Cary, NC (January 19, 2017)- The North Carolina Courage has acquired Samantha Witteman from the Orlando Pride in exchange for Australian international Alanna Kennedy, the club announced today.

“Sam will be a very valuable addition to the team,” said North Carolina Courage Head Coach Paul Riley. “She is a quick, good footballer and has a tremendous engine. She certainly fits our mold and her energy level will be infectious. Alanna had a very good season last year, and I would like to wish her all the best in Orlando. On our end, the trade allows the club to open up a foreign slot, and that will be extremely valuable in bringing quality and depth into the present squad.” Witteman was Orlando’s first round pick in the 2016 NWSL College Draft and appeared in sixteen games in the 2016 regular season. The California native joined the Pride after four successful seasons with the University of California, Berkeley from 2012-2015 where she was awarded First Team All-Pac 12 and NSCAA All-American honors. A member of the U-23 U.S. Women’s National Team, Witteman’s impressive versatility has allowed her to appear on the field as a midfielder, forward and defender during her collegiate and professional careers. Witteman and the North Carolina Courage will begin NWSL regular season play in April 2017. Season tickets for the North Carolina Courage are currently on sale. Please contact the North Carolina Football Club box office at 919-459-8144 to secure your spot. About the NWSL The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) is a ten-team Division-I women’s professional soccer league featuring national team players from around the world. The clubs are the Boston Breakers, Chicago Red Stars, Houston Dash, FC Kansas City, North Carolina Courage, Orlando Pride, Portland Thorns FC, Seattle Reign FC, Sky Blue FC, and the Washington Spirit. Based in Chicago, the NWSL is supported by the Canadian Soccer Association and the United States Soccer Federation. For more information about the NWSL, log on to the league’s official website at www.NWSLsoccer.com. About North Carolina Courage The North Carolina Courage is a professional women’s soccer team that plays in the NWSL. NC Courage, the reigning NWSL champion, plays their home games at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, NC. For more information, please visit www.www.nccourage.com or follow them on Twitter and Facebook.