North Wake News

Two players from the North Carolina Courage have been recognized in the 2024 NWSL Best XI, as announced by the league office. Defender Kaleigh Kurtz earned first-team honors, while defender Ryan Williams was named to the second team.

The Best XI honors are awarded to the top 22 players in the league, determined by a weighted voting system that includes input from players (40%), owners/GMs/coaches (25%), media (25%), and fans (10%). Each selected athlete will receive a cash bonus.

Kurtz, who was a finalist for Defender of the Year, achieved her first spot on the Best XI first team in 2024 and has now been honored for two consecutive years after receiving second-team recognition in 2023. She holds the league record for consecutive regular-season minutes played and recorded a passing accuracy of 86.02% with 21 interceptions this year. Additionally, she made 10 shots with four on target, scored one goal, and won 17 tackles.

Williams recently extended her contract with the Courage through 2027 and had her best season statistically. In her role as a regular starter at right back, she won 55 tackles and made 53 interceptions, ranking second in the league for both statistics. Her passing rate stood at an impressive 85.65%, and she finished among the top five defenders with 22 chances created and 117 duels won.

The Courage is one of three teams to have defenders on both the first and second teams of the Best XI, alongside Orlando and Washington, who will compete in Saturday's NWSL Championship.