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NC Courage Looks To Fresh Start As Women’s Soccer Team Kicks Off 2023 NWSL Season
The NC Courage are looking for a fresh start as they begin their 2023 NWSL campaign. They have had a rocky season and a series of reports and investigations regarding the league’s coaches.
New head coach Sean Nahas will look to build on last year’s success, but the team will be without their two biggest stars in Debinha and Diana Ordonez. They will have to replace their top scoring midfielders and a string of top quality young players.
Goalkeeper Ivory Ivory
After first-choice goalkeeper Sylvain Gbohouo saw out the Africa Cup of Nations with a drugs ban, Ivory Coast chose Sangare to lead the Elephants at this tournament. He made his international debut in a friendly against Morocco in October and has started all three games so far, claiming three clean sheets.
He is also the only player to have featured in all four of the Ivory Coast’s matches at this tournament.
Demetrius Ivory was born in Ohio on August 14, 1975, of American descent and was raised by a single parent. He is a tall goalkeeper at 6 feet and 65kg with black hair and eye color.
Defendant Clara Robbins
After a tough season in 2022 where the Courage failed to make the playoffs for the first time in their short history, the team is looking for a fresh start this year. A number of key players are no longer on the roster, but the team still has plenty of fire to build around.
The NC Courage made a big splash this season, selecting four players in the NWSL draft, including two first-round selections. The Braves also signed a pair of international transfers.
The team’s backline is in need of reinforcements, with several players who contributed to the 33-goal attack no longer in the team. Brewster adds a quality center back to the mix, helping bolster a defense that allowed an average of 1.5 goals per game last season.
Midfielder Denise O’Sullivan
The NC Courage look to kick off their 2023 NWSL campaign this Saturday against the Kansas City Current. Their squad has a lot of youth and promise, but there are still some holes to fill.
Irish midfielder Denise O’Sullivan is an experienced international who played 107 games for Courage and was voted the team’s MVP twice. She also plays a key role in Ireland’s bid to qualify for the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
A big part of the leadership that got the Courage to the top in the NWSL last year. But with a coaching change and the departure of some of their best players, this is a fresh start for the organization as a whole.
On Olivia Wingate
Wilmington, Massachusetts native Olivia Wingate made a name for herself at national power Notre Dame and was rewarded for her success when she was selected sixth overall in the 2023 NWSL Draft by the North Carolina Courage. She will join the Courage on a contract through 2025, along with three other first-round picks, including defensive midfielder Sydney Collins (Cal) and midfielder Clara Robbins (Florida State).
The 2023 NWSL season kicks off on Saturday, March 25, as the Kansas City Current travel to WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, NC, to face the Courage in the first professional game of the year. The Courage also welcomes back a couple of familiar faces in forward Mallory Swanson, and the Portland Thorns host Defender Christine Sinclair for their home opener.
Haley Hopkins on
After a disappointing 2022 season where the teams failed to reach the playoffs, the NC Courage are looking for a fresh start as they begin their 2023 NWSL campaign. Despite losing several key players, including both better forward, they hope that a new approach will improve.
The 2023 NWSL season will run from February to October and will feature 22 regular league games in a home and away format. The six teams that finish first and second in the standings will qualify for the postseason games, where they will play one-off semifinals. The winners of those semi-finals advance to the final league games, where they will compete for the league title.