A look at what’s ahead for the North Carolina Courage in the 2023 campaign
The 2023 season is rapidly approaching with the NWSL kicking off this Saturday, March 25! The 11th year of league action will feature 12 teams with the 2023 NWSL Challenge Cup featuring mid-season.
In a team-by-team preview, we’ll break down each squad’s big moves, massive matches, and more of what to know as we get ready for the regular season opener.
North Carolina Courage
2022 Season: 7th | 9-8-5 – 32 points
Big Additions:
- Emily Fox – U.S. Women’s National Team standout and former Racing Louisville FC defender
- Tyler Lussi – Acquired via trade with Angel City FC
- Narumi Miura – Acquired via transfer fee via Japanese top flight side Tokyo Verdy Beleza
- Olivia Wingate – 2023 NWSL Draft No. 6 overall pick
Key Games:
- March 25: Kansas City Current (H) – Regular Season Opener
- April 19: Orland Pride (A) – Challenge Cup Opener
What to Expect:
Head coach Sean Nahas and his staff will be fielding a much younger roster heading into the 2023 season as they aim to make the Courage competitive once more, following an offseason that saw a lot of player movement within and outside of North Carolina.
With goalkeepers Casey Murphy and Katelyn Rowland, both of whom played in goal several times last season, returning to the team, North Carolina’s focus is less on the defense. The Courage will benefit from the trade of Emily Fox and Kaleigh Kurtz’s retention, but the number of internationals who may play in this year’s World Cup may not provide them with the desired depth.
After the unfortunate news that Emily Gray suffered an injury during preseason, the focus will shift to the midfielders Brianna Pinto and Denise O’Sullivan. Gray, who was selected third overall in the 2022 NWSL Draft, will not play in 2023 due to an ACL injury. Narumi Miura was brought in to help after Debinha left. She was a regular in the Yogibo WE League and has played for the senior Japanese Women’s National team for over 20 years, including in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics in 2020.
Kerolin Nicoli, a Brazilian international, is back at the top, which will please Courage fans after she shared the spotlight with forward Diana Ordóez, who left for Houston. The Courage signed all four draft picks, including Haley Hopkins, Olivia Wingate, midfielder Clara Robbins, and defender Sydney Collins, so Kerolin will also have assistance from the rookies. The fact that all four of those four draft picks came in the first 11 picks of the 2023 NWSL Draft further demonstrates North Carolina’s youth this season.
The Courage will be eager to take the field and demonstrate what they’ve got on Saturday, as Nahas and his crew will welcome back 17 players and add nine new ones. With a lot of questions to answer, the Courage will welcome back nine players.
