ^ "Premier Division stars celebrated in 2024 awards". League1 Ontario. November 1, 2024.
- ^ "NSL's Ottawa Rapid FC announce ex-League1 Ontario midfielder Julia Benati as first club signing". Canadian Soccer Daily. January 6, 2025.
- ^ "Dr. Julia Benati". Dorchester Family Chiropractic Centre.
- ^ "Julia Benati 2016 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
- ^ "Julia Benati 2017 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
- ^ "Julia Benati 2018 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
- ^ "Julia Benati 2019 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
- ^ "Julia Benati 2021 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
- ^ "Julia Benati 2022 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
- ^ a b "Julia Benati Stats". PlaymakerStats.
- ^ "Julia Benati 2023 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
- ^ "Julia Benati 2024 L1O Stats". League1 Ontario.
External links
- Julia Benati at the Norwegian Football Federation (in Norwegian)
- Julia Benati club profile at the Portuguese Football Federation (in Portuguese)
