William Sands Bio
William Franklin Sands is an American professional soccer player who plays for Major League Soccer club New England Revolution. Born on July 6, 2000, in Rye, New York, he developed his skills in the New York City FC academy before playing college soccer at Georgetown from 2019 to 2021. Sands has had a successful start to his professional career and is known for his contributions to the teams he has represented.
Early Life and Background
William Franklin Sands was born on July 6, 2000, in Rye, New York. He grew up in a household shaped by athletics, and the family name is widely associated with competitive soccer in the region. From a young age, Sands gravitated toward the sport, training in the youth systems available in the New York metropolitan area before eventually linking up with structured development pathways.
Sands is the twin brother of James Sands, who plays for New York City FC and the United States men’s national soccer team. His sister Kate played soccer at Williams and Monmouth and works as a soccer coach at Greenwich Academy, while a second sister, Lizzie Sands, played soccer at Bowdoin. The family’s deep involvement in the game helped shape his early understanding of the demands of professional soccer.
Path to Professional Soccer
Sands played for New York City FC affiliate club New York Soccer Club before joining the New York City FC academy upon the creation of their U-16 Academy team in 2015. He remained part of the New York City FC academy system from 2015 until 2019, progressing steadily through the youth ranks. The academy environment provided a clear pathway toward the professional level and helped him develop the technical and tactical foundation he would later carry into the college and professional game.
Following his academy years, Sands committed to Georgetown University, where he played college soccer from 2019 to 2021. During his time with the Hoyas, he made 56 appearances and scored 4 goals. He helped Georgetown win the 2019 NCAA College Cup and two Big East Tournament titles. While still in college, Sands also gained senior-level experience by playing for Manhattan SC of USL League Two in 2021, appearing in 10 games and scoring 4 goals.
William Sands Career
Early Career (2021–2022)
On January 21, 2022, Sands was announced as a homegrown player signing by Columbus Crew after a trade with New York City FC for his homegrown rights. The move gave him a defined route into Major League Soccer following his Georgetown tenure. He made his professional debut for the Columbus Crew organization with the team’s reserve side, Columbus Crew 2, in a 1–0 win against Philadelphia Union II.
He subsequently made his first team debut in a 2–1 loss against USL Championship side Detroit City FC in the U.S. Open Cup. These early appearances allowed Sands to adjust to the pace and physicality of the professional game while continuing to train within the broader Columbus Crew setup.
Columbus Crew Breakthrough (2022–2024)
Across his time with the Columbus Crew organization, Sands split his minutes between the senior team and Columbus Crew 2, building his match experience against a range of opposition. Working within a competitive squad that has a strong record of winning games, he continued to refine the defensive and passing skills that had marked him as a promising prospect coming out of the New York City FC academy.
His growth through the reserve side and into first team training environments established him as a reliable squad option by the middle of the 2024 season. The Crew’s structure gave him daily exposure to top-level coaching, which helped accelerate his transition from college standout to consistent professional contributor.
New England Revolution Era (2024–Present)
On July 31, 2024, the Crew traded Sands plus $600,000 in General Allocation Money to the New England Revolution, in exchange for DeJuan Jones. The move represented a fresh opportunity for Sands to play a larger role in a new environment and offered New England another young, academy-trained defender to integrate into its squad.
Since arriving in New England, Sands has been working to cement his place in the Revolution’s plans, contributing to the team’s defensive structure and pushing for consistent starting opportunities. The trade signaled a clear vote of confidence in his potential, and his early weeks with the club reflected the organization’s belief in his long-term development.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Sands’s signature moments, the 2019 NCAA College Cup victory with Georgetown stands as a career-defining achievement during his college years. His professional debut with Columbus Crew 2 in a 1–0 win against Philadelphia Union II marked his entry into the professional ranks, while the high-profile summer 2024 trade to the New England Revolution underlined his rising value within Major League Soccer.
William Sands Career Wins
Sands’s competitive record is anchored by a championship at the college level, where he was part of the Georgetown side that lifted the 2019 NCAA College Cup. He also contributed to two Big East Tournament titles during his three seasons with the Hoyas, underlining the winning environment he came from before turning professional.
Georgetown Hoyas Highlights
During his Georgetown career from 2019 to 2021, Sands made 56 appearances and scored 4 goals. He helped the program capture the 2019 NCAA College Cup, the pinnacle of the college soccer calendar, and added two Big East Tournament crowns to his resume. These achievements helped validate his transition from promising academy product to a professional signee with Columbus Crew.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond the college game, Sands’s professional career has been defined by steady progression rather than a long list of senior trophies. His contributions with Columbus Crew 2 and his subsequent trade to the New England Revolution reflect the developmental arc of a young defender whose biggest team honors to date remain his time at Georgetown and the two Big East Tournament titles earned there.
William Sands Family
Family Background and Soccer Lineage
Sands comes from a family deeply connected to soccer. He is the twin brother of James Sands, who plays for New York City FC and represents the United States men’s national soccer team. His sister Kate played soccer at Williams College and Monmouth University and currently serves as a soccer coach at Greenwich Academy, while a second sister, Lizzie Sands, also played soccer at Bowdoin College.
Personal Life
Born and raised in Rye, New York, William Franklin Sands has carried the values of a tight-knit, sports-oriented family into his professional career. His close relationship with his twin brother James, a fellow professional defender, has been a constant motivating presence throughout his development as a player.
2025 Season Performance
Entering the 2025 Major League Soccer season, William Franklin Sands is focused on establishing himself as a regular contributor for the New England Revolution. Following the 2024 midseason trade that brought him to the club, his first full preseason with New England offers a chance to fully learn the team’s system, build chemistry with new teammates, and compete for a starting role in the defensive unit.
Throughout the early portion of the 2025 campaign, Sands will look to translate the habits he developed in the Columbus Crew organization into consistent league performances for the Revolution. With a full year of familiarity expected by the summer months, his development curve and integration into the club’s long-term plans will be a key storyline to follow for Revolution supporters.