CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Charleston Battery announced on Wednesday the club had signed forward Augustine Williams to the 2022 roster, pending league and federation approval. A prolific goalscorer and 2020 USL Championship All-League selection, the Sierra Leone international joins the club ahead of the Breeze Airways™ Carolina Challenge Cup after competing in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.

“I’m excited to be here in Charleston and I can’t wait to get to work, the Battery are a great club with a great history behind it,” said Williams. “I’m happy to be a part of the team now and to contribute to making history with this amazing club.”

The 24-year-old heads to Charleston after most recently competing for fellow Championship club San Diego Loyal SC on loan from the LA Galaxy at the conclusion of the 2021 season. Williams tallied six goals, three assists and 10 chances created in 19 games with San Diego, helping lead the side to its first postseason appearance.

On the international stage, Williams debuted with the Leone Stars on June 15, 2021, during AFCON qualification against Benin, where he helped the side qualify for the tournament for the first time in 26 years. The forward was again called up to Sierra Leone’s squad for AFCON in January.

Williams has made three total appearances for Sierra Leone and believes his experiences with the national team have helped refine him for his 2022 campaign.

“Being at the Africa Cup of Nations was an amazing feeling and something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life,” said Williams. “It has shaped me into a different player, mentally and physically. Being there and learning everything I did, I believe it all has helped a lot in preparing me for a successful USL Championship season.”

Williams joined the professional ranks in 2016 in the Championship with the Portland Timbers 2, but two years ago had a breakout campaign for the LA Galaxy II as he recorded 13 goals to finish second in the race for the league’s Golden Boot. The performance saw him earn Championship All-League First Team honors, and sign with the Galaxy ahead of the 2021 season. Williams made seven appearances for LA in the top flight before joining SD Loyal on loan.

“Augustine is somebody we’ve had our eye on from day one, he's had a lot of success so far in his career, scoring a lot of goals in a lot of different ways,” said Battery Head Coach Conor Casey. “In addition to being a solid player, he’s also a remarkable person. He is going to be a great leader within the locker room with all the qualities and attributes he possesses.”

Williams had previously recorded 11 goals across all competitions for T2 across three seasons at the club. He also made his Portland Timbers debut in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup against Seattle Sounders FC in 2017, scoring their lone goal in the match.

The forward has registered 37 goals and 11 assists in 130 regular season appearances across six seasons in the USL Championship with Portland, LA and San Diego.