December 19, 2024 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL)
North Carolina Courage News Release
CARY, N.C. – The North Carolina Courage have signed defender Brooklyn Courtnall to a three-year contract through the 2027 NWSL season, as announced by the club on Thursday. A first-team All-American with the University of Southern California in 2024, Courtnall is the first collegiate player signed by the Courage through the new process post-draft era.
Courtnall was a four-year starter for the Trojans from 2021-24, appearing in 78 matches on their backline. She was a three-time All-Pac 12 performer as an underclassman before erupting for first-team All-Big 10 and All-America honors as a senior, captaining a Trojans team that pitched 11 clean sheets en route to the Big 10 regular season title before reaching the NCAA quarterfinals. TopDrawer Soccer named her the sixth-best Division I player in their 2024 post-season rankings.
“I’m so grateful to sign with the courage and to join such an amazing organization. I can’t wait to get started and grow in this competitive environment. North Carolina has set a standard for championships and I’m excited to continue that,” Courtnall said.
“This is a great signing for our club to bring in someone of Brooklyn’s quality. Credit to our staff for their scouting to find her. She had a tremendous senior year and was heavily valued by other teams in the league, which is a credit to her and her growth. She is very versatile, dynamic, and has a great understanding of the game. She’s a very good defender in all facets of the game and comes from a collegiate background that fits in with our attacking style of play. We watched her all year and – when we eventually spoke with her – our values aligned and her vision and wants were clear.
“We’re thrilled she’s decided to join our club and we look forward to helping Brooklyn take the next steps in her development and journey. I know how excited she is to be a part of our club, and we are just as excited to have her,” said Courage Head Coach Sean Nahas.
Courtnall’s Canadian Youth National Team experience includes the 2022 Under-20 FIFA Women’s World Cup, where she appeared in all seven matches – making three starts – and scored twice to help the Canadians take the bronze medal.
The 21-year-old Courtnall comes from an athletic pedigree as a second-generation professional athlete. Her father, Russ Courtnall, played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League. Her sister, Ally, was a two-sport athlete at…
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