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NWSL North Carolina Courage

NC Courage Announces 2024 Start-Of-Season Roster

March 13, 2024 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
North Carolina Courage News Release


CARY, N.C. - The North Carolina Courage today announces the full roster entering the 2024 season. The team has 23 players on the active roster heading into the season opener this Saturday, March 16, at WakeMed Soccer Park, hosting the Houston Dash at 7 p.m. ET.

"We are happy preseason is behind us and the start of our season is here. We are looking to build off of last season and feel we have a roster in place that will do so. It will take time with many new faces and with players still returning from injury, but we are excited about the season that's upon us. The players in the locker room are in a good place, push each other every day to be better, and are a great group to work with. They are eager to learn and represent the crest in the right way. They have been a joy to work with," said Courage Head Coach Sean Nahas.

The Courage yesterday announced the signing of all three 2024 NWSL Draft selections in second-rounder Talia Staude, third-round pick Julia Dorsey, and fourth-round selection Landy Mertz.

The club also announced injury replacement contracts for the 2024 season with non-roster invitee defenders Jenna Winebrenner and Maya McCutcheon. The team placed defender Sydney Collins on the 45-day injured reserve following an ankle injury suffered with the Canadian National Team during W Gold Cup preparations.

Four players remain on the 2023 season-ending injury list in midfielders Rikako Kobayashi, Meredith Speck and Clara Schilke (nee Robbins) plus forward Kerolin Nicoli. Forward Mille Gejl was loaned to French club Montpellier earlier this offseason. Defender Estelle Johnson is away from the club for maternity leave.

Three active players utilize international spots in Manaka Matsukubo (Japan), Narumi Miura (Japan), and Felicitas Rauch (Germany). Kerolin, Gejl, and Rikako each would require an international spot upon activation.

The Courage roster entering the 2024 season is as follows, broken down by position then listed alphabetically. The numbers represent the total players under contact followed by active players at each position:

Goalkeepers (3/3): Marisa Bova, Hensley Hancuff, Casey Murphy

Defenders (10/7): Malia Berkely, Sydney Collins (IR), Julia Dorsey, Kaleigh Kurtz, Estelle Johnson (ML), Maya McCutcheon, Feli Rauch (INT), Talia Staude (NYR), Ryan Williams, Jenna Winebrenner

Midfielders (11/9): Rikako Kobayashi (SEI 23), Riley Jackson, Manaka Matsukubo (INT, LOAN IN), Landy Mertz, Narumi Miura (INT), Denise O'Sullivan, Brianna Pinto, Victoria Pickett, Clara Schilke (SEI 23), Meredith Speck (SEI 23), Dani Weatherholt

Forwards (7/5): Mille Gejl (OUT), Haley Hopkins, Tyler Lussi, Kerolin Nicoli (SEI 23), Ashley Sanchez, Bianca St-Georges, Olivia Wingate

INT: International Spot

IR: 45-day Injured Reserve

LOAN: Loaned in

ML: Maternity Leave

NYR: Not Yet Rostered

OUT: Loaned out

SEI 23: 2023 Season-Ending Injury list

Check out the North Carolina Courage Statistics



National Women's Soccer League Stories from March 13, 2024


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