With more than a third of the 2026 season complete, we have enough matches to offer a better perspective on the 2026 Courage than we could during the preseason. The club faced numerous changes to the coaching staff and starting lineup in the offseason. With 12 out of 30 matches complete, we’re getting a stronger sense of the strengths, weaknesses, and potential of the team.
With an upcoming trade window, recent departure of star Manaka Matsukubo, and incoming new player Erica Meg Parkinson, there’s plenty of opportunity for the Courage dynamics to continue to shift, and we’ll continue to provide coverage throughout the remainder of the season.
Here are our ratings for various aspects of the Courage.
Defense: B+
This was the most divisive conversation among the Lion’s Pitch team, though we agree on some specifics. Keeper Kailen Sheridan has proved an excellent addition to the squad, providing steady leadership and communication, and has also shown a lot empathy and heart on and off the pitch. Center back depth has been strong, with Uno Shiragaki and Natalia Staude stepping in relatively seamlessly during an extended injury period for starters Maycee Bell and Natalie Jacobs.
Our concerns revolve around the left back position, and depth of the right back position.
At left back, Sydney Schmidt had a season ending injury. On paper, Feli Rauch looks like the obvious choice to start, but head coach Mak Lind has been giving minutes to Dani Weatherholt, a great utilitarian player who’s rostered in the midfield. It’s unclear if Rauch is dealing with a lingering injury, but in any case, Weatherholt has been beaten by opponents a few times for goals. In the most recent match against Seattle, she was caught out trying to mark Sofia Huerta, who passed the ball to Mia Fishel, then snuck behind Weatherholt to receive a short inside pass. From there, Huerta crossed to Sally Menti for a goal. You can see the play unfold at almost exactly the 1 minute mark in the highlight recap. Similar issues have happened earlier this season.
At the right back position, Ryan Williams has been as fast and efficient as always, but depth is a question here. The Courage listed Ivy Younce as a defender, perhaps intending her to serve as a backup option there. But, Younce historically has played as a forward, and has been subbing in for the Courage up front, leaving a question mark for depth at right back.
Midfield: B
The midfield line is difficult to gauge. In terms of turnovers and opponent progression, it’s the shakiest midfield in recent Courage history, in part due to the departure of captain Denise O’Sullivan. Manaka’s departure doesn’t help here, either.
On the other hand, some of the leaky aspects of the midfield are by design. Shinomi Koyama has done an excellent job as the lone defensive midfielder, allowing Riley Jackson to join in the attack. This means giving up a bit of space in the middle of the pitch and counting on a typically stalwart defense to prevent goals in the hopes of putting up more of an attacking threat. That strategy has paid off so far.
Depth and overall talent are strong here, especially with the addition of Erica Meg Parkinson, so this grade could easily change for the better as the Courage reach late-season form.
Forwards: B+
Since the departure of Kerolin, the Courage have struggled to have an extremely productive forward line, but that is changing for the better.
Ashley Sanchez’s forward role is paying off enormously. She has a record number of goals this season, two braces, and she’s second in the golden boot race at the time of publishing. Evelyn Ijeh is increasingly comfortable in the Courage system, providing clinical finishes the club needed, and being smart about deferring balls she could take to Sanchez, resulting in at least two goals for the Courage.
The right side is most challenging. Cortnee Vine was likely a good effort to solidify this position, but unfortunately had numerous setbacks and agreed to part ways with the team this year. Newly-added forward Ally Schlegel was a strong addition, helping with aerial threats, but has only scored one goal so far. Schlegel also had a terrific run during the Seattle match but was tripped, resulting in a penalty kick goal, taken by Riley Jackson. One could argue the Courage benefit from forcing the ball to Sanchez or, up to this point, Manaka, given they’ve been on a scoring streak, but with Manaka’s departure, more productivity here would be helpful.
Also noteworthy have been Younce and Lauryn Thompson, who continue to electrify fans with dynamic, forward-looking performances with limited time. Chioma Okafor has shown a strong physicality that adds nuance to the Courage’s attack as well.
Finding someone to cement that right side will be key, which could come from existing talent or an acquisition. Alternatively, we could see a “who’s the right person for this match?” approach, given the depth here, but whoever steps in will need to be a threat, both in scoring and in off-ball play, especially while Parkinson transitions into her role.
Add to that the threat of Olivia Wingate, another crowd favorite, and Hannah Betfort‘s ability to draw defenders away from scoring runs, and it’s a pretty solid lineup for the first time in years.
Head Coach Mak Lind: A
We were cautiously optimistic about Mak Lind’s hire, but had some reasonable questions. Could he quickly adjust to NWSL-style play? Could he bring a mid-performing-but-talented squad back to playoff contention? Could he cultivate the sort of team culture needed to allow the Courage to build and grow in the ever-shifting NWSL?
So far, the answers have been yes. Lind has showed a particular knack for mid-game adjustments, and we’ve seen players continue to develop, notably Koyama and Jackson thriving in their new roles. Even veterans like Sanchez are playing at new peaks in their careers.
The players speak with genuine enthusiasm for working with him, though arguably we’re still in a honeymoon period where the hardest decisions Lind has had to make have mostly revolved around weekly roster construction.
To give context, let’s also look at the numerous head coaching hires around the league and see how Lind’s squad has stacked up, ranked by current record:
| Team | Coach | W-D-L | Points |
| Portland | Robert Vilahamn | 8-3-3 | 27 |
| Kansas City Current | Chris Armas | 8-0-5 | 24 |
| NC Courage | Mak Lind | 6-3-3 | 21 |
| Denver Summit (expansion) | Nick Cushing | 4-3-5 | 15 |
| Chicago Stars | Martin Sjögren | 4-0-9 | 12 |
| Bay FC | Emma Coates | 3-3-6 | 12 |
| Boston Legacy (expansion) | Filipa Patão | 2-4-7 | 10 |
Notably, the NC Courage have a game in hand with Kansas City, and two in hand with Portland. Angel City fired head coach Alex Straus already this season.
Considering Lind had by far the biggest personnel change to deal with across players and staff, it’s an impressive showing to date.
Factor in his commitment to be with the team for the medium-term, and this might even be an A+ hire, time will tell.
Team Management and Culture: A+
At least to date, we’ve heard effusive reports form players on the coaching staff, as well as Chief Soccer Officer Dr. Ceri Bowley.
Extending the contracts for Ashley Sanchez and Riley Jackson were critical. Most of the recent signings and contract extensions, including the recent extension for Shinomi Koyama, point to long-term investment in talent.
From the club’s perspective, in an impromptu chat with The Uproar this week, they did everything they could to keep Manaka, but her heart was set on the WSL.
Tactically, it appears to us they sought Parkinson, at least in part, out of concern around Manaka’s departure, though they were careful to say it wasn’t a 1:1 replacement. It shows strategic thinking about roster construction, along with the extended contracts and depth-building in the offseason.
We’ve also heard several credible rumors now that the Courage are approaching recruits with a serious, convincing game plan on how players will fit into the club’s future plans, making the Courage a top contender for signings, whether the players ultimately commit or wind up elsewhere. In other words, the club’s standing with players across the league remains strong, and we’ve heard that with both veterans and young players alike.
The club has also been extending more transparency than is typical for a sports club, to fans and media, at least following the ousting of Sean Nahas. Bowley’s town halls with season ticket holders have been well-received, and he spoke with the supporter’s group, The Uproar, directly before the Seattle match to answer questions about Manaka and Parkinson. Chief Business Officer Ralph Vuono did an Ask-Me-Anything on Reddit, and also sat down with us at the Lion’s Pitch for questions with no restrictions outside of player deals, which isn’t under his purview and something sports teams don’t discuss anyway (by the way, that interview posts on our podcast this Thursday!). Head Coach Mak Lind has also been thoughtful and forthright so far in media interviews. All told, fans, supporters and media alike have more insight than is typical in a sports club environment.
As with anything, the future will tell if this strategy pays off, but signs point to a healthy, strategic club at the moment, and the trick will be retaining that status moving forward.