Brooklyn Courtnall

Brooklyn Courtnall
Personal information
Full name Brooklyn Jean Courtnall[1]
Date of birth (2002-12-28) December 28, 2002 (age 22)[1]
Place of birth Los Angeles, California, United States
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[1]
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 North Carolina Courage
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021–2024 USC Trojans 78 (1)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2025– North Carolina Courage 0 (0)
International career‡
2022 Canada U-20 10 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of August 17, 2022

Brooklyn Jean Courtnall (born December 28, 2002) is a professional soccer player who plays as a defender for the North Carolina Courage of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Born in the United States, she has represented Canada at the youth international level. She played college soccer for the USC Trojans, where she was named first-team All-American in her senior season.

Early life and college career

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Courtnall began playing soccer with an AYSO team at age five and also grew up running track. She attended Oaks Christian School in Westlake Village, which she helped lead to the state track championship in 2019. She played one season of high school soccer and played DA club soccer for Real So Cal.[1][2] She initially committed to the University of California, Los Angeles, in the footsteps of her older sister, Ally, before choosing to switch to the University of Southern California.[3][4]

USC Trojans

Courtnall was a four-year starter for the USC Trojans from 2021 to 2024, making 78 appearances on the back line. She missed time with USC only once, when she represented Canada at the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. She earned All-Pac-12 third-team honors each of her first three seasons. In her senior season in 2024, she contributed to 11 clean sheets in 23 games and captained USC to the Big Ten Conference regular-season title and the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament. After her senior season, she was named first-team All-Big Ten and first-team All-American.[2][5]

Club career

North Carolina Courage

The North Carolina Courage announced on December 19, 2024, that they had signed Courtnall to a three-year contract. She was the Courage's first college signing after the abolition of the NWSL Draft.[6]

International career

Courtnall received her first call-up to Canada's youth national program at age 19 in 2022. She appeared in all 7 games (3 starts) and scored 2 goals at the 2022 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship as Canada came away with the bronze medal. She appeared in all 3 games (2 starts) at the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.[1][7]

Personal life

Courtnall's father, Russ, played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). Her mother, Paris Vaughan, is an actress who was the adopted daughter of jazz singer Sarah Vaughan.[1][8] Courtnall's sister, Ally, is a model and former UCLA two-sport athlete in soccer and track, and her brother, Lawton, played college ice hockey at Western Michigan. Her uncle, Geoff Courtnall, also played in the NHL.[1][2]

Honors and awards

USC Trojans

Individual

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Brooklyn Courtnall". Canadian Soccer Association. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "Brooklyn Courtnall". USC Trojans. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
  3. ^ Shealer, Sheldon (August 19, 2019). "Recruiting Roundup: Aug. 19–25". TopDrawerSoccer. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
    "Maple Leaf legacy: Ally Courtnall plays for the Canadian national team, like her father". The Daily Bruin. October 10, 2012. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  4. ^ Shealer, Sheldon (July 6, 2020). "SIMA Recruiting Roundup: July 6–12". TopDrawerSoccer. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
  5. ^ "Courtnall, Sampaio, Hayes Earn All-America Recognition". USC Trojans. December 11, 2024. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
  6. ^ "Courage sign defender Brooklyn Courtnall out of USC". North Carolina Courage. December 19, 2024. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  7. ^ Dheensaw, Cleve (March 13, 2022). "Next generation in Courtnall clan steps onto the international stage for Canada". Times Colonist. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
  8. ^ Oliver, Myrna (April 5, 1990). "Sarah Vaughan, 'Divine One' of Jazz, Dies at 66". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 13, 2024.