Independence W League side re-signs Carroll and Smith

CHARLOTTE INDEPENDENCE

Defender Sydney Smith, a member of the Charlotte Independence inaugural W League team, is back for a second season.

The Charlotte Independence USL W League team has added a pair of players from last year’s inaugural team.

Independence signed defender Sydney Smith and goalkeeper Katelyn Carroll for the 2023 season. Smith, a Charlotte 49ers junior, scored a goal in 902 minutes for the Independence last year.

“I am thrilled to be re-signing with the Charlotte Independence USL W League team,” Smith said in a statement. “I’m looking forward to playing alongside so many talented players and learning from one another this summer.”

Smith started five games and logged 300 minutes with the Charlotte 49ers. As a sophomore, she played in 12 matches and three starts.

“Syd was a staple for us last season on the back line,” Independence coach Robyn Horner said. “She arrived from school after the first game we played, stepped in as a sub for us and started every game thereafter. We expect that the experience and leadership she gained from last season will help anchor a core of new players. She has great strength and a great attitude.”

At Cox Mill High in Concord, Smith earned all-conference honors in 2017 and 2018. As a senior, she earned all-state and defensive player of the year as her team advanced to the state finals.

Carroll, an alumnus of the Charlotte Independence Soccer Club and ECNL National Selection Game, accumulated 470 minutes in goal and tallied 20 saves for the Independence last year.

“I’m super excited to come back and compete with such a talented group of players in such a competitive league,” Carroll said.

An early graduate of Nation Ford High, Carroll is already enrolled at Mississippi State. Her freshman season with the Bulldogs will start in the fall. At Nations Ford, Carroll tallied 2,606 minutes and 212 saves for her career and earned all-region twice, all-state as a junior and United Soccer Coaches South Carolina Player of the Week in 2021. In 2018, she was also invited to the US Soccer Training Center.

“Even as our youngest player last year, Kate quickly established herself as a leader early on in camp,” Horner said. “Now, with a season under her belt at Mississippi State, we expect her to have another great season as one of our GKs and are pleased to have her return between the posts for us this year.”

The Independence kicks off the 2023 USL W League season on May 21 at 5 p.m. against the NC Courage U-23s at American Legion Memorial Stadium.

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