Olivia Wingate Bio
Olivia Ann Wingate, born on January 20, 2000, is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for the North Carolina Courage of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). She played college soccer for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, where she earned third-team All-American honors, and was selected sixth overall by the Courage in the 2023 NWSL Draft. Standing at 5 feet 7 inches, Wingate has built a reputation for her pace, finishing ability, and composure in front of goal.
After a promising rookie campaign with the Courage, she battled injuries but continued to deliver important moments for her club. She re-signed with North Carolina in January 2026 and returned to action in May 2026, eager to reclaim a consistent role in the team’s attacking rotation.
Early Life and Background
Olivia Ann Wingate was born in Medford, Massachusetts, and raised in nearby Wilmington. She is the second of four children of Carol and Steven Wingate. Growing up in a sports-oriented household, she began playing soccer at age four and also tried softball, basketball, and ice hockey during her childhood. Her athletic versatility helped shape the competitive drive that would later define her professional career.
Wingate developed her club skills with FC Stars of the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL), one of the most respected youth soccer pipelines in the United States. At Wilmington High School, she played two seasons of varsity soccer and one season of ice hockey as a freshman, leading the ice hockey team with roughly 20 goals. On the pitch, she scored 12 goals in about 10 games as a sophomore in 2015 and added 17 goals with five assists in 13 games as a junior in 2016, earning back-to-back Middlesex League Player of the Year honors. The Wilmington Wildcats posted undefeated regular-season records in both of her varsity soccer seasons.
In the spring of 2017, Wingate suffered a serious knee injury after colliding with an opposing goalkeeper, an issue that sidelined her for more than a year. The setback tested her resolve, but she recovered in time to begin her college career. She had already committed to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish as a sophomore in 2015, a decision that reflected her status as one of the top young forwards in the region.
Path to Professional Soccer
Wingate’s path to the professional ranks ran through one of the most storied women’s college soccer programs in the country. She appeared in every match for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish from 2018 through 2022, gradually working her way into a starting role by the middle of her sophomore season. After scoring five goals across her first three college seasons, she elevated her game as a senior, posting seven goals and five assists in 2021. She also made an impact in the NCAA tournament that year, scoring in a second-round win over Purdue and again in a third-round loss to Arkansas, and earned third-team All-ACC recognition.
Her senior season in 2022 marked her true breakthrough at the college level. Wingate tallied a career-high 14 goals and five assists, was named ACC Offensive Player of the Week twice, and finished the year as a first-team All-ACC and third-team All-American selection. She scored three goals in the 2022 NCAA tournament, helping Notre Dame reach the quarterfinals, where they fell to North Carolina. Her combination of scoring output and big-game performances cemented her status as a top professional prospect, setting the stage for the 2023 NWSL Draft.
Olivia Wingate Career
North Carolina Courage (2023–Present)
The North Carolina Courage selected Olivia Ann Wingate sixth overall in the 2023 NWSL Draft, using the first of their four first-round picks. She signed a three-year contract and made her professional debut on March 25, 2023, entering in the 65th minute of the season opener against the Kansas City Current. Later that spring, on June 14, she netted her first professional goal in stoppage time against the Washington Spirit, sealing a 2–1 NWSL Challenge Cup victory. She closed her rookie campaign with two goals and four assists across 23 appearances and three starts in all competitions.
The 2024 season proved more difficult, as injuries limited her early involvement. On July 7, 2024, Wingate scored her first NWSL regular-season goal in her first appearance of the year, a 3–1 win over Racing Louisville. Months later, on October 12, she answered Christen Press’s stoppage-time strike for Angel City with a goal in the 90+10th minute, preserving the Courage’s 21-match home unbeaten run in a 1–1 draw. She finished the year with two goals and two assists in 13 games.
In June 2025, Wingate underwent surgery on the lateral collateral ligament in her left knee and missed the remainder of that season. In January 2026, she re-signed with the Courage on a one-year deal, and on May 16, 2026, she returned to the pitch in a 4–0 win over the Chicago Stars, completing her comeback after roughly a year and a half on the sidelines.
International Career
Olivia Ann Wingate’s international journey began with the United States under-16 team in 2015. She scored two goals in three matches during an under-16 friendly tournament in Italy in May 2016 and went on to make three appearances at a tournament in the Netherlands later that year. In February 2017, she earned a call-up to the United States under-18 squad for a three-match tour of England, further establishing her credentials as a young forward with international pedigree.
Playing Style and Strengths
Wingate is widely recognized for her elite speed, which allows her to stretch defenses and attack channels in behind the back line. She has cited Mia Hamm and Christen Press as inspirations, and her game reflects a blend of direct running, intelligent movement, and a willingness to shoot from range. Her work rate and ability to deliver in clutch moments have made her a valuable attacking option for the Courage when healthy.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Wingate’s most memorable moments is her first professional goal against the Washington Spirit in the 2023 NWSL Challenge Cup and her late equalizer against Angel City FC in 2024 that preserved North Carolina’s lengthy home unbeaten streak. Her 2022 senior season at Notre Dame, in which she earned first-team All-ACC and third-team All-American honors, stands as her most decorated collegiate campaign, while her return from left knee surgery in May 2026 marked another important milestone in her young career.
Olivia Wingate Career Wins
Olivia Ann Wingate’s professional win ledger is still being written, but she has already produced several signature results for the North Carolina Courage. Her stoppage-time winner against the Washington Spirit in 2023 and her late equalizer versus Angel City in 2024 highlight her ability to influence tight matches, while her brace against the Chicago Stars in May 2026 signaled a productive return from injury.
North Carolina Courage Highlights
With the Courage, Wingate has recorded goals in the NWSL Challenge Cup and the NWSL regular season, contributing across multiple competitions since her 2023 debut. She opened her professional account in the Challenge Cup and converted her first regular-season goal in a 3–1 home win over Racing Louisville, and she found the net again in a 4–0 rout of the Chicago Stars upon returning from injury in 2026.
Other Wins and Performances
Wingate’s college résumé with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish includes standout performances in the NCAA tournament, including goals against Purdue and Arkansas in 2021 and a three-goal run in the 2022 tournament that carried Notre Dame to the quarterfinals. Her ECNL experience with FC Stars and her high school production for the Wilmington Wildcats also established her as a winner at every level of her development.
Olivia Wingate Family
Family Background and Soccer Lineage
Olivia Ann Wingate was raised in Wilmington, Massachusetts, as the second of four children of Carol and Steven Wingate. Her parents supported a household filled with athletics, encouraging her early start in soccer at age four along with stints in softball, basketball, and ice hockey. That family environment helped foster the discipline and competitiveness that carried her from youth soccer in Massachusetts to the NWSL.
Personal Life
Wingate maintains an active public presence, sharing updates through her social media channels, and she is represented on X (formerly Twitter) and on Instagram under her playing handle. She is the daughter of Carol and Steven Wingate, and she has continued to call North Carolina home since joining the Courage in 2023.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season was a difficult one for Olivia Ann Wingate, as she underwent surgery on the lateral collateral ligament in her left knee in June 2025 and missed the remainder of the campaign. The injury interrupted what had been a promising start to her third professional year and forced her to focus on rehabilitation rather than match play. Despite the setback, she remained connected with the Courage organization throughout her recovery.
Her absence created an opportunity for North Carolina to integrate younger attacking pieces into the forward line while Wingate prepared for her eventual return. The Courage’s medical and training staff guided her comeback plan, and her progress throughout the year laid the groundwork for a return to the field in 2026.
Looking ahead, Wingate’s re-signing in January 2026 and her comeback goal in a 4–0 win over the Chicago Stars on May 16, 2026, suggest a strong platform for the rest of 2026. If she can stay healthy, she is well positioned to rebuild her production and re-establish herself as a regular contributor in the North Carolina attack.