Curt Johnson named general manager of Denver's NWSL team
DENVER (AP) — Former North Carolina Courage executive Curt Johnson was named Thursday as the general manager of the National Women's Soccer League expansion team in Denver.
Johnson stepped down as chief soccer officer and general manager of the Courage in December. He will oversee all of the soccer operations for the new Denver club, which will kick off next year.
'He brings championship-level experience, a collaborative spirit, and a clear passion for growing the game," Denver controlling owner Rob Cohen said in a statement on Thursday. "He's been a part of building some of the most successful organizations in our sport, and we're thrilled to have him shaping the future of our club.'
As chief soccer officer for the Courage from 2017-24, Johnson oversaw a club that won two NWSL championships and three NWSL Shields. He previously worked with North Carolina FC and with Sporting Kansas City in Major League Soccer.
Johnson has a tight timeline. Denver was named the NWSL's 16th team in December and will kickoff next spring. The team will play in a temporary home for two seasons before moving to a new 14,500-seat purpose-built stadium in 2028.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
9 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Florida QB DJ Lagway practices for the 1st time in camp while recovering from a calf injury
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida quarterback DJ Lagway practiced Saturday for the first time since camp opened, a sign of progress for the highly touted and oft-injured sophomore. Lagway is dealing with a strained calf and was expected to take limited practice reps. He wore a sleeve on his left leg, the same one that caused him to miss a game and a half last season. He strained a hamstring against rival Georgia and missed the following week's game at Texas. Coach Billy Napier has offered no timetable on his star player's return. It's the latest injury issue for Lagway, who missed spring practice with a shoulder injury after undergoing sports hernia surgery. The Gators opened training camp Wednesday. Napier, unlike in previous years, closed viewing periods to media for the first three days. Lagway, who went 6-1 in seven starts as a freshman in 2024, is widely considered a Heisman Trophy contender heading into this season. But he's barely been on the field at a time when he could be making significant strides. He was limited during spring practice because of the right shoulder injury that could eventually need surgery. He resumed throwing in late April and said earlier this month at Southeastern Conference media days he would fully participate in camp. But then he strained a calf muscle while running with the team last week. Lagway completed 60% of his passes for 1,915 yards, with 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 2024. He took over the starting role after Graham Mertz tore a knee ligament at Tennessee in October. Behind Lagway are journeyman Harrison Bailey and sophomore Aidan Warner. Bailey played at Tennessee, UNLV and Louisville before transferring to Florida earlier this year. Warner subbed for Lagway last year and was mostly ineffective. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: and
Associated Press
10 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Chiefs' Rashee Rice says he has 'completely changed' after causing dangerous crash on Dallas highway
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice has 'completely changed' after causing a chain-reaction crash last year on a Dallas highway that left multiple people injured, cost him more than $1 million in a settlement to victims, and resulted in a 30-day jail sentence that he will have to fulfill at some point in the future. Rice spoke Saturday for the first time in training camp, and the first time since the 25-year-old playmaker tore a ligament in his right knee in Week 4 — an injury that wound up requiring season-ending surgery. 'I've completely changed. You have to learn from things like that,' Rice said of the March 2024 accident, when prosecutors said he was driving nearly 120 mph on the North Central Expressway and made 'multiple aggressive maneuvers' before striking the other vehicles. 'I've learned,' Rice continued, 'and taken advantage of being able to learn from something like that.' Rice pleaded guilty in July to two third-degree felony charges of collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway causing bodily injury. As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors said, Rice was sentenced to five years of deferred probation and 30 days in jail, along with paying victims' out-of-pocket medical expenses totaling about $115,000. He separately agreed to settle a civil case for $1,086,000, which included prejudgment interest and attorneys' fees. Meanwhile, the Chiefs are bracing for Rice to serve an NFL suspension, though the length and time remains uncertain. League spokesman Brian McCarthy said in a statement recently that the case 'remains under review.' 'My legal team is handling all that,' Rice said. 'All I can focus on is what I can control right now and that's me doing what I do.' So far, the knee injury that robbed him of most of last season hasn't held him back. After a standout rookie season, Rice caught 24 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns through his first three games last season. But in Week 4, after Patrick Mahomes had thrown an interception, the quarterback accidentally dived into Rice's leg as they were trying to make the tackle, tearing the lateral collateral ligament in the wide receiver's knee. Rice had surgery and was back for summer workouts, and he's been full-go throughout training camp. 'I feel 100%. I'm excited to be back out here with the guys,' Rice said. 'Just kind of basically where I left off at. The only thing is get back on the field and continue to have fun doing what I do.' The Chiefs had hoped that Rice would be a focal point of the offense last season in a wide receiver corps that included Marquise Brown and then-rookie Xavier Worthy. But that triumvirate never materialized, because 'Hollywood' Brown was hurt on the first play of the preseason — he didn't return until the playoffs — and Rice ultimately joined him on injured reserve. Now, the Chiefs have all three of them healthy, Worthy has a year of experience under him, and fourth-round draft pick Jalen Royals has turned some heads in training camp. Throw in veteran Juju Smith-Schuster and Tyquan Thornton, who appears to be taking advantage of a fresh start in Kansas City, and the Chiefs are confident in their depth at the position. Especially if Rice must serve a suspension during the upcoming season. 'I'm locked in. This is what I do,' Rice said. 'This is my job. This is what I love to do. So even when I'm not able to be with the team, I'm going to be working hard to get back with them as soon as possible.' ___ AP NFL:
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Phillies hoping Jhoan Duran's 100 mph fastball and Harrison Bader's defense lead to a World Series
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Harrison Bader got a first-hand look at Jhoan Duran's electric stuff — try a four-seam fastball that averages 100.2 mph — in their short stint together in Minnesota. Bader saw enough to know the Phillies might have finally landed the closer that can put them over the top and win the franchise's first World Series title since 2008. 'Plain and simple, he has close-the-door stuff,' Bader said. 'Tough situation, runner on, maybe baseball happens, he kind of puts a couple runners on. He's got strikeout stuff to strike out three in a row. I've seen it all year. I've seen it on the other side.' Bader and Duran both made their Phillies' debuts in Friday's 5-4 comeback win against the Detroit Tigers. Bader, a right-handed hitting outfielder, and Duran were both acquired on consecutive days in separate trades with the Minnesota Twins. They are now thrust into the thick of a pennant race. Duran's role is settled. He's the closer — the Phillies tested out his fire entrance on the big screen ahead of his debut. The 27-year-old Duran — nicknamed Durantulla and he wore spider cleats on Friday — had 16 saves and a 2.01 ERA in 49 appearances this season, striking out 53 in 49 1/3 innings with the Twins. With former WWE star The Undertaker's gong setting the soundtrack, Duran entered with only iPhone lights on in the darkened ballpark and flames on the big screen to create the dramatic mood. Duran did the rest in his first appearance since his trade-deadline acquisition from Minnesota. He retired the side in order in the ninth inning — on four pitches — for his 17th save. Duran threw four splinkers, a hybrid pitch that's more of a splitter thrown with more velocity. 'It's an honor to be part of this team,' Duran said. 'I know here I've got a chance to win the World Series.' The 31-year-old Bader, a 2021 Gold Glove winner, remains a strong defender at all three outfield spots and has 12 home runs, 38 RBIs and a .778 OPS in 96 games. The right-handed hitting Bader will start his Phillies career in a center field platoon with Brandon Marsh. The left-handed hitting Marsh got the start Friday against Tigers righty Jack Flaherty. Phillies manager Rob Thomson said he planned a double-platoon in the outfield (slugger Nick Castellanos is entrenched in right field). Because the Phillies are scheduled to face alternating right- and left-handed pitchers over the next six games with Detroit and Baltimore, Bader and Marsh will platoon over that stretch. Same with lefty-swinging Max Kepler and Otto Kemp in left field. How well they hit over that small sample size could decide Thomson's lineup for the pennant stretch as the Phillies chase the New York Mets in the NL East. Thomson said he hadn't ruled out Bader in left field, 'but I see him sort of as the best center fielder we've got.' Bader drew a pinch-hit walk and scored a run and stayed in the game and struck out in his debut. Duran's 100.2 mph average velocity for his four-seam fastball is second to Mason Miller's 101.1 mph among those who have thrown 200 or more pitches. Duran isn't eligible for free agency until after the 2027 season. Duran joins a Philly bullpen that also has Matt Strahm and Orion Kerkering. David Robertson is ramping up with Triple-A Lehigh Valley after signing a one-year contract on July 21, and José Alvarado is expected to return from an 80-game suspension for a positive test for external testosterone. Duran was acquired by Minnesota in a deal with Arizona at the 2018 trade deadline. He is 17-23 with a 2.47 ERA and 74 saves in 223 career games. The Phillies also sent outfielder Johan Rojas (one home run and 18 RBI in 172 plate appearances) to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. ___ AP MLB:
