The NWSL returns after a nearly two-month regular season hiatus next week. After an exciting Olympics, which saw Courage players take gold, silver, and bronze medals, all eyes will be on the top soccer players in the world as they return to league play. Here are all the major storylines and news from the first half of the season to get Courage fans new and old ready for the team’s return to action at Seattle Reign FC on Sunday, August 25.
To see the stars of the Olympics live and in-person, single-match tickets and flexible mini plans that include any three of the Courage’s last five home fixtures of 2024 for as low as $69 are available now. Contact the ticketing department at 919-459-8144 or tickets@northcarolinafc.com for more information on the mini plans.
Where do we stand(ings)?
The Courage enter the home stretch of the regular season firmly in playoff position, with a chance to host a playoff game with a strong finish. Currently sitting sixth with an 8-7-1 record and 25 points, the Courage have a nine-point lead on ninth-place Racing Louisville and trail fourth-place NJ/NY Gotham FC by six points.
The Courage have just two games remaining against teams above them in the standings and finish out with an even split of home and away games, so the team is poised for a strong finish after going into the Olympic break on a three-match winning streak.
Mid-season reinforcements
NWSL teams have been active in the international transfer market this summer and the Courage were no exception, adding a trio of new signings to bolster the squad for the home stretch.
Fans already got a glimpse of defender Charlotte McLean during a cameo substitute appearance in the NWSL x Liga MX Summer Cup semifinal against Kansas City, but the reigning Sydney FC Player of the Year adds good depth and versatility to an already strong defensive unit.
Fellow Aussie and penalty hero of the Matildas’ shootout win over France in the 2023 World Cup Cortnee Vine also joins the Courage from Sydney FC. Vine was briefly in market prior to joining up with the Matildas for the Olympics, so the return to the regular season will be fans’ first chance to see her in a Courage jersey. A dynamic forward, Vine can play off the wing or through the middle as a No. 9 and was a proven goal scorer in Australia.
The most recent of the signings, Aline Gomes is an exciting young Brazilian who already has experience with the senior national team and a track record of success at the youth levels. The 19-year-old forward made her professional debut at just 15 and showed a good eye for goal during her time with Ferroviária.
Fans’ first chance to see the trio in person will be against the Kansas City Current on September 1. Tickets are available here.
Sanchez shining
A blockbuster draft-day deal saw Ashley Sanchez swap D.C. for N.C. and the forward has lived up to the billing. Sanchez is tied with Tyler Lussi for the team lead in goals with four and leads the team in assists with three and chances created with 26.
Sanchez truly heated up heading into the Olympic break, scoring in three straight games including the lone goal against her former team to give the Courage the first road win of the season. The forward also added a goal in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup and will look to hit the ground running after the break.
O’captain, our captain
Denise O’Sullivan is here to stay, with the club captain and NC Courage agreeing to a guaranteed, two-year contract extension to keep the midfielder in Cary through the 2026 NWSL season.
The Ireland star is the team’s all-time leader in both minutes played and appearances, becoming the first player to ever play 10,000 minutes in an NC Courage jersey. Since the Courage picked O’Sullivan up off the waiver wire in 2017, she has led the team to a league-record seven trophies.
O’Sullivan sets the tone on the field and dictates the culture off it, playing a key role in every aspect of the team’s success.
Podium perfection
The NC Courage became the first professional club in the history of the women’s game to sweep the Olympic podium with Casey Murphy and USA bringing home gold, Kerolin Nicoli and Brazil winning silver, and Feli Rauch and Germany taking bronze.
Reigning NWSL MVP Kerolin Nicoli made her long-awaited return to the field during the Olympics after tearing her ACL at the end of last season. The forward played a limited role for Brazil during the tournament as she returns from injury, but showed flashes of why she won the league’s top individual award in 2023, including scoring the dagger for Brazil in the semifinal win over Spain.
Rauch, another of the Courage’s major offseason additions, started the tournament as an alternate but was elevated to the main squad and played a crucial defensive role for Germany in the tournament.
The three medalists, as well as fellow Olympians Cortnee Vine and Sydney Collins, will be honored following the Courage’s home game against the Kansas City Current on September 1. Tickets for that match are available here.
Fortress WakeMed
There’s no place like home, especially when you’re unbeaten in your last 17 regular season games at home. During that stretch, the Courage have won 11 games and drawn six at WakeMed Soccer Park, dating back to April 15, 2023.
Record breaking Iron Woman
Earlier this season, Kaleigh Kurtz broke the NWSL record for consecutive regular season minutes played. The defender has been a mainstay in the Courage backline throughout the last few seasons, completing back-to-back Iron Woman campaigns. The center back’s consecutive minutes record is ongoing and currently sits at 6,982.
