North Carolina Courage U23, also known as North Carolina Courage USL W, is an amateur women's soccer team that plays in the USL W League. It is affiliated and shares ownership with the professional team North Carolina Courage, which competes in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).
History In January 2022, NWSL club North Carolina Courage added an amateur team to compete in the newly formed W League, becoming the second NWSL club to do so after Racing Louisville FC earlier that month.
In the 2023 USL W League season, the Courage U23s went undefeated with an record to win the South Atlantic division, then defeated FC Miami City and Tampa Bay United in consecutive 3–0 victories to win the Southern Conference championship and advance to the national championship semifinals. After defeating Eagle FC 4–1, the Courage U23s advanced to the national finals for the first time in club history, facing Indy Eleven, where they lost 2–1 in overtime. Former USWNT player Heather O'Reilly joined the team as a player and coach that season.
The Courage U23s returned to the national final with a 14–0–1 in the 2024 season. They defeated the Colorado Storm in a 3–2 comeback victory at WRAL Soccer Park in Raleigh.
Stadium North Carolina Courage plays its W League matches at Field Two at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina.
Players 2025 squad
+ Roster Name College/club DF Aven Alvarez North Carolina MF Julia Amireh North Carolina Courage MF Aleigha Arndt James Madison FW Macey Bader Charlotte MF Anna Barber Cincinnati MF Amelia Brown Charlotte MF Amaris Bumba North Carolina Courage FW Madison Casteen North Carolina Courage DF Taylor Chism Auburn MF Gabrielle Ciocca Virginia Tech DF Carli Crews Memphis FW Syrianna Davis North Carolina Courage GK Franky Dunlap North Carolina Courage MF Eva Forster North Carolina Courage FW Ivy Garner Liberty FW Mackenzie Geigle Louisville DF Lindsey Hailey North Carolina Courage DF Kayleigh Herr Penn State MF/FW Lia Howard Illinois MF Grace Ivey Texas A&M DF Ella Kate Mueller North Carolina Courage GK Mary Katherine Daly Dartmouth MF Rylee Keeley Pittsburgh MF Riley Kennedy North Carolina Courage FW Leah Kuklick North Carolina Courage MF Sarah Martinez North Carolina Courage MF Peyton May North Carolina Courage FW Mia Minestrella Duke MF Lauren Montgomery Ole Miss DF Brennan Moore North Carolina Courage MF Maliyah Morrison Ohio State MF Mana Nakata NC State MF Cazzi Norgren Missouri State DF Cali O'Neill North Carolina Courage MF Gesare Omwenga North Carolina Courage GK Olivia Pratapas NC State MF Katie Richter North Carolina Courage FW Julia Saunicheva Duke MF Evelyn Shores North Carolina
Notable former players
Emmie Allen (2022–2023) Hannah Bebar (2024) Emerson Elgin (2024) Leah Freeman (2023) Maggie Graham (2022–2023) Emily Moxley (2022–2023) Mia Oliaro (2022–2024) Éabha O'Mahony (2022) Heather O'Reilly (2024) Lucy Roberts (2023) Bella Sember (2024) Olivia Thomas (2024)
Staff
Coaching history 2022–: Willie Davis
Year-by-year
Season League Division Regular season Playoffs Top goalscorer USL W South Atlantic 12 624 2414+10 22 2nd Did not qualify Emily Sapienza (5) South Atlantic 12 1110 467+39 34 1st Finals Izzy Brown (8) South Atlantic 12 11 1 0 56 6 +50 34 1st Champions Mackenzie Geigle, Macey Bader (8) South Atlantic 12 10 2 0 31 9 +22 32 1st Finals Grace Ivey, Ivy Garner, Mia Minastrella (5) South Atlantic 10 9 0 1 33 8 +25 27 2ndDid not qualify Katie Richter (7)
See also North Carolina FC North Carolina Courage North Carolina FC U23 North Carolina FC Youth
References