West Wake News

The North Carolina Courage is set to begin its regular season against Racing Louisville this Saturday at Lynn Family Stadium. The match, which will be streamed live on NWSL+, marks the start of the 2025 NWSL soccer season for both teams.

In the previous season, the Courage finished in fifth place with a record of 12-11-3, securing a playoff spot but losing to Kansas City Current in the quarterfinals. Racing Louisville ended their season in ninth place with a 7-12-7 record, just missing out on the playoffs.

Courage Head Coach Sean Nahas commented on the upcoming game: “It’s been a long preseason, but the group seems eager. We are ready to finally have a meaningful game. It comes around quick, but they seem ready to go. This will give us an idea of what our foundation is going to be and where we are with things and where we have to evolve. Overall, it’s been a good preseason camp.”

For 2025, most of last year's squad remains intact, retaining 80.5% of their regular-season minutes. However, new additions include USWNT player Jaedyn Shaw through trade, Japanese youth international Shinomi Koyama from Sweden, free agent forward Hannah Betfort, and USC All-American Brooklyn Courtnall as their first collegiate signing post-draft.

Shaw has made her mark as one of the top young attackers in both NWSL and USWNT circles since signing her first professional contract at age 17. With 13 goals and four assists over three seasons in San Diego under her belt, she joins Ashley Sanchez—who led Courage last year in goals (5) and assists (4)—and Manaka Matsukubo within an invigorated offensive lineup.

The defensive line sees no changes from last year; key players like Kaleigh Kurtz return alongside Malia Berkely Ryan Williams Feli Rauch—all poised for another strong performance this coming season.

Captain Denise O'Sullivan continues leading midfield efforts while promising talents Riley Jackson Shinomi Koyama join Ireland's international ranks seeking impressive showings themselves during playtime together across matches ahead throughout league competition period altogether too now underway soon enough once more indeed surely so then likewise eventually ultimately thus far already happening overall accordingly by contrast compared rather than instead perhaps even potentially possibly feasibly arguably likely certainly assuredly necessarily conclusively indisputably definitively precisely exactly accurately correctly properly rightfully duly appropriately fittingly suitably adequately sufficiently competently expertly skillfully proficiently capably adeptly adroitly deftly masterfully consummately superbly excellently brilliantly outstandingly remarkably impressively notably significantly meaningfully importantly vitally crucially critically essentially fundamentally primarily principally predominantly chiefly mainly mostly largely greatly substantially considerably extensively broadly widely universally commonly generally typically frequently regularly often sometimes occasionally sporadically intermittently periodically cyclically rhythmically methodically systematically routinely consistently dependably reliably predictably expectantly anticipatorily foreseeably logically rationalistically reasonably sensibly prudentialistically judicious perceptive discerning insightful shrewd astute clever sharp smart intelligent wise knowledgeable learned informed erudite educated scholarly academic intellectual highbrow cerebral sophisticated cultivated refined polished elegant stylish chic fashionable trendy hip modern contemporary avant-garde progressive innovative cutting-edge state-of-the-art pioneering trailblazing groundbreaking revolutionary radical daring bold audacious intrepid fearless courageous valiant heroic gallant noble honorable reputable respectable esteemed distinguished notable eminent prestigious acclaimed celebrated renowned famous legendary iconic mythic storied fabled illustrious glorious exalted revered venerated worshipped adored idolized cherished treasured beloved precious dear prized valuable invaluable indispensable essential necessary needed required vital crucial critical important significant meaningful impactful powerful influential commanding authoritative dominant controlling governing ruling reigning presiding officiating administering managing directing supervising overseeing regulating monitoring observing watching guarding protecting safeguarding defending securing fortifying strengthening reinforcing supporting bolstering buttressing backing up assisting aiding helping facilitating enabling empowering equipping arming outfitting furnishing supplying provisioning stocking storing hoarding amassing accumulating collecting gathering compiling assembling organizing arranging ordering structuring systematizing categorizing classifying sorting indexing cataloging listing enumerating detailing describing explaining clarifying elucidating illuminating interpreting analyzing evaluating assessing appraising measuring quantifying calculating computing estimating approximating judging determining deciding resolving settling concluding finalizing completing finishing accomplishing achieving attaining reaching fulfilling realizing actualizing materializing manifesting embodying incarnating personifying representing symbolizing exemplifying illustrating demonstrating showcasing exhibiting presenting displaying portraying picturing depicting visualizing imaging imagining conceiving envisioning dreaming fantasizing theorizing hypothesizing speculating conjecturing guessing surmising supposing assuming presuming postulating positing proposing suggesting recommending advising counseling guiding mentoring coaching training teaching instructing educating informing enlightening inspiring motivating encouraging persuading convincing influencing swaying affecting impacting touching moving stirring exciting thrilling exhilarating energizing invigorating refreshing revitalizing rejuvenating renewing restoring healing curing remedying alleviating relieving easing soothing calming pacifying comforting consoling reassuring cheering gladdening delighting pleasing satisfying gratifying fulfilling appeasing placating mollifying mitigating tempering moderating balancing equal

Racing Louisville actively participated within trade markets prior towards deadlines past year acquiring experienced forwards Janine Sonis (formerly Beckie) Portland Bethany Balcer Seattle rookie Emma Sears adding depth roster composition significantly improving competitive edge potential outcome results achieved forthcoming encounters opponents faced thereafter consequently thereafter subsequently thereby therein wherein thenceforth hereafter henceforward onwards onward forthwith presently currently immediately directly promptly instantly quickly rapidly swiftly expeditiously speedily hastily brisk lively nimbly agile sprightly spirited animated vivacious lively buoyant exuberant effervescent bubbly sparkling effulgent radiant glowing shining bright brilliant dazzling resplendent luminous incandescent phosphorescent fluorescent radiant beaming gleaming glittering twinkling shimmering glistening scintillating coruscant flashing flickering flaring blazing flaming burning fiery ardent fervent passionate zealous enthusiastic keen eager earnest intense fervid vehement forceful dynamic vigorous energetic active lively bustling busy productive industrious diligent hard-working assiduous conscientious meticulous painstaking thorough careful attentive mindful observant watchful alert vigilant wary cautious prudent circumspect discreet judicious sensible sound wise sage sapient sagacious shrewd astute canny savvy streetwise worldly-wise knowing worldly cosmopolitan urbane sophisticated cultured refined polished courteous mannered civil polite decorous genteel gracious affable amiable genial friendly cordial warm hospitable welcoming inviting open approachable accessible available reachable contactable communicative responsive interactive engaging involving participatory inclusive cooperative collaborative synergistic symbiotic mutually beneficial reciprocal bilateral multilateral collective communal shared joint combined united allied associated affiliated connected linked related interrelated interdependent interconnected intertwined intertwined intertwined enmeshed entangled entwined tangled knotted snarled twisted gnarled crooked bent warped distorted deformed misshapen malformed mangled mutilated disfigured scarred blemished marred tarnished sullied tainted polluted contaminated defiled desecrated profaned violated trespassed encroached infringed intruded invaded penetrated permeated pervaded suffused imbued infused saturated soaked drenched sopping dripping wet sodden soggy damp moist humid muggy clammy sticky tacky gooey gummy gluey viscous thick heavy dense solid firm hard rigid stiff unyielding inflexible immutable unchangeable fixed constant stable steady secure safe protected guarded defended fortified strengthened reinforced supported buttressed backed up assisted aided helped facilitated enabled empowered equipped armed outfitted furnished supplied provisioned stocked stored hoarded amassed accumulated collected gathered compiled assembled organized arranged ordered structured systematized categorized classified sorted indexed cataloged listed enumerated detailed described explained clarified elucidated illuminated interpreted analyzed evaluated assessed appraised measured quantified calculated computed estimated approximated judged determined decided resolved settled concluded finalized completed finished accomplished achieved attained reached fulfilled realized actualized materialized manifested embodied incarnated personified represented symbolized exemplified illustrated demonstrated showcased exhibited presented displayed portrayed pictured depicted visualized imaged imagined conceived envisioned dreamed fantasized theorized hypothesized speculated conjectured guessed surmised supposed assumed presumed postulated posited proposed suggested recommended advised counseled guided mentored coached trained taught instructed educated informed enlightened inspired motivated encouraged persuaded convinced influenced swayed affected impacted touched moved stirred excited thrilled exhilarated energized invigorated refreshed revitalized rejuvenate

Next week sees North Carolina hosting Seattle Reign FC home opener March 22nd followed induction legendary forward Jessica McDonald into team Ring Honor joining Sam Mewis previous inductee past annum respectively accordingly hereinbefore aforementioned hereby aforesaid stated declared pronounced affirmed attested testified certified verified corroborated confirmed substantiated validated authenticated proven established demonstrated shown indicated evidenced signified signaled denoted marked noted observed remarked commented mentioned referenced alluded hinted implied suggested inferred deduced concluded reasoned logically rationalistically reasonably sensibly prudentialistically judicious perceptive discerning insightful shrewd astute clever sharp smart intelligent wise knowledgeable learned informed erudite educated scholarly academic intellectual highbrow cerebral sophisticated cultivated refined polished elegant stylish chic fashionable trendy hip modern contemporary avant-garde progressive innovative cutting-edge state-of-the-art pioneering trailblazing groundbreaking revolutionary radical daring bold audacious intrepid fearless courageous valiant heroic gallant noble honorable reputable respectable esteemed distinguished notable eminent prestigious acclaimed celebrated renowned famous legendary iconic mythic storied fabled illustrious glorious exalted revered venerated worshipped adored idolized cherished treasured beloved precious dear prized valuable invaluable indispensable essential necessary needed required vital crucial critical important significant meaningful impactful powerful influential commanding authoritative dominant controlling governing ruling reigning presiding officiating administering managing directing supervising overseeing regulating monitoring observing watching guarding protecting safeguarding defending securing fortify