UNC women's soccer etches its season into the record books despite obstacles

CARY, N.C. — UNC women's soccer came up with a mantra for the 2024 season. Three simple words.

Refuse. To. Lose. 

They refused to lose in the national championship match, overcoming Wake Forest, 1-0, Monday night at WakeMed Soccer Park. It's a campaign that will forever be writ large in the remarkable history of the program for ending a 12 year NCAA title drought. Sophomore forward Olivia Thomas scored the winning goal in the 62nd minute, a stunning strike from a direct free kick. Of the 43 NCAA Championship games played, UNC has won 22 of them. 

“It’s just been so special to go on this journey with these people,” graduate goalkeeper Clare Gagne said. “The national championship doesn't mean anything if you’re not doing it with people you love.”

The Tar Heels wanted to make their own unique history alongside the legendary names of Anson Dorrance, Mia Hamm, Kristine Lilly, April Heinrichs, Carla Overbeck and many more. Names that built the program from the ground up into the greatest dynasty in college sports history. UNC women's soccer has won more national titles than any other ACC program. Only one school has won more in all of their sports combined. 

Now, the names Damon Nahas, Kate Faasse, Maddie Dahlien, Olivia Thomas, Tessa Dellarose, Trinity Armstrong, Linda Ullmark, Emerson Elgin, Bella Sember, Bella Gaetino, Aven Alvarez, Aria Nagai, Clare Gagne and all the other 2024 Tar Heels are immortalized in history too.

“We have so much respect for everything [and] everyone [that] has paved the way,” Nahas said after the semifinal victory over Duke. “This is a different situation. And for this group to do what they’ve done this year, I don’t know, this will be a good documentary one day maybe.”

The 2024 team was so different and unfamiliar they had name tags on the first day of practice. 21 players from the 2023 team transferred, turned pro or graduated. 15 of the 27 players on this year's roster were new this season.

Dorrance, previously the only head coach in program history, retired only four days before the season began, with Nahas stepping in as interim head coach.

“For many out there, publicly speaking or privately speaking, this was a team under .500 before the season started,” Nahas said.

The Tar Heels went through difficult times. They’ve had tears. With injuries and players gone, they struggled to have full belief early on. 

They adopted an underdog mentality with the strong desire to prove doubters wrong amid all the adversity and turnover.

“I think that’s what really thrived in moments where we suffered,” redshirt junior defender Elgin said. “We knew we were going to have to get through it. We knew it’s not going to go our way. Just having faith and trust in each other.”

With the whole group together behind Nahas and strong leaders, North Carolina entered the College Cup knowing they could do it, even in the face of demons from the 2022 national championship game against UCLA. The Bruins scored a controversial last-second equalizer and went on to win in extra time.

Nahas was the associate head coach then. Seven of the players on this year’s team were part of that heartbreak. Nahas himself was devastated. The Tar Heels were 16 seconds away from a championship. He said that many of the players on the ‘22 team were in the stands Monday night and texted him throughout the NCAA tournament run.

“They had so much hope and want for us to win this,” Nahas said. “To me, this is almost a championship for them as well.” 

Although maybe the most unlikely year for UNC women's soccer to win it all, North Carolina overcame the obstacles. The Tar Heels refused to be denied, completing their goal. They added special lore to the history books, forever enshrined with the greats and titles of years past.

“We didn’t really know how this season was going to go,” Elgin said. “We didn’t know how everyone was going to adapt. And everyone bought in immediately. It’s just been a wonderful experience.”

@dthsports | sports@dailytarheel.com