Cary, NC—Usually, when a team wins a championship the Frequently Asked Question is, “how do they top that?” It is sort of a ridiculous question, really, because the answer it begs is quantifiable. Win more games. Go undefeated. Win another championship. Paul Riley’s North Carolina Courage ask themselves this question after every game—and, quite likely, after every training session—and the answer doesn’t necessarily involve numbers.
So, how DOES the North Carolina Courage top their blockbuster 2018 season? If their pre-season matchup with the Orlando Pride (a 4-0 win for the Courage) on March 23rdis an example, they’ll do in 2019 exactly what they did in 2018.
With most of the championship roster returning in 2019—including Riley, who resigned for two years—the culture is largely unchanged. If anything, the bond among the players has looked even stronger as opening day draws nearer.
Comings and Goings
Among the players who left the club over the winter, goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo departed for Sweden, forward Darian Jenkins was traded to Reign FC for their ninth overall pick in the 2019 college draft, and defender Morgan Reid was recently traded to the Orlando Pride in exchange for Orlando’s fourth-round pick in the 2020 college draft. Defender Yuri Kawamura, who saw limited playing time after recovering from a torn ACL in 2017, suffered another ACL tear during the International Champions Cup tournament and was not offered a new contract.
New to the club—but not new to North Carolina—defender Ally Haran joins the Courage after playing for a year in Iceland. Haran played her college soccer at Wake Forest and will be expected to plan an integral role in maintaining North Carolina’s stingy defense, particularly during the World Cup.
Canadian national team goalkeeper Stephanie Labbé joined the Courage and will challenge Katelyn Rowland for the starting role.
The Courage also Swedish international Julia Spetsmark at the beginning of the year. Spetsmark also had an impressive pre-season and may not only challenge for a regular starting spot for North Carolina, but Riley believes the experience she gains with the club will make her invaluable to the Swedish national team.
With the departure of D’Angelo, the Courage brought Canadian international Stephanie Labbé back to the NWSL. While Labbé is Canada’s number one goalkeeper going into this summer’s World Cup, she faces strong competition in goal from Katelyn Rowland, whose solid play kept her in the starting spot, prompting D’Angelo’s overseas move.
North Carolina had a productive 2019 NWSL College Draft. With the fifth pick, they got forward Leah Pruitt from the University of Southern California. Against the Pride, Pruitt had the size and strength to handle the physicality of the Orlando side plus the speed and craftiness to create scoring opportunities.
Riley likes their second pick, defender Hailey Harbison from Pepperdine University, as a player with the versatility to play at fullback or in midfield. Lauren Milliet, an attacking midfielder out of Colorado College, was drafted in the second round and came into training camp relishing the chance to train with and learn from some of the best women’s soccer players in the world.
All three were signed to the club days before the start of the 2019 campaign. Pruitt was added to the senior roster, while Harbison and Milliet were placed on the supplemental roster.
One Team, Many Looks
With nearly all of the core group from their championship team returning—and the off-season additions—the Courage plan to play right through the World Cup as though most of their regular starting eleven aren’t in France. With US and Canada national team players reporting to training camp in May (international players don’t have to be released early), that gives a lot of players who haven’t seen much playing time a chance to step up and make a case for the post-World Cup lineup looking different from the pre-World Cup selection.
The Courage also have players with relatively recent USWNT experience (Merritt Mathias, Jaelene Hinkle, and Lynn Williams) throughout the World Cup. Williams, who led the team in goals (14) last season, showed signs in training camp that she’s ready to pick up where she left off. Along with Pruitt, their speed and strength on the ball may make it an endless summer for opposing defenses.
On paper, this is a club that should come through the World Cup little worse for having much of their starting roster in France. But paper doesn’t win games. What pushed this club over the top last year, and what can keep them on top in 2019, is the growth mindset that Riley and his staff have instilled in the players. That the value of a game is more in the effort and in improving over the past performance, more so than the final score.
The Courage will count on the depth of their roster with rookie forward Leah Pruitt (l) and veteran midfielder Elizabeth Eddy (r) stepping up during the World Cup.
As in 2018, we can expect to see a bit of the underdog mentality remain because the organization not only expects that the rest of the league is improving, but they want the opposition to meet them at their level because it’s good for the league.
Defending a championship is, arguably, more difficult than winning one. This year, the Courage will defend two titles, as NWSL, and International Champions Cup champions (as well as winning the NWSL Shield two years in a row). The Courage have the depth and work ethic to see them through the challenges of World Cup season and any injuries and aches and pains that are sure to happen throughout the year.
Final Notes
- North Carolina will not only defend their women’s International Champions Cup title, but they’ll also host the event at Sahlen’s Stadium August 15-18, 2019. Joining the Courage will be ICC runner-up, and 2018 Champions League winners Olympique Lyonnais, LaLiga Iberdrola’s 2018 champions Atlético de Madrid, and 2018 FA WSL runners-up Manchester City.
- As we prepared to publish, USWNT legend Heather O’Reilly announced via Instagram and Twitter that she will retire as a player at the end of the 2019 season. Given her increased presence as a studio analyst (she will be working with Fox Sports on their World Cup coverage) and as an ambassador for the upcoming ICC Women’s tournament, as well as hosting a recent discussion regarding the current and future state of women’s soccer, there was a sense that O’Reilly might be ready to transition her leadership role away from the field.
- With last year’s starting goalkeeper Katelyn Rowland nursing a shoulder injury, the Courage signed former University of North Carolina goalkeeper Sam Leshnak as a replacement. Leshnak has been training with the club during pre-season and will be the backup for Stephanie Labbé as the team begins the 2019 season.
North Carolina Courage Roster (as of April 11, 2019)
Goalkeepers: Stephanie Labbé, Katelyn Rowland
Defenders: Abby Dahlkemper, Abby Erceg, Ally Haran, Jaelene Hinkle, Julie King, Kaleigh Kurtz, Merritt Mathias
Midfielders: Debinha, Elizabeth Eddy, Samantha Mewis, Heather O’Reilly, Denise O’Sullivan, Cari Roccaro, Meredith Speck, Julia Spetsmark, McCall Zerboni
Forwards: Crystal Dunn, Kristen Hamilton, Jessica McDonald, Lynn Williams
Supplemental: Leah Pruitt (F), Hailey Harbison (D/MF), Lauren Milliet (MF), Ryan Williams (MF)
North Carolina Courage
