'Not us without him': Damon Nahas leads UNC women's soccer to College Cup as interim head coach

Last Friday, Damon Nahas laced up his cleats for one of the biggest matches of his life.

With less than 20 minutes until kickoff, he walked to the top of the penalty box and turned his back to goal. From there, he could look up and see the banners posted above the far end of the field. To Nahas’ right and left was Carolina Blue signage that read “Dorrance Field,” named for the man who won all those national championships.

But he didn’t look up. The interim head coach was focused on playing quick one-twos with his players, who would receive the ball back, run in behind and fire shots on goal. Every warmup of every game this season has ended the same way — with Nahas doing a little thing to help his players succeed. 

“It’s not about being the head coach or anything like that,” Nahas said. “You just try to grow and connect with players through the ups and downs and hope that you build a trust that they follow you. And I follow them. This is as much me following them as them following me."

For Nahas, the journey this season has not been about the gravity of stepping in for an all-time great coach. It has not been about him inheriting one of the most illustrious programs in the history of college sports. It's been about his players– everything he’s done has been for his players.

Hours after the final warmup shot, the Tar Heels secured a 2-1 victory in the NCAA tournament quarterfinals over Penn State. Nahas and his team have followed each other all the way to the College Cup, where UNC will face No. 1 seed Duke on Friday in Cary. 

“We’re not here without him,” junior forward and points leader Kate Faasse said. “We’re not us without him.”

Former head coach Anson Dorrance retired on Aug. 11 after 47 years with UNC athletics, only four days before the start of the 2024 season. He coached the women’s soccer team for 45 years to a 934-88-53 record, reaching the College Cup 31 times and winning 22 national titles. Nahas was immediately named interim head coach. Through the challenges of taking over for Dorrance and managing a changing roster, he has led UNC to its 30th 20-win season and now has a chance to win the program’s first national championship since 2012. 

“Damon Nahas is the best coach I’ve ever seen,” Dorrance said in his retirement press conference. “I think he’s the best soccer coach in the country.”

A native of East Northport, N.Y., Nahas played soccer at N.C. State from 1992-96 before playing professionally. In the early 2000s, Nahas founded Next Level Academy, which played an important role in his development as a coach. He became a leader in player development in the Triangle as the technical director of youth club Capital Area Soccer League, winning two ECNL national championships at the highest level of youth soccer. In 2011, U.S. Soccer hired him as the head coach of the 15U Girls’ National Team. 

Nahas is now in his ninth year at UNC since joining the program as an assistant in 2015. He was promoted to associate head coach in 2021, and played an important role in training and tactics during Dorrance's final seasons. Nahas said he has learned lessons from Dorrance that have prepared him for this year. 

“It’s so hard for us to [lose] a coach that’s been around for 47 years,” Faasse said. “I think Damon’s the one and only that can step up and do that because he is the only person that knows this program by the back of his hand like Anson. Nobody else has coached us before.”

Nahas' roster is young and new. Twenty one players from the 2023 team left the program, including top scorers Ally Sentnor and Avery Patterson. The starting lineup against Penn State featured a 17-year-old defender, a first-year defender converted from a forward, two Ivy League grad transfers and a first-year forward. 

For most of the campaign, Nahas was without his full squad.

"He's done a really great job of keeping us together," senior midfielder Bella Sember said. "Keeping us motivated, keeping us positive." 

Junior forward Maddie Dahlien missed more than a month away on international duty. Less than a week after Dahlien returned, first-year defender Trinity Armstrong left to play for a national team. Sophomores Evelyn Shores and Olivia Thomas missed significant time due to injuries.

Through it all, Nahas has found ways to win. And now with everyone back, UNC is peaking at the right time.

“All the little things, all the film, all the tactics,” junior defender Tessa Dellarose said. “He’s making sure he’s putting us in the best position every time we step on the field to go win the game. He’ll do whatever that takes for us.”

The Tar Heels have complete trust in their coach. Faasse said she gives all her credit to Nahas for making her a better player. 

“Damon is probably the best coach I’ve ever been coached by,” Faasse said. “He believes in every single one of us and makes sure we know that.”

Nahas is always available for his team. He loves working with his players on the training ground, and they have embraced his process. 

After every match, Nahas makes a point to talk to them individually as they stretch. Win or lose, he gives them a hug or an encouraging pat on the back. 

“I know it’s sometimes hard on some teams where people feel like players before they’re just people,” Faasse said. “He is very adamant on letting us know that we are people before we are players and our feelings, our emotions, everything matters.”

His players gave the love back to him following a victory over Virginia Tech in the first round of the ACC tournament. 

They called him, “D-Money.” They chanted his name.

“Damon! Damon! Damon!”

After Faasse scored the winning goal in extra time of the NCAA tournament quarterfinal, a poster that read “#REMOVE THE INTERIM TAG” made its way onto the field. The Tar Heels all signed it. They lifted it up along with a trophy and a ticket to the College Cup. 

“If he isn’t my coach next year,” Faasse said, “I don’t know what’s going on.”

Nahas told his players in the post-match huddle his purpose is not to remove his interim title.

“Regardless of what happens, I won in the big picture of things,” Nahas said. “If that’s the last, I’ll have that for the rest of my life. Anyone else that’s a part of this will know that. So for me, connection with your players, connection with your staff, the belief and the joy together to accomplish things that a lot of people never thought that you could accomplish in the manner in which we did — we won a long time ago. Let’s enjoy this ride.

"And whatever happens, I’m just going to be proud.”

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