CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Anson Dorrance, the head coach of UNC-Chapel Hill's women's soccer team, has announced his retirement after 47 seasons.
Under Dorrance's leadership, the team has won 21 NCAA championships, which is the most by any head coach in any Division I sport in college athletics history.
Associate head coach Damon Nahas will lead the team this season as interim head coach when this year's season starts on Aug. 15. A nationwide search will open up to fill the head coach spot.
"As preseason training camp went on, I realized I didn't have the same energy it takes to give 100% to this year's team. The players and staff, the university, Carolina athletics and our great fans deserve more, and the respect I have for the amazing legacy the current and former players have built led me to make this decision at this time," said Dorrance.
"Anson is an all-time soccer, coaching and Tar Heel legend. The numbers and accomplishments are staggering and will be hard for any coach or program to replicate or exceed. His impact on the development and growth of women's sports across the country and around the world has been profound," said Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham.
The 73-year-old coach is a 1974 UNC graduate.
He was head coach of the women's soccer team from 1979 to 2023 and of the men's soccer team from 1977 to 1988.
Combined, Dorrance's teams went 1,106-152-74 over 47 years.
A seven-time national coach of the year, Dorrance is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame (2008), United Soccer Coaches Hall of Fame (2018), North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame (2005) and North Carolina Soccer Hall of Fame (2002).
