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North Carolina Courage

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For the namesake WUSA team, see Carolina Courage.
North Carolina Courage
File:North Carolina Courage.PNG
Full nameNorth Carolina Courage
Founded2009 (as Buffalo Flash)
2011 (as Western New York Flash)
2017 (as Courage)
StadiumSahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park
Cary, North Carolina
Capacity10,000
OwnerStephen Malik
General ManagerCurt Johnson
Head CoachPaul Riley
LeagueNational Women's Soccer League
WebsiteClub website
Current season
Active teams of North Carolina FC
USLC NWSL USL2 Youth

The North Carolina Courage is a professional women's soccer team based in Cary, North Carolina. Its former incarnation, the Western New York Flash, was a founding member of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the top level of women's soccer in the U.S., in 2013. They relocated to North Carolina for 2017.[1] They are affiliated with the men's team North Carolina FC of the United Soccer League, and play their home games at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park.

In 2018 the North Carolina Courage became the first team in NWSL history to win the NWSL Shield and the NWSL Championship in the same season.

History

See also: Western New York Flash

Team name, crest, and colors

The North Carolina Courage name is a nod to the original Carolina Courage – who won the 2002 Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) Founders Cup – as is the stylized lioness image, which matches the head of the lioness on the WUSA team's badge with very minor alterations. The badge features elements from the flag of North Carolina with both the star and the color scheme, the latter keeping in line with the NCFC brand. The lower right point of the star represents the Research Triangle, a geographical region that includes Chapel Hill, Durham, and Raleigh. The Courage's primary colors include "Atlantic blue", "cardinal red," and "Southern gold."[2]

Sponsorship

Period Kit manufacturer Sponsor
2017 United States Nike BlueCross BlueShield of NC
2018– Continental

Stadium

Main article: WakeMed Soccer Park

The North Carolina Courage play their home games at WakeMed Soccer Park, a soccer-specific stadium shared by North Carolina FC, a team in the United Soccer League also owned by Stephen Malik.

The soccer complex consists of a purpose-built main stadium, two lighted practice fields, and four additional fields. The main stadium and the 2 lighted fields (2 & 3) are all FIFA international regulation size (120 yards x 75 yards). The main stadium seats 10,000 with the expansions of 2012. Field 2 also has 1,000 permanent bleacher seats.

The park is on 150 acres (0.61 km2) that the State of North Carolina has leased to Wake County. Money to build the soccer park came from $14.5 million in county-wide hotel room and prepared food and beverage taxes. The Town of Cary assumed responsibility for operations and maintenance in 2004 from Capital Area Soccer League. On January 26, 2006, the Town of Cary council amended its lease to allow it to sublet the property to Triangle Professional Soccer through the year 2011 for the exclusive promotion of professional soccer and lacrosse events at the complex. This deal was extended for the new ownership group through 2014.[3]

On December 6, 2016, along with a name change, North Carolina FC announced plans for a stadium seating 24,000.[4]

Year-by-year

Season NWSL Regular Season Position NWSL Playoffs
P W L D GF GA Pts
2017 24 16 7 1 38 22 49 Shield Runner-Up
2018 24 17 1 6 53 17 57 Shield Champions
Top Scorer
Season Player Nation Goals
2017 Lynn Williams  United States 9
2018 Lynn Williams  United States 14

Players

Current squad

As of July 2, 2018
Source:[5]
No. Position Player Nation
0 GK Katelyn Rowland  United States
1 GK Sabrina D'Angelo  Canada
4 MF Elizabeth Eddy  United States
5 MF Samantha Mewis  United States
6 DF Abby Erceg (captain)  New Zealand
7 MF McCall Zerboni  United States
8 MF Denise O'Sullivan  Republic of Ireland
9 FW Lynn Williams  United States
10 MF Debinha  Brazil
11 DF Merritt Mathias  United States
12 FW Frannie Crouse  United States
13 DF Abby Dahlkemper  United States
14 FW Jessica McDonald  United States
15 DF Jaelene Hinkle  United States
16 DF Cari Roccaro  United States
17 MF Heather O'Reilly  United States
19 FW Crystal Dunn  United States
20 DF Yuri Kawamura  Japan
21 FW Darian Jenkins  United States
22 DF Julie King  United States
23 FW Kristen Hamilton  United States
25 DF Meredith Speck  United States
30 MF Sarah Teegarden  United States
31 DF Kaleigh Kurtz  United States

Staff

Executive
Owner Stephen Malik
President
General Manager 		Curt Johnson[6]

Honors

Broadcasting

See also: National Women's Soccer League § Broadcasting

As of 2017, Courage games were streamed exclusively by Go90 for American audiences and via the NWSL website for international viewers.[7] As part of a three-year agreement with A&E Networks, Lifetime broadcasts one NWSL Game of the Week on Saturday afternoons.[8][9] For the 2017 season, a plan was announced to feature the Courage in national Lifetime NWSL Game of the Week broadcasts on June 3, July 1, August 19, and July 15, 2017.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ "North Carolina Football Club enters into agreement to acquire rights to NWSL's 2016 champions Western New York Flash". 9 January 2017. Archived from the original on 10 January 2017. Retrieved 9 January 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ "The New State of Soccer: We Are Now North Carolina FC". Archived from the original on December 10, 2016. Retrieved December 6, 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 4, 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. ^ "RailHawks announce plans to pursue MLS bid, stadium". News & Observer. December 6, 2016. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
  5. ^ "North Carolina Courage".
  6. ^ "NORTH CAROLINA COURAGE SELECTS FOUR IN CLUB'S FIRST NWSL DRAFT". North Carolina Courage. 12 January 2017. Archived from the original on 16 January 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ "NWSL, go90 announce exclusive streaming partnership". Black and Red United (SBNation). Vox Media. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
  8. ^ "Lifetime To Air National Women's Soccer League Games As A+E Networks Kicks In For Equity Stake". Deadline.com. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
  9. ^ "A+E Networks, National Women's Soccer League Ink Major Deal". Variety. Retrieved February 3, 2017.
  10. ^ "North Carolina Courage will be feature in five NWSL Game of the Week broadcasts". Vavel. April 1, 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
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