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In a historic move, the NWSL has crowned North Carolina Courage forward Kerolin as its 2023 MVP, making her the first South American-born player and the fourth international player to earn the honor.
In a remarkable season, the Brazilian player netted 10 goals – the second-highest in the league. According a news release from the NWSL, she also tied for the most assists within her team, contributing significantly to the Courage's successes. The Brazilian star's involvement in 19 regular season games was pivotal in propelling North Carolina Courage to the third seed in the playoffs, finishing with a strong 9-7-6 record.
Kerolin's season was highlighted by consistent high-level play, including scoring in consecutive games on two occasions. Her remarkable streak commenced in April, featuring a penalty kick in North Carolina's second and third games. A defining moment was her first career NWSL hat trick in Week 11, contributing to a 5-0 triumph over the Chicago Red Stars. In the following match against the Orlando Pride, the Courage secured a 3-0 victory.
At just 23 years old, Kerolin has been integral in keeping the Courage's playoff aspirations alive. Her performance in Week 18 against NJ/NY Gotham FC, where she recorded a goal and two assists, underscored her versatility and skill. Additionally, her equalizing goal in a crucial game against OL Reign in Week 20 further cemented her status as a key player.
Kerolin's statistics speak volumes of her caliber as an athlete. Ranking seventh in total shots (43) and eighth in shots on target (21), she is recognized as one of the NWSL's fastest players. She led the league in dribbles completed (67), contributing to nine goals inside the box.
This MVP recognition adds to Kerolin’s growing list of accolades in just her second NWSL season. Her notable achievements include a Second XI selection in 2022 and leading North Carolina to back-to-back UKG NWSL Challenge Cup titles in 2022 and 2023. Her outstanding play in the 2022 Challenge Cup Final also earned her the MVP of the match honor.
The selection process for the MVP involved a preliminary round of voting by owners, general managers, coaches, players and media, followed by a final round that included fan voting. The breakdown of the votes were as follows: In the preliminary round, owners, general managers, and coaches contributed 25%, media 25%, and players 50%. The final round saw players contributing 40%, owners, general managers, and coaches 25%, media 25% and fans 10%.
