During first home game of season, UNC women's soccer adjusts to head coach transition

The seat was empty. 

For the first time in program history, the head coach’s chair on the North Carolina women’s soccer bench remained unoccupied. Its navy blue leather, embroidered with the UNC monogram, sat vacant to honor Anson Dorrance — the man who sat in the space for 45 seasons. 

In that time, Dorrance led UNC women’s soccer to 21 national championships, a number five times larger than the second-closest program in the sport. But just four days before the 2024 season began, the head coach announced his immediate retirement. His successor, Damon Nahas, promptly filled the role for the time being after nine years on UNC's staff. And on Thursday evening, Nahas led the Tar Heels to their first home victory without the 73-year-old at the helm. 

But to honor Dorrance's life work, Nahas purposely left the seat unoccupied for the entirety of the match. 

“That was an homage to him a bit,” Nahas said. “Just to say thank you.” 

Although Dorrance wasn’t there to coach, he sat just a few feet away from his regular post. Seated beside his wife, Dorrance watched the game, for the first time, from just above the team’s bench in the general admissions crowd. 

He couldn’t help but verbalize encouragement, warn players of oncoming defenders or shout tactical advice to the midfielders. And because of his proximity to the field, his former players heard every word. 

Sophomore forward Olivia Thomas, who scored her first career brace that night, couldn’t help but notice a familiar cadence encouraging her every step of the way.   

“Go forward, Olivia!” Dorrance would holler, prompting a run into the box.

“Good, Olivia! Good!” he yelled when she made a great play on the ball. 

These are exclamations Thomas expects to hear.   

“Usual Anson,” she said with a shrug. 

According to Nahas, the transition following Dorrance’s retirement hasn’t been as drastic as one would imagine. The National Soccer Hall of Famer still attends practices regularly, which is a testament to both his love for the game and for the players he left behind. 

But within the program Dorrance built, Nahas is detaching himself from the highly-decorated coach. Starting with the attire.

On Thursday, the interim head coach sported a long-sleeve graphic T-shirt, UNC soccer lettering printed across the front. It's a drastic change from the suit and tie Dorrance would always wear.

Nahas also brought a surge of energy. For the full 90 minutes, Nahas paced the sideline whispering tactical change to the nearest midfielder or going to the players he wanted for substitutions. All contrast to the relaxed, cross-legged leisure Dorrance coached with. 

When asked about the changes the team has made under Nahas’ leadership, first-year midfielder Linda Ullmark's only remark was mentality. She claimed the early moments of the season brought the team together more than anything — with the home victory instilling confidence in each other and their new head coach. 

And with this newfound confidence, there's still one thing Nahas wants to continue doing on Dorrance's behalf: winning.

Thomas echoed these statements. The rising star emphasized after the game that the rest of the season will be focused on winning to make Nahas' interim head coaching position permanent. 

“It meant a lot for all of us because our whole team loves Damon, and we want him to be our head coach next season,” Thomas said. “So this season is really all of us playing for him to prove how needed [as] a coach he is.”

​​@cadeshoemaker23

@dthsports | sports@dailytarheel.com