Top Transfers Make Immediate Impact - Collins and Courtwright's Journeys to Duke

A product of Roswell, Ga., Riley Jackson is in her third season with the North Carolina Courage. Once a Duke women's soccer commit, Jackson signed with the Courage as a 17-year-old in high school. A former No. 1-ranked recruit nationally, she was the 2021-22 Gatorade National Girls Soccer Player of the Year. Jackson will continue serving as a contributing writer throughout the 2026 season, telling stories about the Duke women's soccer program.

DURHAM, N.C.-- The Duke women's soccer team enters ACC play with confidence after turning in excellent performances against their early-season non-conference opponents, tallying a 5-0-1 record. The team has showcased its quality across the roster, combining a potent attack that has produced 22 goals with a disciplined defense that has conceded just four goals across six matches.

Katie Shea Collins and Sam Courtwright, deemed the top transfer class of 2026 by TopDrawerSoccer in March, have lived up to high expectations, combining for a total of 23 points so far this season.

Just two minutes into the second match of the season versus UCLA, Courtwright celebrated her first career goal as a Blue Devil. The beautiful bending free kick found the bottom-left corner, giving the squad a 1-0 lead early in the match and giving Blue Devil fans an early glimpse into Courtwright's quality on the pitch. Head coach Kieran Hall described Courtwright as a creative, multi-dimensional midfielder who has qualities that resemble an American football quarterback.

"[Sam] has showcased that she has multiple different weapons," said Hall. "She has quality in her all-around game. She can play short in the build-up and be in that sort of quarterback position. She can also play between the lines and really pick a pass. Her weight of pass and her ability to see the pass that others don't see is extraordinary. She has also showcased her free kick ability and her creativity in that regard."
Sam Courtwright, Katie Shea Collins

Collins has also had an extraordinary impact early on in the season. Just one minute into the season opener against USC, Collins showcased her blistering pace, making a perfectly timed run behind the Spartan defense to meet a pass from Courtwright. She then delivered a pinpoint cross to Mia Minestrella, who hammered home Duke's first regular-season goal. About 30 minutes later, Collins tapped in a back-post cross from Oder, netting her first of the season and giving the Blue Devils a 3-0 lead.

When asked what it has been like to make such an impact so early on in the season, the two talented transfers displayed great humility, giving most of the credit to the quality of their teammates and the team's unity.

"My teammates make it really easy," said Courtwright. "Having wingers like Katie Shea and Avery (Oder) to play through balls to has been great. It is easy to make an impact when I have players getting on the other side of my passes. Also, Mia Minestrella's movement and positioning is so good. Sometimes I think it goes unnoticed because it seems small, but it really makes a difference."

"You know, five goals sounds good, but a lot of them, other people set me up for," said Collins when asked about her goal contributions so far this year. "It's not just me creating the goals, and that is the amazing thing about playing with so many amazing forwards, but also midfielders and defenders, they just set me up so well."

Adapting to a new program presents dual challenges on the field and in the classroom. Rather than shying away, Courtwright and Collins leaned in, citing the desire for a higher level of competition and rigor as a main driver behind their decision to transfer to Duke.

"Duke is the next level for me," said Collins. "I knew that they were going to push me out of my comfort zone both in academics and athletics, so I was a little nervous to make the change. But I knew since I was not comfortable that meant it was the right decision."

"There is a multitude of reasons," said Courtwright about choosing Duke. "The first thing that caught my eye was obviously their success on the field. We played here while I was at Texas Tech and I noticed the way the team played and connected passes. The way the team values the ball was very enticing to me and how I play. I also think that this is a program that has the tools to develop me and will help me reach my goals of playing pro in the future. Academically, I think being here suits me. I went to an all-girls school growing up, so the smaller classrooms and high academics are something that I value. It was nice to be able to come here and get both sides."

The transition to Duke has been seamless, largely thanks to the fast friendship formed between the two transfers. Navigating the move together has strengthened their connection on and off the pitch, offering a sense of familiarity throughout the process.

"Being able to room with Sam has been great. Not just because she was also a transfer, but also because the type of person she is," said Collins. "We have so much fun together. Kieran always says we are kind of trouble, like roommate trouble. She is like my best friend and being able to do all of this with her has been the best experience. Having someone who is in the same shoes as me has been awesome. We are figuring it out together."
Sam Courtwright, Katie Shea Collins

"Having Katie Shea has made the transition so seamless," said Courtwright. "We just do everything together. And at first there were some people on the team that thought we knew each other before coming to Duke. We are constantly coming up with things to do and I think our relationship off the field has helped us on the field. Every time she is running through, I know she is going to get there, and I feel like she knows that I will give her the ball, so that has been helpful. Transferring is also really stressful, so having her to talk through things with and help me out has been amazing."

Both Collins and Courtwright exude energy and ambition. Coach Hall noted that their enthusiasm is contagious and the players themselves emphasized the importance of staying driven to improve every day.

"I think that we have recruited excellent players, but also unbelievable people," said Coach Hall. "Both Katie Shea and Sam are hungry to learn every single day, they bring an energy and enthusiasm where they want to improve their game and help improve the team. Their energy is contagious and it has been since the first day they arrived."

"This whole transfer process has kept me motivated and driven. It is hard to become content when you are in a new environment, and you cannot get complacent because you are constantly trying to prove yourself and get to the next level," said Courtwright.

The duo approaches the game with pure joy, embracing the opportunity to play at Duke. For Collins, representing such a storied program is a privilege, one that makes stepping onto the pitch each day feel truly special.

"It is kind of surreal to step on the field with Duke," said Collins. "I want to help this team as much as I can, whether that is scoring goals, assisting, getting back in transition, or just playing my heart out for my teammates. I want to walk off the field feeling like I gave it my all, then I will be happy. I want people to be able to notice that too."

Watch Collins, Courtwright and the rest of the third-ranked Blue Devils kick off ACC play with a College Cup semifinal rematch against No. 1 Stanford Sunday, Sept. 13, inside Freeman Field at Koskinen Stadium. Kickoff will be at noon and will be live on ACC Network.

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