The 2018

North Carolina Courage The North Carolina Courage is a professional women's soccer team based in Cary, North Carolina. It was founded on January 9, 2017, after Stephen Malik acquired National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) franchise rights from the Western New York F ...

season is the team's second season as a professional women's soccer team. North Carolina Courage plays in the

National Women's Soccer League The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is a professional women's soccer league at the top of the United States league system. It is owned by the teams and, until 2020, was under a management contract with the United States Soccer Federatio ...

, the top tier of women's soccer in the United States. On August 5, the Courage clinched the 2018 NWSL Shield for the second consecutive season after a 2–1 win over

Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...

. The Courage finished the 2018 regular season with only 1 loss and broke the record for most wins in a season (17), most points (57) and most goals (53). On September 22, North Carolina defeated the

Portland Thorns The Portland Thorns FC is an American professional women's soccer team based in Portland, Oregon. Established in 2012, the team began play in 2013 in the then-eight-team National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), which receives support from the Unit ...

3-0 to win the 2018 NWSL Championship and completed one of the most successful seasons for a professional women's soccer team in the United States.

Team

Coaching staff

: ''Source: North Carolina Courage''

First-team roster

: ''Source: North Carolina Courage''

Player transactions

2018 NWSL College Draft The 2018 NWSL College Draft was the sixth annual meeting of National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) franchises to select eligible college players. It was held on January 18, 2018 at the United Soccer Coaches Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvani ...

: ''Source: National Women's Soccer League''

In

Out

Competitions

National Women's Soccer League

Preseason

: ''Source: North Carolina Courage

Regular season

: ''Source: North Carolina Courage''

Postseason playoffs

League table

Results by round

International friendlies

As defending 2017 Shield winners and playoff finalists, the Courage were selected to participate in the inaugural Women's International Champions Cup. They defeated French side Paris Saint-Germain Women in the semi-final round and French side and defending

UEFA Women's Champions League The UEFA Women's Champions League, previously called the UEFA Women's Cup (2001–2009), is a European women's association football competition. It involves the top club teams from countries affiliated with the European governing body UEFA. The ...

titleholders Lyon Women in the final at Miami Garden's

Hard Rock Stadium Hard Rock Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Miami Gardens, Florida. The stadium is the home field for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL) and the Miami Hurricanes, the University of Miami's NCAA Division I college ...

to become the first ever champions of the event.

Statistics

Appearances

Goalscorers

Last updated: September 22, 2018.
Source: Competitive matches

Honors and awards

NWSL Season Awards

* Most Valuable Player: Lynn Williams (finalist),

McCall Zerboni McCall RaNae Zerboni (born December 13, 1986) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for and captains NJ/NY Gotham FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Early life Born in Camarillo, California, to parent ...

(finalist) * Defender of the Year:

Abby Dahlkemper Abigail Lynn Dahlkemper (born May 13, 1993) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for San Diego Wave FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the United States national team. Early life Dahlkemper was bo ...

(finalist),

Abby Erceg Abby May Erceg (born 20 November 1989) is a professional New Zealand footballer who plays as a defender. She is the captain of the North Carolina Courage in the National Women's Soccer League. She has previously played for Chicago Red Stars in ...

(finalist) * Coach of the Year: Paul Riley (finalist) * Best XI:

Crystal Dunn Crystal Alyssia Soubrier (; born July 3, 1992) is an American soccer player for the Portland Thorns FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the highest division of women's professional soccer in the United States, and the United States ...

* Second XI:

Merritt Mathias Merritt Elizabeth Mathias (born July 2, 1990) is an American soccer forward currently playing for Angel City FC in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She previously played for FC Kansas City and Seattle Reign FC. Early life Born in Bir ...

Debinha Débora Cristiane de Oliveira (born 20 October 1991), known as Debinha Miri or simply Debinha, is a Brazilian professional football forward who plays for the Kansas City Current in the National Women's Soccer League and the Brazil women's natio ...

, Lynn Williams

NWSL Championship Game Awards

* Most Valuable Player:

Jessica McDonald Jessica Marie McDonald (born February 28, 1988) is an American professional soccer player for Racing Louisville FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the highest division of women's professional soccer in the United States, and the ...

NWSL Team of the Month The National Women's Soccer League Team of the Month is a monthly soccer award given to individual players in the National Women's Soccer League. The NWSL Media Association, composed of journalists who regularly cover the league, select a Best XI o ...

NWSL Player of the Month The National Women's Soccer League Player of the Month is a monthly soccer award given to individual players in the National Women's Soccer League. The honor is awarded to the player deemed to have put in the best performances over the past month b ...

NWSL Player of the Week The National Women's Soccer League Player of the Week is a weekly soccer award given to individual players in the National Women's Soccer League. The honor is awarded to the player deemed to have put in the best performances over the past week by ...

NWSL Goal of the Week

NWSL Save of the Week The National Women's Soccer League Save of the Week is a weekly soccer award given to individual players in the National Women's Soccer League since 2016. The honor is awarded by popular social media vote to the player deemed to have scored the be ...

References

{{2018 in American soccer

North Carolina Courage seasons

Team

Coaching staff

First-team roster

Player transactions

2018 NWSL College Draft The 2018 NWSL College Draft was the sixth annual meeting of National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) franchises to select eligible college players. It was held on January 18, 2018 at the United Soccer Coaches Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvani ...

In

Out

Competitions

National Women's Soccer League

Preseason

Regular season

Postseason playoffs

League table

Results by round

International friendlies

Statistics

Appearances

Goalscorers

Honors and awards

NWSL Season Awards

NWSL Championship Game Awards

NWSL Team of the Month The National Women's Soccer League Team of the Month is a monthly soccer award given to individual players in the National Women's Soccer League. The NWSL Media Association, composed of journalists who regularly cover the league, select a Best XI o ...

NWSL Player of the Month The National Women's Soccer League Player of the Month is a monthly soccer award given to individual players in the National Women's Soccer League. The honor is awarded to the player deemed to have put in the best performances over the past month b ...

NWSL Player of the Week The National Women's Soccer League Player of the Week is a weekly soccer award given to individual players in the National Women's Soccer League. The honor is awarded to the player deemed to have put in the best performances over the past week by ...

NWSL Goal of the Week

NWSL Save of the Week The National Women's Soccer League Save of the Week is a weekly soccer award given to individual players in the National Women's Soccer League since 2016. The honor is awarded by popular social media vote to the player deemed to have scored the be ...

See also

References