West Wake News

Two players from the North Carolina Courage have been named finalists for significant NWSL End-of-Year awards. Kaleigh Kurtz is in the running for NWSL Defender of the Year, while Ashley Sanchez is a contender for Midfielder of the Year, according to an announcement by the league office on Tuesday.

Voting for these awards is currently open and will continue until Friday, November 15 at 3 p.m. ET. The voting process involves contributions from different groups: 40% from players, 25% from coaches, general managers, and owners, another 25% from media representatives, and 10% from fans. This voting will also determine the Best XI first and second teams for 2024.

Kurtz has achieved Iron Woman status for three consecutive seasons by playing every minute of this year's matches. She set a new record in May for consecutive minutes played in the NWSL and will carry her streak of 7,992 straight minutes into next year. Her performance helped North Carolina rank third in goals conceded with six clean sheets during regular season play.

This marks Kurtz's second consecutive nomination as a finalist for Defender of the Year. She led all players with 1,772 successful passes at an accuracy rate of 86%. Additionally, she was second only to teammate Ryan Williams in touches with 2,428. Among defenders across the league, she ranked fifth in clearances with 121, second in blocks with 33, and fourth in aerial duels won with 35.

In her first season with North Carolina Courage, Sanchez has emerged as a key offensive player despite having to adapt to a new team and role following Kerolin Nicoli's absence. Sanchez led her team in various categories including goals and assists while ranking within the top ten among all NWSL players except total goals where she placed within the top twenty.

The winners of these awards will be announced around the time of the NWSL Championship match presented by Google Pixel. Scheduled for Saturday, November 23 at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City Missouri; it will begin at 8 p.m. ET broadcasted live on CBS Television Network and streamed on Paramount+.