UT Tyler’s Chestley Strother signs with Swedish soccer team

Published 4:15 pm Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Chestley Strother, a UT Tyler All-American women’s soccer player, signed a professional contract Tuesday afternoon with Sundsvall DFF of the Swedish Division I, during a ceremony at UT Tyler’s Champions Room. 

“Any opportunity to be able to play the game professionally is huge,” Strother said of her new contract. “I am lucky to be able to go back to Sweden because I am familiar with it. I am excited to get there and take my game to a whole new level.”

It will be Strother’s fourth professional team with her most recent squad being Kvarnsveden IK in Sweden’s top professional league. In 10 matches during the 2018 season, Strother Ashley appeared in 10 matches and handed out seven assists. She has also played professionally for UMF Sindri and FC Dallas.

“These professional opportunities for Chestley, and all of our former student-athletes, are a testament to them as people,” UT Tyler Women’s soccer head coach Stefani Webb said of Strother’s new contract. “She had a dream that did not really come to fruition until the end of her senior year and then she did all the work.”

A Whitehouse native, Strother was a three-time all-region selection for the Patriots and earned NSCAA and d3soccer.com All-America selection following a senior season where she helped led the team with 17 assists and eight goals. She finished her four-year career with 32 assists, 27 goals, 276 shots and 86 points in 74 games for the Patriots. 

“UT Tyler is where I developed as a player,” Strother added as she signed the contract in the Champions Room on the UT Tyler campus. “I think it is important for me to give back everything I can to the program I am lucky to be here right now with my friends, coaches, and teammates.”