The 2024 North Carolina Courage season was the team's eighth season as a professional women's soccer team. The Courage played in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the top tier of women's soccer in the United States. They finished the regular season in fifth place and qualified for the playoffs, where they were eliminated in the quarterfinals by the fourth-seeded Kansas City Current.
Background
In the 2023 National Women's Soccer League season, the Courage were on top of the league standings in July but finished the season in 3rd place, then fell in the first round of the NWSL playoffs to eventual champions NJ/NY Gotham FC. Forward Kerolin scored 10 goals and was named the NWSL MVP. The Courage won the NWSL Challenge Cup for the second year in a row.
Broadcasting
Team
Squad
Nation Player
Staff
ExecutiveCoaching
Regular season
Matches
League table
Results summary
Results by matchday
Playoffs
The Courage clinched the fifth position in the table and qualified for the championship playoffs, where they faced and lost to the fourth-seeded Kansas City Current.
NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup
The Courage finished first in Group E and were the 4th-highest ranked group winners, qualifying them to advance to the tournament semifinals, where they lost to the Kansas City Current.
Group stage matches
Group stage standings
Results summary
Knockout stage
Squad statistics
Appearances Only players who have made appearances are listed. Starting appearances are listed first, followed by substitute appearances after the + symbol where applicable.
! colspan=14 style="background:#01426A; color:#fff; width:110px;" text-align:center|Goalkeepers
! colspan=14 style="background:#01426A; color:#fff; width:110px;" text-align:center;" |Defenders
! colspan=14 style="background:#01426A; color:#fff; width:110px;" text-align:center;" |Midfielders
! colspan=14 style="background:#01426A; color:#fff; width:110px;" text-align:center;" |Forwards
Goals Name Total 12MFAshley Sanchez5016214FW Tyler Lussi 400435FWHaley Hopkins301448MFBrianna Pinto300323FWBianca St-Georges3003534MFManaka Matsukubo2013625MFMeredith Speck200220FWOlivia Wingate200277DFMalia Berkely100177FWAline Gomes10019FWKerolin10013DFKaleigh Kurtz100110MFDenise O'Sullivan100111DFFelicitas Rauch100122FWCortnee Vine100117MFDani Weatherholt1001816MFRiley Jackson001119MFLandy Mertz0011 Own goals 2002 Total 340 539
Assists Name Total 12MFAshley Sanchez400427DF Malia Berkely 300310MFDenise O'Sullivan3003325MFMeredith Speck1023414FWTyler Lussi20028MFBrianna Pinto200220FWOlivia Wingate200255FWHaley Hopkins1012634MFManaka Matsukubo100194MFVictoria Pickett100123FWBianca St-Georges1001713DFRyan Williams0011 Total 210 425
Clean sheets Name Total 11Casey Murphy6006244 Marisa Bova 0011 Total 60 17
Disciplinary record NameTotal 1GKCasey Murphy1000000001002MFAshley Sanchez1000000001003DFKaleigh Kurtz4000000004005FWHaley Hopkins2000001003006MFNarumi Miura30000000030010MFDenise O'Sullivan50010000060011DFFelicitas Rauch20000000020013DFRyan Williams31000000031014FWTyler Lussi10000000010023FWBianca St-Georges30010000040025MFMeredith Speck20000000020094MFVictoria Pickett100000000100Total 28 1 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 31 10
Transactions
2024 NWSL Draft
Draft picks are not automatically signed to the team roster. The 2024 NWSL Draft was held on January 12, 2024.
Player College Status 2 24 Talia Staude University of Virginia Signed to a three-year contract. 3 40 Julia Dorsey University of North Carolina 4 52 Landy Mertz University of Pittsburgh
Re-signings Date Player Notes November 17, 2023 Marisa Bova Re-signed to a two-year contract. December 4, 2023 Tess Boade Re-signed to a two-year contract. February 7, 2024 Tyler Lussi Re-signed to a two-year contract with a mutual option. March 5, 2024 Meredith Speck Re-signed to a one-year contract.
Loans in Date Player Previous club Fee/notes July 27, 2023 Manaka Matsukubo MyNavi SendaiLoaned until June 2024. Courage have option to transfer playing rights to the club on a permanent basis following the loan period.
Signed permanently on June 27, 2024.
Loans out Date Player Destination club Fee/notes August 15, 2023 Hensley Hancuff Växjö DFFLoaned through the 2023-24 Damallsvenskan season. Recalled from loan on January 4, 2024.January 31, 2024 Mille Gejl Montpellier HSCLoaned through June 2024. Montpellier have option to purchase contract following the loan period. August 9, 2024 Julia Dorsey Dallas Trinity FC Loaned through the remainder of the 2024 NWSL season.August 20, 2024 Talia Staude Tampa Bay Sun FCLoaned through December 2024.
Transfers in Date Player Previous club Fee/notes January 8, 2024 Bianca St-Georges Chicago Red Stars Free agent signed to a two-year contract with a mutual option.January 12, 2024 Ashley Sanchez Washington SpiritTraded in exchange for the 5th overall pick in the 2024 NWSL Draft and $250,000 in allocation money.January 16, 2024 Dani Weatherholt Angel City FCFree agent signed to a two-year contract.January 17, 2024 Felicitas Rauch VfL WolfsburgAcquired in exchange for an undisclosed transfer fee and signed to a two-year contract.March 13, 2024 Maya McCutcheon West Virginia MountaineersPreseason trialists signed to 2024 injury replacement contracts. Jenna Winebrenner Kansas City CurrentJune 14, 2024 Cortnee Vine Sydney FCAcquired via a free transfer and signed to a three-year contract.June 17, 2024 Charlotte McLean Sydney FCAcquired via a free transfer and signed to a two-year contract.June 27, 2024 Manaka Matsukubo MyNavi SendaiLoanee acquired permanently for an undisclosed transfer fee and signed to a two-year contract.July 16, 2024 Victoria Haugen Virginia Tech HokiesPreseason trialist signed to a national team replacement contract.July 30, 2024 Aline Gomes FerroviáriaAcquired in exchange for an undisclosed transfer fee and signed to a three-year contract with an option.August 21, 2024 Maycee Bell NJ/NY Gotham FCTraded in exchange for $80,000 in allocation money and $10,000 in intra-league transfer funds.August 27, 2024 Victoria Haugen Virginia Tech HokiesFormer replacement players signed to new national team replacement contracts. Maya McCutcheon West Virginia Mountaineers
Transfers out Date Player Destination club Fee/notes November 20, 2023 Emily Gray Utah Royals Traded in exchange for $30,000 of allocation money and 2024 Expansion Protection from the Utah Royals. Frankie Tagliaferri Sarah Clark Canberra United FCOut of contract. Emily Fox ArsenalFree agent signing. Rikke Madsen EvertonFree agent signing. Kiki Pickett Bay FCFree agent signing. Brittany Ratcliffe Washington SpiritFree agent signing.December 15, 2023 Tess Boade Bay FCSelected in the 2024 NWSL expansion draft. Katelyn RowlandMarch 21, 2024 Rikako Kobayashi Tokyo Verdy BelezaMutual contract termination.July 3, 2024 Mille Gejl Crystal PalaceMutual contract termination.August 1, 2024 Jenna Winebrenner Dallas Trinity FCWaived.August 21, 2024 Victoria Haugen North Carolina CourageWaived. Maya McCutcheon North Carolina CourageSeptember 16, 2024 Maya McCutcheon Wellington Phoenix FCWaived.October 3, 2024 Victoria Haugen Tampa Bay Sun FCWaived.
Retirements Date Player May 10, 2024 Clara Schilke
Preseason trialists Trialists are non-rostered invitees during preseason and are not automatically signed. The Courage released their preseason roster on January 29, 2024. The club later added six more non-rostered invitees to their roster on February 9, 2024. Player Previous club Notes Rylee Baisden Perth Glory FCNot signed. Giovanna DeMarco San Diego Wave FCNot signed. Bella Gaetino Michigan HawksNot signed. Victoria Haugen Virginia Tech HokiesSigned to a national team replacement contract on July 16, 2024. Emma Hawkins Oklahoma SoonersNot signed. Lauren Kellett TCU Horned FrogsNot signed. Maya McCutcheon West Virginia MountaineersSigned to an injury replacement contract on March 13, 2024. Jenna Winebrenner Kansas City CurrentSigned to an injury replacement contract on March 13, 2024. Cayla White Virginia CavaliersNot signed.
References