North Carolina Courage forward Kerolin was named the 2023 NWSL Most Valuable Player, the league announced Friday. Here’s what you need to know:
- Kerolin, 23, scored 10 times during the regular season and finished as the runner-up for the NWSL Golden Boot behind Portland Thorns forward Sophia Smith. Smith, teammate Sam Coffey, Kansas City’s Debinha and San Diego’s Naomi Girma were the other MVP finalists.
- Kerolin added three assists and won 115 duels as the Courage finished as the No. 3 seed in the regular season. North Carolina fell to NY/NJ Gotham FC in the NWSL quarterfinals last month.
- She is the first Courage player and Brazilian to win MVP.
How important is Kerolin to the Courage?
Kerolin’s importance to the Courage cannot be understated. Her team-leading 10 goals in 1,621 minutes comprised 34 percent of the team’s goals in the regular season, pushing the Courage into third overall and guaranteeing them a playoff spot. With respect to the Courage midfield, Kerolin’s absence due to an ACL injury in their quarterfinal game against Gotham was a gaping hole as her particular skill set would’ve been key to solving Gotham’s press and enabling quick transition to their pacey forwards. — Steph Yang, women’s soccer staff writer
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(Photo: Stephen…
