Kaleigh Kurtz, #3
Pronunciation: “KAY-lee KURTS””
Position: DEF
Height: 5-8
Birthday: 9/9/94
Hometown (Affiliation): Greenville, SC (USA)
College: South Carolina
NWSL Experience: 7th Year
Acquired: Signed with Courage ahead of 2018 NWSL Season
2023: Nominated for NWSL Defender of the Year and named to NWSL Best XI Second Team… completed second straight Iron Woman season, playing all 2,032 minutes (1,942, regular season), including the team’s playoff game… recorded one assist, won 57.8% of duels and 72% of tackles… made 10 interceptions and 76 clearances… named to the June Best XI.
2023 Challenge Cup: Played every minute of the competition, maintaining an 88% pass accuracy… won 48.8% of duels and 75% of tackles… made seven interceptions and 29 clearances.
2022: Played every minute of the season, scoring three goals and adding one assist, while winning 60.8% of duels and 46.7% of tackles… made 20 interceptions and 86 clearances… maintained a career-high pass accuracy of 84%.
2022 Challenge Cup: Played every minute of the competition, winning 66.7% of duels and 64.3% of tackles… made 13 interceptions and 36 clearances.
2021: Started 21 games and played 1,890 minutes, assisting one goal… won 69% of duels and 52.4% of tackles… made 40 interceptions and 109 clearances, both of which are career highs.
2021 Challenge Cup: Appeared in four games, including two starts, logging 226 minutes… won 72.7% of duels and 25% of tackles… made 4 interceptions and 13 clearances.
2020: No regular season.
2020 Challenge Cup: Appeared in one game, playing all 90 minutes.
2020 Fall Series: Appeared in three games, including two starts, logging 182 minutes… won 100% of tackles, making five interceptions and five clearances… completed 77.2% of passes.
2019-2020 offseason: Spent offseason on loan with Australian club Canberra United, playing every minute of the season.
2019: Started nine games, logging 810 minutes… won 63.5% of duels and 58.8% of tackles… made nine interceptions and 41 clearances.
2018: Signed with the club in March after starting preseason as a non-roster invitee… made six starts, playing 540 minutes… won 62.8% of duels and 75% of tackles… made seven interceptions and 29 clearances.
Prior to NC Courage: Played in Sweden of Östersunds DFF, making 12 appearances… started college career with Richmond in 2013, starting all 18 matches, before transferring to the University of South Carolina where she had a decorated career… played in all 25 games in 2014, primarily as a substitute… started all 20 games in 2015, logging one goal and one assist… voted Defensive Player of the Year by teammates and coaches as a junior… started all 24 games as a senior, leading the team in minutes with 2,165, was one of just three players in Division I to be tabbed a First Team NSCAA All-American and Scholar All-American… finished third on team in assists with five… named SEC Defensive Player of the Year, MAC Herman Trophy semifinalist and All-SEC First Team.