Anson Dorrance Career Overview

Head Coach, UNC Women’s Soccer (1979–present)

Head Coach, UNC Men’s Soccer (1977–1988)

Head Coach, U.S. Women’s National Team (1986–1994)

UNC Women’s Soccer Achievements

22 NCAA National Championships (most in NCAA soccer history)

Over 900 career wins with UNC Women’s Soccer (most in Division I women’s soccer history)

21 perfect seasons (undefeated and untied)

Over 70 players named First-Team All-Americans

Over 60 players advanced to national teams

Win percentage over 90% across his coaching career

U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT)

First Head Coach of the USWNT

Head Coach from 1986 to 1994

Winner of the inaugural FIFA Women’s World Cup (1991)

Compiled a 65-22-5 record as national team coach

Coaching Innovations and Contributions

Creator of the Competitive Cauldron, a system that tracks training performance to foster internal team competition

Early pioneer of value-based coaching and mental training

Influenced coaching standards from youth leagues to the professional and international level

Developed systems used by the U.S. Women's National Team and countless college programs

Awards and Honors

National Soccer Hall of Fame Inductee (2008)

Multiple-time NCAA Coach of the Year

United Soccer Coaches Lifetime Achievement recipient

Recipient of the Order of the Long Leaf Pine (North Carolina’s highest civilian honor)

Education and Authorship

Bachelor’s Degree from the University of North Carolina

Co-author of “Training Soccer Champions”

Regular speaker on leadership, mindset, team culture, and elite performance

Global and Cultural Impact

Helped launch and legitimize women’s collegiate and international soccer

Established a winning culture at UNC that became the model for success in women’s sports

Continues to influence the next generation of coaches and leaders across disciplines

Notable Players Coached

What do all these players have in common? They all learned the Anson Dorrance mindset system.

World Cup and Olympic Stars

Mia Hamm

Kristine Lilly

Heather O’Reilly

Tobin Heath

Cindy Parlow Cone

Carla Overbeck

Tisha Venturini

April Heinrichs

Tracy Ducar

Angela Kelly

Lori Chalupny

Cat Reddick (Whitehill)

Yael Averbuch

Crystal Dunn

Meghan Klingenberg

Ashlyn Harris

Emily Fox

Allie Long

Lindsay Tarpley

Kendall Fletcher

Rachel Dawson

Robin Confer

Laurie Schwoy

Tiffany Roberts

Danielle Egan (now Danielle Reyna)

Debbie Keller

NWSL and Pro League Standouts

Dorian Bailey

Summer Green

Amber Brooks

Anna Rodenbough

Megan Brigman

Katie Bowen

Taylor Otto

Satara Murray

Alexa Newfield

Brianna Pinto

Abby Erceg (played for UNC, later captained New Zealand WNT)

Tobin Heath (also starred in NWSL and Europe)

Casey Nogueira

Casey Murphy (trained under UNC systems before turning pro)

Libby Guess

Whitney Engen

Courtney Jones

Sterling Smith

Brooke Elby

Katie Barnes

Current and Rising Stars

Maycee Bell

Sam Meza

Libi Molinaro

Tori Hansen

Maggie Pierce

Savy King

Ruby Grant

Emily Murphy

Maddie Dahlien

Ally Sentnor

International Players (non-US)

Lucy Bronze (brief stint at UNC) – England

Katie Bowen – New Zealand

Abby Erceg – New Zealand

Emma Fletcher – Canada

Satara Murray – England (Liverpool)

Ruby Grant – England Youth National Teams

* They all learned Anson’s mindset methodologies.