How Charlotte's pro women's soccer stars spend their time off the field
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Mia Corbin was the Ascent's leading scorer last season with 12 goals. Photo: Courtesy of Carolina Ascent
Ahead of Carolina Ascent's home opener this weekend, Axios chatted with a few players about how they like to spend their time in Charlotte.
Why it matters: The landscape of women's professional sports continues to evolve across the country, including in Charlotte.
State of play: The Ascent opened their second season on the road with a 2-2 draw vs. Fort Lauderdale United. They host reigning Gainbridge Super League champions, Tampa Bay Sun, at 7pm at American Legion Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 6.
- Tickets start at $18. Tailgating starts at 2:30pm in Central Piedmont Community College's quad next to the stadium and will include live music, food trucks and games.
Zoom in: Axios caught up with Carolina Ascent forwards Mia Corbin and Rylee Baisden about how they spend their time off the pitch.
- They have a team book club, which meets monthly and includes roughly half of the roster. They just finished "The Thursday Murder Club" by Richard Osman and of course they're watching the film adaptation on Netflix. Now they're reading "The Unmaking of June Farrow" by Adrienne Young.
- Trope Bookshop in Plaza Midwood, a woman-owned romance bookstore, is a favorite among several players, including Baisden and Corbin.
Baisden's ideal day in Charlotte also includes a walk in Freedom Park or on the Rail Trail and heading to sporting event, like a Charlotte Hornets game. If she has friends or family visiting town, she's taking them to Calle Sol (No. 13 on our best restaurants list).
For Corbin, it's a trip to North Italia, which is where she plans to go with her family later this month. When she's not on the pitch, she's heading to a local coffee shop for an oat vanilla latte, recovering at Plunge House and making trip to Trope.
- "Coffee feeds my soul," Corbin says. "If I don't have coffee, there's a different Mia inside."
