Gotham FC has signed Butler University standout and Israeli international forward Talia Sommer to a contract through the 2026 season, the club announced. Sommer, 21, will wear No. 14 for the Bats.
“Becoming a professional soccer player is an incredible milestone,” Sommer said. “Joining Gotham FC makes it even more special. I am thrilled to represent a club known for its creativity, fire and community and to represent my home city, New York. I cannot wait to get started.”
Sommer joins Gotham after a decorated four-year career at Butler, where she became one of the most productive midfielders in program history. She finished her career ranked seventh in career scoring with 80 points, seventh in career goals with 28 and tied for fifth in career assists with 24. She also landed in multiple single season top ten categories, including ties for tenth with 11 goals and ties for tenth twice with seven assists.
As a freshman in 2022, she made an immediate impact. Sommer earned BIG EAST Freshman of the Year honors along with selections to the All-BIG EAST Second Team and the All-Freshman Team. She scored five goals and added four assists while playing primarily as an attacking midfielder and ranked among the league leaders in shot accuracy.
As a sophomore in 2023, she started all 20 matches and finished with six goals and six assists. Her season included a hat trick against IUPUI, and she continued to establish herself as a key playmaker. She closed the year with her first All-BIG EAST First Team selection after helping lead Butler’s attack.
Sommer delivered one of the strongest seasons in the BIG EAST in 2024. She led the conference in scoring rate, goals per match and shot accuracy while producing 11 goals and seven assists. She recorded three braces and assisted on all three goals in a win over St. John’s. Her performances earned her another All-BIG EAST First Team honor and recognition on the United Soccer Coaches All East Region team.
Her senior season in 2025 added more accolades. Sommer was named BIG EAST Co-Midfielder of the Year and secured her third straight All-BIG EAST First Team selection. She led Butler across several attacking categories while starting all 17 matches. She also earned CSC Academic All District honors for the third consecutive year.
Sommer arrives at Gotham with significant international experience. Born in New York, she has earned 28 caps with the Israel women’s national team as of June 2025. She recently started four UEFA Women’s Nations League matches and totaled three goals and two assists in contests against Bulgaria and Estonia.
Before attending Butler, Sommer played professionally as a teenager for ASA Tel Aviv, helping the club win the Israeli Women’s Premier League championship and the National Cup. She earned Rookie of the Year honors in Israel’s top division in 2018 and 2019. She also excelled academically while leading The Hebrew Gymnasium Herzelia to the Israeli High School Cup.
“Talia is a talented player with international experience under her belt,” general manager and head of soccer operations Yael Averbuch West said. “We are delighted to have her join us and look forward to seeing her development at the club.”
With preseason approaching, Gotham sees Sommer as a player capable of growing quickly in the club’s competitive environment. Her versatility across the midfield and front line gives the coaching staff another dynamic option as the roster takes shape for 2026. Sommer’s blend of experience, maturity and attacking quality positions her to make an early impression. The club believes her arrival adds another layer of promise to a team aiming to contend again in the seasons ahead.
