Latest news with #CarolinaAscent
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Carolina Ascent gears up for 2nd season with revamped roster
The Carolina Ascent, Charlotte's professional women's sports team, is gearing up for their second season, with their first match scheduled for Aug. 30 on the road. READ MORE: Carolina Ascent star prepares for playoffs in team's first season In their inaugural season, the Ascent secured the number one seed and advanced to the playoffs, although they did not clinch the championship. The team has undergone significant changes, with 11 players departing and nine new players joining the roster. The head coach emphasized the team's strategy of taking the season one game at a time. The Carolina Ascent's first home match will take place on Sept. 6 at Memorial Stadium in Elizabeth. Fans are eagerly anticipating the team's return to the field, hoping for another strong performance this season. Channel 9, as the official partner of the Carolina Ascent, will broadcast some of the games live this season, providing fans with the opportunity to follow the team's progress closely. With a revamped roster and a fresh approach, the Carolina Ascent is poised to make a strong showing in their second season. Fans and supporters are looking forward to seeing how the new players integrate and contribute to the team's success.
Miami Herald
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Fort Lauderdale United silences its doubters heading into inaugural USL final
Only 5%. That's how many fans believed Fort Lauderdale United FC had a shot at claiming the inaugural USL Super League championship, according to a leaguewide poll released on June 5. Two days later, that 5% looked like the smartest people in the room. With the semifinal tied deep into extra time, it was Fort Lauderdale's Kiara Locklear who delivered in the 119th minute. The Fort Lauderdale striker pounced on a loose ball that sailed past Carolina Ascent goalkeeper and into the back of the net — a stunner that knocked out the top-seeded favorites and booked the underdogs a golden ticket to Saturday's final. 'It's just fuel to the flame,' Locklear said at Thursday morning's news conference, reflecting on the team's mind-set going into the match. 'That 5% was just in our minds going into the semi final. I think even going into the final, there's still people that underestimate us, and we're just there to show up on Saturday and prove them wrong.' Now, the No. 4-seed Fort Lauderdale United FC will face a familiar foe: the Tampa Bay Sun FC. They have played four times this season — three of them ending in a draw. While the outside world may be surprised by the club with an overall record of 11-8-9, Fort Lauderdale head coach Tyrone Mears isn't. He knows the season has been far from perfect — 'a roller coaster,' as he puts it. Now, the team has to ride its momentum to the end. 'We have the quality, it's just been finding that consistency,' Mears said. 'I think they've really shown their character as the season's gone on — the willingness to fight and continue… I think what we showed towards the end of the season, we deserve to be in this final.' Their final test won't be easy. Tampa Bay comes into the championship with four USL All-League selections, including forwards Tash Flint and Cecilie Floe, midfielder Sydny Nasello and defender Vivianne Bessette. Fort Lauderdale has its own star power, too. Alongside striker Locklear, captain Addie McCain and forward Jasmine Hamid were named to the All-League roster, with McCain earning first-team honors. 'To be recognized by your peers, other coaches, it's huge. It means the world,' McCain said. 'But I think for me, like my goal is to win a championship for Fort Lauderdale… [my] eyes are on this weekend, and we want to bring a championship here. It's about what this team can do together one last time.' On Saturday, Fort Lauderdale will get one last shot to silence the doubters. And if the squad has shown anything this season, it's that they never stop fighting, especially when no one sees them coming.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Carolina Ascent star prepares for playoffs in team's first season
The Carolina Ascent just finished their first season in the USL Super League and are now preparing for their first playoff run. The soccer club credits much of their success to the team's leading scorer Mia Corbin. Advertisement The team's general manager Philip Poole said that it's not just about Mia the soccer player. 'You know, there's a lot of football and soccer accolades that you can give her, but it starts with she is a phenomenal person,' said Poole. As early as she can remember, Corbin played both soccer and softball and one point she considered the diamond her best friend. Big crowds expected in Uptown as Taste of Charlotte, ballgames take over the weekend 'The first black female athlete I saw was a softball player, so ultimately that's what drove me to want to play sports because I was like if she can do it too, I can do it,' said Corbin. Advertisement 'I was like 10 years old. My grandpa had season tickets to the UW softball games. Her name was Dena Tyson. She kind of mentored me too. It was really cool. I'm really thankful to her and my grandpa obviously for taking me to the games,' said Corbin. Trio of teens makes professional debut for Carolina Ascent FC The transition from fast pitch to the soccer pitch had a lot to do with the joy she experienced with contributing to the team's ultimate goal. Corbin says that soccer also offered the rare shot in women's sports to go pro. 'That was my goal. I just wanted to play professionally. Softball unfortunately it's not there yet. I just want to help drive the younger generation to want to play women's professional sports because I think it's awesome, we're awesome,' said Corbin. Advertisement The team is set to face off against Fort Lauderdale United FC Sunday at 7 p.m. at American Legion Memorial Stadium for the first round of the USL Super League Playoffs. RELATED STORY: Trio of teens makes professional debut for Carolina Ascent FC
Axios
27-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
10+ impressive women shaping Charlotte in 2025
Charlotte is full of women who shine in virtually every industry. So, for Women's History Month, we've compiled a list of women helping to shape our city today. Between the lines: This is not a comprehensive list of all the women shaping Charlotte. You can also check out our 2022, 2023 and 2024 lists. Carolina Ascent Charlotte's first top-tier professional women's soccer team is setting the standard for what professional women's sports can look like in Charlotte going forward. Caitlyn Sheff Caitlyn Sheff is making fitness more financially accessible for Charlotteans. Her Wesley Heights yoga studio, The Coterie, is well-known for its sliding scale membership and drop-in class pricing, so much so that the space recently added a second studio room due to its ever-growing waitlist. People love what Sheff's built — just take a look at the flood of support in the comments section on our recent post about the studio's expansion. Dena Diorio Retiring county manager Dena Diorio has led Mecklenburg County through nearly 11 years of explosive growth, navigating through a pandemic and working alongside county commissioners to improve Charlotte's economic mobility. Erinn Thames Founder of the popular pop-up party series 704 Party, Thames is on a mission to change Charlotte's nightlife scene through inclusivity and dancing. Profits from many of her events fund grants for other local creatives so they can jump-start their own projects and add to the city's culture. Festival Colombiano co-presidents Festival Colombiano is more than just a celebration of Colombia's culture — it's a grassroots movement that helped bring national attention to Charlotte. Its co-presidents, Natalia Silva and Karol Cortes, are among the dozens of local Colombian community leaders and business owners who petitioned to bring a Colombian Consulate to Charlotte, but it's their festival that brought then-Colombian ambassador Luis Gilberto Murillo to Charlotte so they could hand him the petition in-person. Last May, Chancellor Murillo announced that their petition was successful. Jordan Dollard Dollard's company, Esther & Elsa, puts on some of Charlotte's most popular vendor markets, the best-known being Front Porch Sundays. This open-air market draws shoulder-to-shoulder crowds along Atherton on the first Sunday of April through December. And in 2024, the small businesses of FPS generated over $1 million in sales — before the holiday shopping season even started. Katie Mitchell The Trope Bookshop owner has created a cult-like following for her popular romance bookstore. So popular that people lined up in droves on opening weekend; at times, that line wrapped around the building. Through Trope, Mitchell has also built a community that has connected people in Charlotte through literature. Kristi Coleman Coleman, the CEO of Tepper Sports & Entertainment and the president of the Carolina Panthers, is one of a few female executives in the NFL. She oversees business operations for the Panthers, Charlotte FC and Bank of America Stadium. Molly Grantham Following a successful 20-year run at WBTV, Grantham recently pivoted her career to empower women. At her inaugural Bet on Yourself Summit last year, she proudly announced to a crowd of 340 women: "I'm reinventing myself at 47 years old." Ziva Postpartum Retreat founders Selena Williams and Lauren Hall launched Charlotte's first postpartum retreat for new mothers. The retreat, which opened earlier this year, was designed to educate and support women with resources as they adjust to motherhood. A few notable reader submissions: "Monifa Drayton is a powerhouse, business owner and the former head of the Arts & Science Council — in addition, [she] currently holds the position as the first Black female board chair of the ABC Board. Through her leadership, she has expanded opportunities for others while also paving the way for herself." — Brittney B. "Kim Lanphear led Apparo to offer services at no cost to nonprofits in need by asking corporate partners to help fund the work. Leading the organization through the transition from a fee-based entity to a fundraising-based nonprofit." — Alyssa M.
