News

CARY, NC (March 2, 2022) – The North Carolina Courage have announced updates to the team’s preseason roster as the Courage continue preparations for the regular season and the third annual NWSL Challenge Cup. 

North Carolina Courage Preseason Roster

GOALKEEPERS (3): Marisa Bova (CDP), Casey Murphy, Katelyn Rowland

DEFENDERS (12): Lindsay Agnew, Malia Berkely, Katie Bowen, Jaelene Daniels, Abby Erceg, Kaitlin Fregulia (CDP), Kaleigh Kurtz, Merritt Mathias, Carson Pickett, Kiki Pickett, Taylor Smith, Ryan Williams

MIDFIELDERS (9): Debinha, Emily Gray (CDP), Jordyn Listro, Denise O’Sullivan, Brianna Pinto, Havana Solaun, Meredith Speck, Haleigh Stackpole (CDP), Frankie Tagliaferri

FORWARDS (5): Rylee Baisden, Jorian Baucom, Kerolin Nicoli (NYR), Diana Ordoñez (CDP), Brittany Ratcliffe

Key

NYR – Not Yet Reported

CDP – College Draft Pick

The Courage will take on East Carolina University (update from previously scheduled opponent, Duke) on Thursday, March 3 in a closed-door preseason match, ahead of their final preseason match against Clemson on Saturday, March 12, which will be open to the public. More details on location and attendance information coming soon. 

The Courage kick-off their Challenge Cup campaign at home on Saturday, Match 19 at 7 p.m. ET against NJ/NY Gotham FC. Tickets for this match, and all NC Courage Challenge Cup home games can be purchased here.

CARY, NC (March 1, 2022) – The National Women’s Soccer League today announced telecast details for the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup. The tournament, set to kick off on Friday, March 18, will feature three matches broadcast on The CBS Television Network, including the Championship match. The three matches will also stream live on Paramount+. Four contests will air on CBS Sports Network, and all other matches will stream exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. Additionally, the Challenge Cup in its entirety will be available to stream internationally on Twitch.

The Courage are set to kick-off their Challenge Cup play at home on Saturday, March 19 at 7 p.m. ET against NJ/NY Gotham FC. This match will stream live on Paramount+. The Courage home match on April 23 at 1 p.m. ET will be nationally televised on CBS, as they host the reigning 2021 NWSL Champions, the Washington Spirit. Tickets for all Courage Challenge Cup home matches can be purchased here. 

“We’re thrilled to work with our friends at CBS Sports to bring another NWSL Challenge Cup to our viewers,” said interim NWSL CEO Marla Messing. “The Challenge Cup is an exciting opener to our 10th anniversary season and thanks to CBS Sports’ partnership, more tournament matches than ever will be available to fans across the country. We look forward to once again showcasing the best women’s soccer league on the air.”

“The first two editions of the NWSL Challenge Cup were incredibly successful, and we look forward to bringing fans the action for a third straight year from this exciting and competitive tournament,” said Dan Weinberg, EVP, Programming, CBS Sports. “We are happy to expand our coverage across all CBS Sports platforms with more Challenge Cup games than ever before, including three matches on the CBS Television Network, four matches on CBS Sports Network, and all others on Paramount+.”

CBS Sports Network will air the first of two Challenge Cup semifinal matches on Wednesday, May 4 at 8 p.m. ET, with the second semifinal match at 10 p.m. streaming exclusively on Paramount+. The Championship game, slated for a 1 p.m. ET kickoff, will be televised live on the CBS Television Network and streamed live on Paramount+ Saturday, May 7.

The Courage’s Challenge Cup schedule can be seen below or, for the full schedule, on the NWSL’s website. For the full 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup rules and regulations that differ from NWSL’s regular season policies and procedures, click here.

NC COURAGE 2022 NWSL CHALLENGE CUP SCHEDULE

**All games to stream live internationally on Twitch**

CARY, NC (February 26, 2022) – The North Carolina Football Club today announced Willie Davis as Head Coach of the NC Courage U23s ahead of their inaugural season in the United Soccer League (USL) W League. The announcement comes on the heels of the North Carolina Football Club’s expansion into the W League.

“We are fortunate to have an exemplary professional NWSL team like the NC Courage, as well as a top youth program in NC Courage Academy to continue our overall pathway for women soccer players in this area,” said Davis. “All and all, the NC Courage standard has been a benchmark for the women’s game, and we plan to continue that trend with our newly formed U23 W-League Courage team. We always strive to achieve standards of excellence at both the youth and senior women’s team levels, with the hope that we have programs that our players, families, and staff are honored to be part of, and that’s our plan for the U23 team as well.”

NC Courage U23 W League team will be operated in partnership with the NC Courage and will participate in the South Atlantic Division, which includes six total clubs across North Carolina and South Carolina. The team will compete in a 10-week season that kicks off in May, with all home games taking place at WakeMed Soccer Park. The roster will be composed of mostly NC Courage Academy players and collegiate players with ties to the NC Courage Academy and NCFC Youth. To view the latest USL W League schedule, click here.

Davis brings a wealth of knowledge to the U23 Courage team having coached at both the youth and collegiate level. During his time with the Franklin Pierce University men’s team, helped lead the team to the DII NCAA National Finals in 2005 and 2007, winning the title that year. Davis then went on to coach with the Louisiana State University Tigers women’s team from 2009 – 2011. In addition to his collegiate career, Davis has more than 20 years of experience coaching at the youth level.

In his five years with NCFC Youth, Davis has been involved in the highest levels of youth soccer with the Girls ECNL (coming to Raleigh N.C. to take over the girls NCFC ECNL Directors role from 2017-2019) and NC Courage Academy programs (2020-present). 

During the inaugural season, Davis will be supported by Emma Thomson (NC Courage First Team Assistant Coach), Ashley Williams (NCFC Youth ECNL Coach) and Wezley Barnard (NCFC Youth Director of Goalkeeping).

More information on team tryout and invite selection will be released later this spring. For inquiries or questions, email Willie.Davis@NCFCYouth.com.

About the USL W League

The USL W League is a pre-professional women’s soccer league dedicated to creating a national platform to increase opportunity, gender equity, and career development on and off the field. With 43 teams from 20 different states prepared to participate in this summer’s inaugural season, elite women’s soccer players will have the opportunity to train in a competitive environment and be part of a stronger pipeline between college and professional soccer.

CARY, NC (February 25, 2022) – The North Carolina Football Club is holding auditions for National Anthem singers for the North Carolina FC and North Carolina Courage 2022 season. The National Anthem is sung before each home match at WakeMed Soccer Park. Solo acts or groups are encouraged to audition.

All ages are welcome to submit an application. Instrumentalists can also apply. The audition order will be determined on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Those interested in the opportunity can apply by emailing a video or audio clip singing the National Anthem to info@northcarolinafc.com. Applications will be accepted through March 10. Further instruction will be provided once the audition clip has been received.

CARY, NC (February 23, 2022)- The North Carolina Courage will host three collegiate teams in preseason matches ahead of the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup.  

First, the Courage will face the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on Saturday, February 26. The Courage will then face off against Duke University on March 3. Both of these matches will be closed to the public. The Courage’s final preseason match will take place on Saturday, March 12 at 2 p.m. ET against Clemson University. This game will be open to the public. More details to come on specific game location and spectator guidelines. 

The Courage open their Challenge Cup schedule at home on Saturday, March 19 against the visiting NJ/NY Gotham FC at 7 pm ET. Information on tickets for Courage Challenge Cup home games can be found here.

CARY, NC (February 14, 2022) – The North Carolina Courage have named Paul Forster as an assistant coach, the club announced today. Molly Dwyer has also joined the technical staff as the team’s Director of Player Experience and Team Administration, and long-time equipment manager Vannessa Fulcher has been promoted to Director of Equipment Operations. 

Forster brings a wealth of coaching experience to the first team, holding his USSF A License and currently serving as the Director of Soccer for North Carolina FC Youth, a role he has held since 2015. In addition to his responsibilities with NCFC Youth, Forster has worked as the Director of Analytics for the men’s soccer team at North Carolina State University since 2017. Previously, he served in assistant coaching roles with Wake Forest University, the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, NC Wesleyan College, and the State University of New York at Buffalo. Forster is happily married to his wife, Yexenia, and has two daughters Amelia (17) and Eva (13) who both play in the NC Courage Youth Academy.

“I am delighted to be joining the NC Courage staff as an assistant coach,” Forster said. “I am grateful to Sean and Curt for giving me the opportunity to work with the first team. I very much look forward to working alongside Sean, all of the staff connected with the first team, and of course, the group of fantastic players that will represent the Courage.”

Molly Dwyer has also joined the technical staff as the Director of Player Experience and Team Administration. In her role, Dwyer will actively build strong partnerships with players, coaches, and staff to ensure open and robust communication, assist with player housing and transportation, and serve as a liaison between the front office and the team regarding team operations and logistics. She will also be an active partner in the creation and maintenance of a positive, inclusive, and supportive environment for players. 

Prior to joining the Courage, she worked as the Director of Soccer Operations at the University of Portland and also spent time as an assistant women’s soccer coach at the University of North Carolina at Asheville while simultaneously working as their Director of Operations. Dwyer graduated from Furman University as a four-year member of the women’s soccer team with her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a focus in Communication Studies. Most recently, she earned her Master’s degree in Business Administration from Northumbria University, and has also trained with Sunderland AFC Ladies and Racing Louisville FC. 

Vannessa Fulcher has been promoted to Director of Equipment Operations in her sixth season with the Courage, formerly working as an Equipment Manager for the first team. In her enhanced role, Fulcher will work in tandem with the Director of Player Experience and Team Administration to improve player experience and maintain a positive work environment for players. She will also support and assist Sean Nahas and his staff, coordinate club operations staff for game-day logistics, and will aid in the setting up and breaking down of training sessions. 

Fulcher graduated from East Carolina University with her Bachelor’s degree in Sports Studies, and has experience working as an equipment manager at Marshall University, Florida Atlantic University, and Texas Christian University after first becoming a certified equipment manager in 2014.

CARY, NC (February 11, 2022) – The North Carolina Courage are excited to announce that Denise O’Sullivan has been called to represent the Republic of Ireland in the Pinatar Cup. The squad will play a series of three matches from February 16-22, with their first competition taking place in the quarterfinal round against Poland.

On the international stage, O’Sullivan has scored 18 goals for Ireland, having represented her country since 2010 and clocking 4,878 minutes of playing time. In 2015, the Cork, Ireland native was named the FAI Senior International Player of the Year. Later, in November 2019, O’Sullivan was named The Irish Times/Sport Ireland’s Sportswoman of the Month. Most recently, O’Sullivan tallied a hat trick in a Women’s World Cup Qualifier against Georgia, leading her country to a dominant 11-0 victory.

CARY, NC (February 11, 2022) – The North Carolina Courage are excited to announce that Debinha and Kerolin Nicoli have been called up to represent the Brazilian Women’s National Team for the Tournoi de France, in which the squad will play three matches from Feb. 16-22 against the Netherlands, France, and Finland. 

Debinha has represented the senior national team since 2011, collecting 4,929 minutes and scoring 45 goals for her country. The midfielder has competed in one World Cup, two Olympic Games, and one SheBelieves Cup, while contending for status as one of the best midfielders in the game for both club and country. In February of 2021, she recorded her 100th cap for the senior national team, and most recently played in a series of friendlies against Australia and Argentina. 

Likewise dominant for the Brazilian national team, Kerolin Nicoli has represented Brazil on the international stage on several occasions, competing in the 2016 South American U17 Women’s Championship, the 2016 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, and the 2018 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup. She was first called into the senior national team in September of 2018 for a series of international friendlies, most recently appearing in seven matches over the course of 2021 and scoring five goals. 

The 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup will feature three regional groups of four teams. The NC Courage will play in the East region, facing off against NJ/NY Gotham FC, Orlando Pride and the Washington Spirit.

The Courage will kick off their Challenge Cup campaign with a home match against NJ/NY Gotham FC on Saturday March 19 at 7 p.m. ET. The rest of the Courage’s tournament schedule and ticket options can be found here. 

If you have questions about Challenge Cup, please reach out to our Ticket Department at 919-459-8144 or send us an email at tickets@northcarolinafc.com.

CARY, NC (February 7, 2022) – The North Carolina Courage are excited to announce that Abby Erceg and Katie Bowen have been named to the New Zealand roster for the 2022 SheBelieves Cup presented by Visa. The pair of defenders will be available for three group stage matches against Iceland, the United States, and the Czech Republic, taking place from Feb. 17-23. The contests will take place in two cities and two stadiums – Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA, and Toyota Stadium in Frisco, TX. 

Erceg is known for her dominance and leadership in the back line for both her country and for the North Carolina Courage. On the international side, the 32-year-old centerback has appeared in 144 matches for New Zealand’s national team, scoring 6 goals for the Kiwis. She has represented New Zealand in four World Cups and four Olympic Games, her most recent being the 2020 Games in Tokyo, Japan, in which she appeared in three matches against Australia, the United States, and Sweden. 

A newcomer to the Courage roster but no stranger to the Football Ferns, Bowen also boasts a wealth of international experience. She was a member of New Zealand’s U-17 and U-20 national teams from 2008 to 2014, and in 2011, she received her first call up to New Zealand’s senior national team, making her debut in a match against Australia in May of that year. She has since totaled 59 appearances for the Kiwis, representing New Zealand in three World Cups and two Olympic Games, and most recently played in a friendly match on November 30. 

More information on New Zealand’s roster and schedule can be found here.