2006 National Coach of The Year Anson Dorrance Like fine wine — with age — the coaching expect from the record-shattering program he DORRANCE DATA career of Anson Dorrance only seems to get had molded. To do that Dorrance knew he Head Coach Anson Dorrance is now in better. Dorrance proved that again in 2006 would have to dedicate all of his coaching his 29th season as the Tar Heel head coach. when he took a team that had lost five All- energy to the University. With more elite-level His teams have an all-time record of 629-28- America starters from the previous year to players emerging from high school and club 18 (.945). Under graduation and crafted it into an NCAA cham - teams than ever before, the playing field in the Dorrance, UNC has pionship team, winning the University of North college game was leveling out; Dorrance knew won 19 national cham - Carolina’s 19th title in the past 26 years. In that for UNC to remain at the top, he would pionships, including 18 the process, Dorrance swept all of the national NCAA crowns and one coach of the year awards. AIAW title, 17 regular- Head coach of the North Carolina women’s season ACC titles and soccer program since its inception in 1979, 17 ACC Tournament Dorrance has built and guided a well-oiled win - championships. During ning machine. Under his expert direction, the his tenure, Dorrance’s Tar Heels have hoarded national and confer - teams are 114-6-3 in ence championships at a stupendous rate, ACC regular-season compiled an overall record staggering in its games, 49-0-2 in ACC Tournament matches numerical verity, established records likely and 92-6-1 in NCAA Tournament games. never to be approached again and procured the respect befitting a dynasty. News magazine in 1997 about Dorrance and At an institution familiar with such incompa - the remarkable program he has overseen. rable achievement, especially with regard to its Smith was asked by Football News about storied basketball program, it might be possible Carolina’s 1997 preseason No. 1 ranking in to think that Dorrance’s accomplishments could football and what it was like for some sport somehow fade to the background. other than basketball to be sharing the throne But what he has done in Chapel Hill is sim - at the University. ply impossible to disregard. Coach Smith’s reply? “This is a women’s Thus, when an expert panel employed by soccer school. We’re just trying to keep up have to throw himself into the process with ESPN announced its list of the Best Coaches with them.” Coach Smith’s clever retort was renewed vigor. of the Past Quarter Century on July 28, 2004 – his way to give Dorrance his due, but behind “College programs like ours require a lot of coincidentally headed at the No. 1 spot by leg - the humor, there was a large dose of truth. work,” says Dorrance. “At that point in time we endary Carolina basketball coach Dean Smith From the person who was then the win - had been surviving by just doing the minimum – it came as no big surprise that another ningest head coach of all-time in one sport to amount of work. We certainly couldn’t continue deserving Tar Heel mentor made the list, too. the winningest head coach of all-time in anoth - to be successful by doing just the minimum. That Dorrance, who was ranked No. 24, er sport, the comment struck Dorrance was one of only two coaches in the prestigious as the ultimate honor. There are very NCAA Winningest Coaches All-Time By Percentage All Divisions collection – which was dominated by profes - few human beings on Earth who harbor Coach, Team Yrs. Won Lost Tied Pct. sional coaches and college football and bas - more respect for Dean Smith than Anson Anson Dorrance, UNC 28 629 28 18 .945 Jeff Bailey, Franklin Pierce 11 217 17 8 .913 ketball coaches – to coach an Olympic sport Dorrance. As Dorrance has said, “So on the collegiate level only speaks louder Joe Russo, TCNY 17 315 31 22 .886 much of what we have tried to do in our Brian McManus, UC San Diego 20 343 43 24 .866 about his recognized greatness. program is modeled after what Dean Luis Reis, Wheaton (Mass.) 10 196 30 7 .856 More recently more accolades were Smith has done and accomplished. To NCAA Winningest Coaches All-Time By Victories All Divisions bestowed on Dorrance with his induction into have our program compared favorably to Coach, Team Yrs. Won Lost Tied Pct. the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame on May his by the man himself is enormously Anson Dorrance, UNC 28 629 28 18 .945 19, 2005. He earned the honor while still in humbling.” Len Tsantiris, Connecticut 26 442 122 33 .768 Terry Gunnett, Rochester 30 376 115 54 .739 the prime of his college coaching career, fur - Similarly, Dorrance’s immense loyalty ther testament to his ongoing legacy. Gabe Mejail, Wheaton, Merrimack 27 361 151 33 .693 to Carolina mirrors the loyalty Smith Aliceann Wilber, William Smith 27 356 112 39 .741 These are fitting honors for a man who in always possessed so thoroughly for his NCAA Winningest Active Coaches By Percentage Division I 2006 turned in one of his best coaching jobs of adopted school. Coach, Team Yrs. Won Lost Tied Pct. his career in piloting UNC to its 19th national In 1994, when Dorrance decided not Anson Dorrance, UNC 28 629 28 18 .945 championship. He was the unanimous choice to continue his duties as the head coach Paula Wilkins, Wisconsin 6 119 19 11 .836 as the national coach of the year after leading of the U.S. Women’s National Team, the Jerry Smith, Santa Clara 20 326 84 27 .777 Greg Ashton, Davidson 7 108 29 7 .774 Carolina to a 27-1 balance sheet. The Tar choice perplexed many. Heels accomplished these heroics while start - Becky Burleigh, Florida 17 294 78 23 .773 Some thought he relinquished the NCAA Winningest Active Coaches By Victories Division I ing six freshmen for most of the season. In honor in order to avoid the pressure that Coach, Team Yrs. Won Lost Tied Pct. fact seven freshmen took the field for the start comes with being the leader of what was Anson Dorrance, UNC 28 629 28 18 .945 of the second half of UNC’s 2-1 NCAA champi - then the defending World Cup champi - Len Tsantiris, Connecticut 26 442 122 33 .768 onship game win over Notre Dame. It was a onship squad. But Dorrance’s decision Jerry Smith, Santa Clark 20 326 84 27 .777 team which lost its season opener at Texas to yield the reins of the National Team Jim Rudy, Massachusetts 26 298 145 23 .664 Becky Burleigh, Florida 17 294 78 23 .773 A&M, its first setback in a lidlifter since 1983, had little to do with pressure-induced bur - and then stormed back to win 27 matches in NCAA Winningest All-Time Coaches By Percentage Division I dens. It had everything to do with loyalty. Coach, Team Yrs. Won Lost Tied Pct. succession. Dorrance chose to retire as head Anson Dorrance, UNC 28 629 28 18 .945 So, entering the fall of 2006, as Dorrance coach of the National Team because of Clive Charles, Portland 14 226 52 12 .799 prepares to begin his 29th season as the head his devotion to the women’s soccer pro - Jerry Smith, Santa Clara 20 326 84 27 .777 women’s soccer coach at Carolina, even he gram at Carolina. All of the glory that Becky Burleigh, Florida 17 294 78 23 .773 must be wondering if there is anything left to came with coaching the United States to Randy Waldrum, Notre Dame 17 273 74 18 .773 NCAA Winningest All-Time Coaches By Victories Division I be accomplished. the championship in the first-ever FIFA Chances are he will find something. Coach, Team Yrs. Won Lost Tied Pct. Women’s World Cup in 1991 was not Anson Dorrance, UNC 28 629 28 18 .945 Fitting Accolades From Basketball’s enough to pull Dorrance away from his Len Tsantiris, Connecticut 26 442 122 33 .768 Winningest Coach true professional love – working full-time Jerry Smith, Santa Clara 20 326 84 27 .777 It is said that greatness recognizes great - with the Tar Heels. He wanted to main - Jim Rudy, Massachusetts 26 298 145 23 .664 ness. tain and even increase the level of excel - Becky Burleigh, Florida 17 294 78 23 .773 Perhaps there is no better example of that lence that soccer fans had come to than the quote Dean Smith gave Football 2007 UNC WOMEN’S SOCCER • PAGE 34 2006 National Coach of The Year Anson Dorrance Now we have time to do more and we need Conference also began championship competi - coaching resume. Tar Heel midfielder Tisha that time to stay competitive in an increasingly tion, with UNC winning the inaugural title in Venturini was selected as the 1994 National tough college game.” 1987. N.C. State claimed the 1988 title on Player of the Year, marking the seventh A prime example of what Dorrance meant is penalty kicks but Carolina regained the title in straight season in which the national player of the fact UNC has captured only four of the 1989 and has won all but one conference the year came from the Carolina ranks. past nine NCAA championships, compared to championship since then.