Durham Reporter

The North Carolina Courage have announced the signing of defender Brooklyn Courtnall to a three-year contract, extending through the 2027 NWSL season. The announcement was made by the club on Thursday. Courtnall, a standout at the University of Southern California (USC), is recognized as a first-team All-American in 2024 and marks the first collegiate player signed by the Courage under the new post-draft process.

During her tenure with USC from 2021 to 2024, Courtnall was a consistent presence on their backline, participating in 78 matches. She earned All-Pac 12 honors three times before achieving first-team All-Big 10 and All-America recognition as a senior. Her leadership contributed to USC's success in securing the Big 10 regular season title and reaching the NCAA quarterfinals. TopDrawer Soccer ranked her as the sixth-best player in Division I in their post-season rankings.

Expressing her enthusiasm about joining the Courage, Courtnall stated, “I’m so grateful to sign with the Courage and to join such an amazing organization. I can’t wait to get started and grow in this competitive environment. North Carolina has set a standard for championships and I’m excited to continue that.”

Courage Head Coach Sean Nahas commented on Courtnall's signing: “This is a great signing for our club to bring in someone of Brooklyn’s quality. Credit to our staff for their scouting to find her. She had a tremendous senior year and was heavily valued by other teams in the league, which is a credit to her and her growth."

Courtnall also brings international experience from her time with Canada's Youth National Team, including participation in all seven matches of the 2022 Under-20 FIFA Women’s World Cup where she scored twice, contributing to Canada's bronze medal finish.

At 21 years old, Courtnall comes from an athletic family background. Her father, Russ Courtnall, played for 16 seasons in the National Hockey League; her sister Ally competed in soccer and track at UCLA; and her brother Lawton played ice hockey at Western Michigan.

Courtnall's contract will take effect on January 1st, aligning with her joining the team for preseason camp starting mid-January.