CARY, N.C. (March 5, 2026) – North Carolina Courage Chief Soccer Officer Ceri Bowley and Head Coach Mak Lind today announced the full team staff ahead of the 2026 National Women’s Soccer League season. An expanded, enhanced staff of over 20 full-time members, plus a cohort of part-time assistants, will support the players, organized into technical, analytics, performance, medical, and operations units.

The full staff list, including individual biographies, is available online here.

Lind, who joined the club in January, will have four full-time assistants on his coaching staff. Assistant coach Emma Thomson and goalkeeper coach Katelyn Rowland return, joined by new assistant coaches David Maddren and Jessica Silva.

As part of the expanded performance staff, the club has appointed the first-ever Sr. Director of Leadership, Grant Barge, and added former North Carolina FC standout Austin da Luz to the analytics staff as Director of Scouting, where he will lead the Club’s domestic and international talent identification and evaluation efforts.

“We’re very pleased to confirm our technical staff for the 2026 season. Throughout the process, our focus was on building a group that reflects our identity, brings strong expertise, and shares our ambition. This staff combines experience, fresh ideas, and a clear commitment to excellence. We believe they will create the right environment for our team to grow and compete at the highest level. We’re confident in the direction we’re taking and excited about what lies ahead in 2026,” said Bowley.

Thomson joined the Courage in 2020 and was promoted to a full-time role with the first team in 2022. Now in her sixth season in Cary, she brings extensive experience as both a former professional player and a coach across collegiate, academy, youth national team, and professional environments. A four-year starter and two-year captain for the Penn State Nittany Lions, she was named Defender of the Year and helped the Nittany Lions secure four consecutive Big Ten regular-season championships and four NCAA Tournament appearances. She went on to play professionally with the Boston Breakers and Doncaster Rovers Belles before transitioning into coaching.

Rowland joined the staff as an assistant goalkeeper coach in 2025 after retiring from a decorated professional playing career. She played eight NWSL seasons, including six with the Courage, and claimed nine NWSL trophies as a player. She won four NWSL Championships in five years between 2015 and 2019, capturing the Shield in the lone season without a championship in 2017. She’ll be tasked with leading a brand-new goalkeeping unit for the Courage in 2026.

Maddren joins the first team staff after a lengthy stint with the NC Courage Academy, where he served as assistant director from 2017 through 2022 before a promotion to academy director. He played collegiately at the University of Mobile before a professional playing career in the United States, England, and New Zealand. He began his coaching career in 2011 at Mississippi College before transitioning to youth and academy leadership roles over the past decade.

Silva brings both domestic and international experience to the Courage staff. She was appointed as the first-ever head coach of Brooklyn FC in the Gainbridge USL Super League, leading the team to the top of the table at the winter break and an overall record of 8W-5D-8L during her tenure. Born in Montreal with Portuguese and Italian heritage, Silva also has extensive coaching experience in both Canada and France, most notably as head coach of historic French club FC Metz.

Barge brings more than two decades of leadership experience forged in the United States Army to his work in professional soccer. A retired Lieutenant Colonel and former Special Operations officer, Barge served over 20 years leading teams in high-pressure environments around the world, including time in the 75th Ranger Regiment and as an instructor at West Point. Following his military service, Barge transitioned into professional soccer as a pioneer in the Director of Leadership role. He previously served with New York City FC and Real Salt Lake, designing and delivering leadership programs across first teams, second teams, and academies.

da Luz had a decorated playing career at Wake Forest University, highlighted by a 2007 NCAA National Championship. He was drafted in the first round of the 2010 MLS SuperDraft by the New York Red Bulls and made over 200 professional appearances during his decade-long career across stints with the Red Bulls, D.C. United, Orlando City SC, and North Carolina FC. He recently completed FOCUS Sports Business School’s Women’s Football Directorship Program as part of the program’s inaugural cohort.

The 2026 full-time team staff:

Executive:

Chief Soccer Officer: Dr. Ceri Bowley

SVP, Player Personnel: Bobby Hammond

Coaching:

Head Coach: Mak Lind*

Assistant Coach: Emma Thomson

Assistant Coach: Jessica Silva*

Assistant Coach: David Maddren*

Goalkeeper Coach: Katelyn Rowland

Analytics:

Technical Analyst: Tom Harris

Opposition Analyst: Scott Martin

Scouting:

Director of Scouting: Austin da Luz^

Performance:

Sr. Director of Leadership: Grant Barge^

Sr. Director of Performance and Science: Mike Young

Director of Return to Play: Luigi Marino

Medical:

Head of Medical: Mitch Toda

Physical Therapist: Sebastian Lopez

Athletic Trainer: Katie Rosenthal

Athletic Trainer: Mercedes Cunningham*

Operations:

Director of Soccer Operations: Kathryn Page

Team Administrator: Matt Holmes

Player Care Manager: Lexi Stewart

Equipment Manager: Jess Segala

Asst. EQ Manager: Adriana Zorrilla Loo*

*New to the Club in 2026

^Newly created position