With three goals in four games, @nccourage.com's Ashley Sanchez has surpassed her 2025 total and is two goals away from her career high tally.

21-250 - At 21 years, 250 days old, @nccourage.com's Manaka Matsukubo is the second-youngest player in #NWSL history to score in four straight regular-season matches after Diana Ordóñez (20-321), also for the Courage, in 2022. Unstoppable.

STARTING XI NOTES: -Courage return to a four-back -Manaka makes her first start -Uno+Bell at CB Read More: www.nccourage.com/news/startin...

The future is bright in Courage Country ⭐️ Manaka and Riley Jackson are ranked in ESPN's top U21 players in the world!

Per Opta: Manaka Matsukubo's goal Saturday was her 3rd straight NWSL match with a goal, dating back to last season (5 goals), the 2nd time she’s scored in three straight regular-season matches. Matsukubo is the first player in NWSL history with multiple three-game scoring streaks before turning 22.

See thread below. Small sample size, but by @americansocceranalysis.com's G+ metric, Maycee Bell has been the second most valuable NWSL centerback on a per-game basis (behind Tara Rudd).

The NC Courage's Ashley Sanchez has won possession in the final third seven times this season, tied with two others for an NWSL-best tally.

Bell was a perfect 5-for-5 on tackles this weekend. No one else in the league won more than four and no one else with a 100% win rate attempted more than three. She also went 7-for-9 on duels.

Was really awesome to see @TechSports back covering the Courage this weekend! Back in 2019, I got my start covering the Courage for Technician when I was a rising sophomore at N.C. State. technicianonline.com/158385/sport...

STARTING XI NOTES: - All three players who debuted last week earn starts this week. - Sheridan wears the armband Read more: www.nccourage.com/news/startin...

Ashley Sanchez and Nat Jacobs: 2020 rookie teammates with the Spirit (1st and 2nd round of that year's draft), now teammates on the Courage. Fun fact I learned last weekend: Jacobs made her professional debut against the Courage during the NWSL's bubble Challenge Cup in Utah.

Per Opta: Riley Jackson has completed 102 passes in the first two matches of the season, the most of any midfielder during the first two weekends of the season.

Courage up to No. 5 in the ESPN Power Rankings, up from No. 7 in the Week 1 list. www.espn.com/soccer/story...

The NC Courage are up to No. 4 in @phuocerman.bsky.social's NWSL Power Rankings after opening the season with a win and a draw: sports.yahoo.com/articles/202...

Starting XI Notes: -Positional flexibility between a four or five in defense -Sheridan nears milestone -Feli returns to the starting XI after injury -Uno and Ijeh named to the squad for the first time Read more: www.nccourage.com/news/startin...

Fun little fact from Opta: The Courage beat Racing Louisville on an 86th-minute winner by Ashley Sanchez. It was the ninth tying or go-ahead goal scored by the Courage in the 80th minute or later in regular-season play since the start of last season, three more than any other team in that time.

Wickenheiser won four tackles (tied for a league-best in Week 1) and eight duels in her debut. Two interceptions, three fouls, and a full 90' on top of that. Really solid way to announce yourself to the league.

Golden Boot Race in full effect. 🥇 Ashley Sanchez with a brace takes the top spot after Week 1.

Looking at the stats from this weekend and Natalie Jacobs had a very solid game for @nccourage.com. 9/10 on duels 84% passing 10/10 passes in the final third 5 crosses (she was on corners) 8 possessions won 7 clearances First game with the armband as well after being named 1 of the 3 captains.

You can now vote for Kailen Sheridan for Save of the Week as well!

AND now Sanchez is up for Goal of the Week too!

Vote Ashley Sanchez for NWSL Player of the Week on the league's Instagram and X! The only player this week to score multiple goals. Two goals, five shots, 5/9 duels won, 2/2 tackles won.

111 - @nccourage.com's Ashley Sanchez scored her first career brace on Saturday in her 111th regular-season #NWSL appearance. Only Amber Wisner (148th match) and Lo'eau LaBonta (145th) had a longer wait before their first career multi-goal game. Timely.

Between the halftime sprinklers, and apparently Kailen Sheridan, no one is safe from water during Courage broadcast interviews.

NC Courage's Manaka Matsukubo scores her first senior goal to help Japan secure World Cup Qualification. Really nice control in the box and a strong finish: x.com/i/status/203...

Matsukubo just steamrolls through Phillippines’ defense and scores her first Nadeshiko goal!! 4-0

I’ve been down today 🤒. Lemme see how the #NWSL is doing. The NWSL:

Kailen Sheridan chose chaos when celebrating Ashley Sanchez’s brace post-game 💀

OUR FIRST OF THE SEASON❕

NC Courage Head Coach Mak Lind said in his prematch press conference that Ashley Sanchez was one of the players who stood out in preseason. Sanchez hits the ground running in her third season with the Courage, scoring her eighth for the club to open the season.

Natalie Jacobs setting a strong tone early in her first appearance as captain with some big tackles.

Debuts for Wickenhesier and Sheridan, while Jacobs wears the armband for the first time as one of the Courage's trio of captains. Really looking forward to the midfield partnership of Jackson and Wickenheiser. Starting XI Notes: www.nccourage.com/news/startin...

Just realized this will be my eighth! season either covering or working for the Courage. Starting to cover the team for the student newspaper at NC State as a rising sophomore in 2019, and now I'm starting my third season on staff.

I took a break from Pokopia for this. What a day to kick off the 2026 season at First Horizon Stadium

Courage Country, the 2026 season kicks off for the Courage tomorrow against Racing Louisville. What are you looking forward to most? Season prediction? Which of the new signings are you most looking forward to seeing?

Your Courage Captains 🫡

This was a lot of fun to put together. It's a rarity to have a complete changing of the guard at goalkeeper, so diving into the people behind the players and how the group was built with a person-first philosophy was interesting.

Entering the 2026 season with a new goalkeeper union. Read more on Kailen Sheridan, Madi White, and Molly Pritchard and how they are building the new Courage keeper room!

Our squad heading into the 2026 season 😌

I, for one, cannot wait for the two Nadeshiko intra-squad matches on July 25 and September 27. Wait... those are NC Courage vs Utah Royals regular season matches?

Because soccer support is better together, we encourage our members to join the NC Courage-sponsored watch party at EO's on Weds. 3/4, for the USWNT vs. CANWNT matchup starting at 6:30 pm. RSVP (for head count) at tradablebits.com/tb_app/544102. EO's address is 341 W Main St. Durham, NC 27701.

"A true distributor in central midfield, (@nccourage.com's Riley) Jackson can hit just about any pass. Capable of turning out of pressure and playing long diagonal switches, well-weighted line-breakers, and devastating through balls with both feet, Jackson is impossible to ignore."

For any @nccourage.com fans looking to watch Manaka Matsukubo in the AFC Women's Asian Cup, it looks like all of Japan's games will be free to watch in the U.S. March 4, 12 a.m. ET vs. Chinese Taipei March 7, 6 a.m. ET vs. India March 10, 5 a.m. ET vs. Vietnam 📺: tv.onefootball.com/en/creators/...

Rare. Ruthless. Rooted in North Carolina. Shop the Become Kit: nccouragestore.com

This year's new Third Kit (first time in Courage history the team has had three), is my favorite the team has ever done. It leans into North Carolina identity and the colors really pop.

02.26.2026

For those in Courage Country who might not be familiar with E.O.'s, they're a relatively new sports bar in Durham that's committed to have 50% of its TVs on women's sports. abc11.com/post/eos-ath...

Watch the USWNT and CANWNT with us 📺 Catch the SheBelieves Cup on March 4 at 6:30pm at E.O.'s Athletic Club! RSVP for drink specials, giveaways, and more: tradablebits.com/tb_app/544102

“Riley Jackson just seems like a wildly cerebral, and also incredibly athletically gifted, anchor for a midfield and a sponge when it comes to processing information… She is adding stuff to her game pretty constantly.” Really good discussion of the @nccourage.com star around the 10:30 mark.

put it in the Louvre