Courtney Niemiec

Courtney Tole (née Niemiec; born April 13, 1992) is an American women's soccer coach for the La Salle Explorers women's soccer team, and a retired professional soccer player who last played as a defender for the North Carolina Courage of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).

Courtney Niemiec
Personal information
Full name Courtney Tole
Birth name Courtney Niemiec
Date of birth (1992-04-13) April 13, 1992
Place of birth Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
FC Delco Sting
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2013 La Salle Explorers 87 (8)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2015 Portland Thorns FC 15 (0)
2016 Western New York Flash 6 (0)
2017 North Carolina Courage 0 (0)
Managerial career
2017– La Salle Explorers (asst.)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of May 28, 2017

Early life

Tole was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[1] She played high school soccer at Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls, where she was a four-year varsity letter-winner in both soccer and lacrosse, and played club soccer for FC Delco Sting.[2]

Collegiate career

Tole attended La Salle University, where she played as a midfielder for the Explorers until switching to defense during the preseason of her sophomore year to cover for a teammate's injury.[3] She scored 8 goals and had 14 assists in 87 appearances for the Explorers, starting every game her sophomore, junior, and senior seasons.[2] The Atlantic 10 Conference named her its defensive player of the year in 2012[4][5] and to the all-conference first team in 2012 and 2013.[5] The Explorers won the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship in 2012[6] and 2013, with Tole scoring in a penalty shoot-out in the latter to help secure the title.[7]

La Salle named Tole to its Hall of Athletes in 2021.[8]

Club career

Tole registered for the 2014 NWSL College Draft but was not selected.[9]

Portland Thorns (2014–2015)

In March 2014, Portland Thorns FC invited Tole to open tryouts[10] and she was selected to the club's preseason roster.[9] Portland signed Tole to a professional contract on April 9, 2014.[11][12] Following an ankle injury to starter Rachel Van Hollebeke before the 2014 season's opening match, Tole became a starting outside back for the club.[9][5]

On June 24, 2015, the Thorns waived Tole.[13][14]

Western New York Flash (2016)

The Western New York Flash signed Tole for the 2016 season. Tole appeared in six matches for the Flash, starting in four, and played 395 total minutes.[15] The team picked up her contract option to extend her through 2017.[16] Tole was an unused substitute for the Flash in the 2016 NWSL Championship match, which the Flash won in a penalty shoot-out.[17]

North Carolina Courage (2017)

On January 9, 2017, the NWSL announced that the Western New York Flash's NWSL franchise rights had been sold to new ownership, with its roster and player rights reassigned to the newly created North Carolina Courage.[18]

On May 27, 2017, Tole announced her retirement from professional soccer without making an appearance for the Courage.[19]

Coaching career

After retiring as a player, Tole joined the La Salle Explorers women's soccer coaching staff in July 2017 as an assistant coach while returning to the university to attend graduate school.[20]

Career statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[21]
Club Season League League Playoffs Total
AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
Portland Thorns FC 2014 NWSL 11000110
2015 40–40
Western New York Flash 2016 NWSL 600060
North Carolina Courage 2017 NWSL 000000
Career total 21000210

Awards and honors

La Salle University

Western New York Flash

Individual

  • Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year: 2012[5]
  • First Team All-Atlantic 10: 2012, 2013[5]
  • First Team NSCAA All-Mid Atlantic Region: 2012
  • Second Team NSCAA All-Mid Atlantic Region: 2013
  • La Salle University Hall of Athletes: 2021[8]

References
  1. "Courtney Niemiec". Portland Thorns FC. Archived from the original on April 13, 2014. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
  2. "Courtney Niemiec". La Salle University. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
  3. Breen, Matt (October 6, 2011). "La Salle women's soccer team puts shutout streak on line". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  4. "A10 honors for La Salle coach Paul Royal". Philadelphia Inquirer. October 31, 2012. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  5. Leon, Matt (June 24, 2014). "La Salle's Niemiec Fitting In Nicely In Portland". CBS News Philadelphia. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  6. "La Salle women win Atlantic 10 soccer title". Philadelphia Inquirer. November 4, 2012. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  7. Papazian, Glenn (November 13, 2013). "La Salle Wins Atlantic 10 Women's Soccer Championship". Philly College Sports. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  8. Ryan, Megan (Fall 2021). "Class of 2021 Hall of Athletes inductees announced". La Salle Magazine. La Salle University.
  9. Goldberg, Jamie (May 8, 2014). "Portland Thorns defender Courtney Niemiec earns starting position as a rookie after going undrafted: Rundown". The Oregonian. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  10. "Sports in Brief: Freedoms draft Huber, 3 others". Philadelphia Inquirer. March 12, 2014. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  11. "Thorns FC sign Courtney Niemiec and Katarina Tarr" (Press release). Portland Timbers. April 9, 2014. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
  12. Goldberg, Jamie (April 9, 2014). "Portland Thorns sign Courtney Niemiec and Katarina Tarr". The Oregonian. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  13. "Thorns FC waive Courtney Niemiec" (Press release). Portland Timbers. June 24, 2015. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  14. Goldberg, Jamie (June 24, 2015). "Portland Thorns waive defender Courtney Niemiec". The Oregonian.
  15. Courtney Niemiec at National Women's Soccer League
  16. DiVeronica, Jeff (October 19, 2016). "NWSL champion Flash make moves to keep team intact". Democrat & Chronicle.
  17. "WNY Flash win 2016 NWSL title, edging Washington Spirit on PKs". SoccerWire (Press release). National Women's Soccer League. October 10, 2016. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  18. "North Carolina Courage joining NWSL signals long-term ambition for young league". FOX Sports. January 10, 2017. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  19. "Courtney Niemiec announces retirement from professional soccer" (Press release). North Carolina Football Club. May 27, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  20. "Women's soccer adds former standout Courtney Niemiec to coaching staff" (Press release). La Salle Explorers. July 27, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  21. Courtney Niemiec at FBref.com


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