The 2019 North Carolina Courage season was the team's third season as a professional women's soccer team. North Carolina Courage plays in the National Women's Soccer League, the top tier of women's soccer in the United States.
On September 21, the Courage clinched their third consecutive Shield with a 3–0 victory over the Utah Royals.
On October 27, the Courage defeated the Chicago Red Stars 4–0 to win their second consecutive NWSL Championship.
Team
Coaching staff
Source: North Carolina Courage
PositionStaffHead coach Paul RileyAssistant coach Scott VallowAssistant coach Bill PaladinoAssistant coach Sean NahasAssistant coach Nathan Thackeray
First-team roster
Player transactions
2019 NWSL College Draft Source: National Women's Soccer League
RoundPickPlayerPrevious TeamRound 15 USCRound 19 PepperdineRound 214 Colorado CollegeRound 436 Florida State
Players in
DatePlayerPositions playedPrevious clubFee/notesRef. January 7, 2019 Julia Spetsmark DF Djurgården Signed. February 12, 2019 Ally Haran DF UMF Selfoss Signed. February 22, 2019 Stephanie Labbé GK Linköpings FC Signed. June 11, 2019 McKenzie Meehan FW Sky Blue FC Acquired in a Trade with Sky Blue FC in exchange for Elizabeth Eddy July 18, 2019 Sam Leshnak GK North Carolina Tar Heels Signed.
Players out
DatePlayerPositions playedDestination clubFee/notesRef. October 1, 2018 Yuri Kawamura DF unattached Waived. December 17, 2018 Darian Jenkins FW Reign FC Traded to Reign FC in exchange for Reign FC's 9th overall pick in the 2019 NWSL College Draft. January 4, 2019 Sabrina D'Angelo GK Vittsjö Signed with Vittsjö. April 4, 2019 Morgan Reid DF Orlando Pride Traded to the Orlando Pride in exchange for Orlando's fourth round pick in the 2020 NWSL College Draft. June 11, 2019 Elizabeth Eddy MF Sky Blue FC Traded to Sky Blue FC in exchange for McKenzie Meehan. July 18, 2019 Julie King DF Waived. July 18, 2019 Ally Haran DF Waived.
Competitions
National Women's Soccer League
Preseason
Source: North Carolina Courage
Regular season
Source: North Carolina Courage
Postseason playoffs
League table
Results summary
Results by round
International friendlies
As defending 2018 NWSL champions and defending 2018 Women's ICC champions, the Courage were selected to participate in and host the 2019 Women's International Champions Cup. They are scheduled to play English side Manchester City in the semi-final round.
Statistical leaders
Top scorers RankPlayerGoals1 Lynn Williams 122 Kristen Hamilton 93 Debinha 84 Crystal Dunn75 Jessica McDonald56 Julia Spetsmark 2 Leah Pruitt Sam Mewis9 Elizabeth Eddy1 Abby Erceg Heather O'Reilly Jaelene Hinkle
Top assists RankPlayerAssists1 Debinha72 Jaelene Hinkle63 Lynn Williams 5 Merritt Mathias Kristen Hamilton6 Crystal Dunn47 Jessica McDonald 38 McCall Zerboni 1 Leah Pruitt Denise O'Sullivan Sam Mewis Julia Spetsmark Heather O'Reilly Cari Roccaro
Shutouts
RankPlayerClean sheets1 Stephanie Labbé82 Samantha Leshnak1
Awards
NWSL annual awards
Most Valuable Player: Debinha (finalist), Jaelene Hinkle (finalist), Kristen Hamilton (finalist) Coach of the Year: Paul Riley (finalist)
NWSL Monthly Awards
NWSL Player of the Month MonthResultPlayerRef. April Crystal Dunn July Kristen Hamilton
NWSL Team of the Month Month Goalkeeper Defenders Midfielders Forwards RefApril Abby Erceg Crystal Dunn May Merritt Mathias June Kristen Hamilton July Abby Erceg Merritt Mathias Debinha Kristen Hamilton August Abby Erceg Jaelene Hinkle Debinha September Jaelene Hinkle Debinha Lynn Williams
NWSL Weekly Awards
NWSL Player of the Week WeekResultPlayerRef.8 Kristen Hamilton12 Kristen Hamilton15 Kristen Hamilton22 Lynn Williams25 Jessica McDonald
NWSL Goal of the Week WeekResultPlayerRef.1 Crystal Dunn3 Crystal Dunn6 Elizabeth Eddy8 Kristen Hamilton9 Julia Spetsmark11 Leah Pruitt12 Kristen Hamilton13 Debinha 15 Kristen Hamilton16 Debinha17 Crystal Dunn19 Lynn Williams21 Crystal Dunn22 Heather O'Reilly
NWSL Save of the Week WeekResultPlayerRef.4 Merritt Mathias7 Merritt Mathias11 Katelyn Rowland16 Stephanie Labbé17 Stephanie Labbé23 Stephanie Labbé
References