Carlos Somoano promoted to UNC men’s soccer coach

After two and a half months of waiting, North Carolina finally has a new men’s soccer coach.

On Monday, the University tapped interim coach Carlos Somoano as the fifth head coach in program history.

Somoano was given the interim tag on Feb. 9 when Elmar Bolowich, the winningest coach in program history, resigned to take the same position at Creighton University.

Previously, Somoano served as an assistant to Bolowich for nine seasons after a six-year stint as assistant at Virginia Commonwealth University.

“I’m very excited,” Somoano said. “It’s definitely an honor to be able to lead the program and I certainly want to thank (athletic director) Mr. (Dick) Baddour for trusting me to do that.”

The decision will preserve continuity for a program that has been to the College Cup in each of the past three years and comes at the request of the returning players, who told Baddour at the beginning of the process they wanted Somoano to be promoted.

Bolowich was also happy to hear Somoano had received his first NCAA head coaching position and said he, too, had recommended Somoano to be his successor.

“After nine years with the team and in the ACC, it’s the smoothest transition it can be to take over a team on which he recruited many of the players,” Bolowich said. “He has all the ingredients for him to be successful as a head coach.”

Somoano has had time to grow into his new role this spring, during which the Tar Heels won each of their five exhibition games with him at the helm.

During that time, junior midfielder Kirk Urso said Somoano slightly altered UNC’s style of play, emphasizing a more attacking style that will utilize the flanks more than Bolowich’s more vertical, possession-based offense.

Somoano also inserted games of futsal, a five-on-five version of soccer played with a smaller ball indoors, into UNC’s training regimen.

“I think you’ll see perhaps a more fun-loving sort of atmosphere, but I don’t think you’ll see the hard-nosed Elmar sort of German efficiency anymore,” said J.R. Eskilson, who covers collegiate soccer for Goal.com.

Last season, Somoano played a key role in helping to develop defenders Jalil Anibaba and Eddie Ababio, who were both selected in the MLS SuperDraft in January, which helped earn him the distinction of 2010 South Region Assistant Coach of the Year from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

“Carlos was the type of coach that pays attention to every little detail,” Ababio said. “He’s very disciplined, and he pays attention to every detail and pretty much wants perfection, which I feel like is the right mentality to bring the title back to UNC.”

In addition to his work as an assistant, Somoano has served as a head coach for the Capital Area Soccer League in Raleigh and as a regional coach with the United States Youth Soccer program, which should be help him on the recruiting trail in the future.

For now, the Tar Heels are excited to have a coach and ready to get to work next season.

“Carlos is a great coach,” Urso said. “Just to have it solidified and the decision made is awesome.”

Contact the Sports Editor at sports@dailytarheel.com.