North Carolina
UNC’s Dorrance retires after 45 years, 21 titles
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Anson Dorrance, whose 21 NCAA championships are the most by a head coach in any Division I sport in college history, is retiring after 45 seasons directing the women’s soccer program at North Carolina.
The Tar Heels said Dorrance informed athletic director Bubba Cunningham of his plans Friday and told the team Sunday, four days before its season opener at Denver.
Dorrance also overlapped as both the men’s and women’s coach early in his career, but his greatest success was with the women.
Associate head coach Damon Nahas will serve as interim women’s coach this season. Cunningham plans to conduct a search for a new coach.
“As many of you know I modeled our program after Dean Smith’s basketball program, and retiring at this time is a credit to his thinking, as well,” Dorrance said in a statement. “He would re-evaluate his tenure, not after the season, but after he had time to re-charge his batteries prior to the next season. When he didn’t, he retired.”
Dorrance said he was excited heading into the season, but came to the conclusion he did not have the energy to give 100% to the job.
Dorrance, 73, is one of the most successful coaches in college athletics.
The Tar Heels’ first and only women’s soccer head coach, Dorrance led UNC to a 934-88-53 record over 45 seasons (1979-2023). He also was men’s coach from 1977 to ’88, winning 172 games and guiding UNC to an ACC title and NCAA Final Four berth in 1987.
“Anson is an all-time soccer, coaching and Tar Heel legend,” Cunningham said. “The numbers and accomplishments are staggering and will be hard for any coach or program to replicate or exceed. His impact on the development and growth of women’s sports across the country and around the world has been profound.”
North Carolina women’s soccer has won 22 national championships (AIAW in 1981 and 21 NCAA titles), and played in six other national championship games.
The 934 wins, 21 NCAA titles and 147 NCAA tournament wins are all the most in women’s soccer history. The Tar Heels enter the 2024 season having been ranked 513 consecutive weeks.
“It is no exaggeration to say Anson Dorrance is one of the greatest collegiate coaches of all time, in any sport,” UNC chancellor Lee Roberts said. “He has trained many of the best players in the history of U.S. women’s soccer and has led our program through decades of unparalleled success.”
Dorrance’s career was blemished when former Tar Heels players Melissa Jennings and Debbie Keller, a national player of the year, filed a sexual harassment lawsuit in August 1998. They claimed Dorrance created an uncomfortable environment by asking players about their sexual activity.
Dorrance denied harassing his players, but in an apology letter sent he acknowledged participating in banter of a “jesting or teasing nature” with groups of players. The case was eventually settled in 2008.
A seven-time national coach of the year, Dorrance is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame. He is the career Division I leader for NCAA championships by a coach in any sport. Al Scates (UCLA men’s volleyball) and John McDonnell (Arkansas men’s indoor track and field) are tied for second with 19.
North Carolina women’s soccer has won more NCAA championships than any other women’s team. Stanford women’s tennis is second with 20. UNC’s 21 NCAA championships are tied for the fifth most by any program in Division I history.
Dorrance led the Tar Heels to five perfect seasons (unbeaten and untied) and six other seasons with no losses and three or fewer ties. He coached 19 players who won national player of the year awards, including three-time honoree Cindy Parlow (Cone), the current president of U.S. Soccer, and Mia Hamm, who was named the ACC’s Greatest Female Athlete in the league’s first 50 years.
Dorrance was the head coach of the U.S. national team from 1986 to ’94, leading it to the title in the inaugural Women’s World Cup in China in 1991.
Auburn’s latest incoming transfer brings experience and production to what was a position of weakness last season.
Former North Carolina tight end Jake Johnson signed with Auburn on Saturday, a source confirmed to AL.com. Johnson is the third transfer tight end Auburn has signed since the portal opened, joining Jonathan Echols and Xavier Newsom.
Johnson, however, is the most proven of Auburn’s signees at tight end. He brings four years of experience at North Carolina and Texas A&M, catching 16 passes for 144 yards and one touchdown in 2025.
His best season came with the Aggies in 2023, during which he caught 24 passes for 235 yards and four touchdowns. Listed at 6-foot-6 and 240 pounds, he brings versatility to Auburn’s tight end room and may be the best pass catching option.
With Johnson now signed, Auburn’s tight end room is now up to five players, putting the Tigers in a good spot going into the 2026 season.
The transfer portal officially opened on Jan. 2 and will remain open until Jan. 16. Keep up with all of Auburn’s incoming and outgoing transfers here.
Saturday is a monumental game for the North Carolina Tar Heels, who are coming off an embarrassing defensive performance against the SMU Mustangs last weekend. Boopie Miller and the Mustangs dominated the tempo of the game, leading to a 97-83 win over the Tar Heels.
North Carolina will be hosting the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at the Dean E. Smith Center on Saturday night. The Tar Heels enter this contest with a 13-2 overall record and a 1-1 conference record. Meanwhile, Wake Forest owns a 10-6 overall record and a 1-1 conference record.
With that brief preview, let’s take a look at a couple of keys to the game that will be deciphering factors in the outcome of this matchup.
Can North Carolina Bounce Back Defensively?
While speaking with the media on Friday during his press conference, head coach Hubert Davis explained what he saw on film against SMU, and how that will be the main message heading into Saturday.
- “Obviously, disappointed defensively,” Davis said. “It was just a number of things. I mean, it was on transition, one-on-one, not boxing out at times, not talking and communicating the right way, discipline, shot fake, stay down, putting guys at the free throw line. And so, I was really excited about this week not having a midweek game, to actually have practice. To practice on us, as opposed to preparing for Wake Forest until the latter part of the week. So, I felt like it was a perfect time not to have a midweek game, to be able to get to practice and start doing fundamentally the things that have allowed us all year to be a pretty good defensive team.”
Wake Forest’s top offensive weapon is Juke Harris, who is averaging 19.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game while shooting 45.4 percent from the field and 33 percent from beyond the arc.
Last week, the Tar Heels struggled against their opponent’s best player, but Harris and Miller are drastically different players, so North Carolina may be able to contain the 6-foot-7, 200-pound guard more sufficiently. Nonetheless, the Tar Heels’ perimeter defense has to be stellar to win comfortably.
Backcourt Production Has to be Noticeable
We already know that Seth Trimble will do his part, but someone between Kyan Evans, Luka Bogavac, and Derek Dixon have to step up with an efficient performance. The trio has been extremely underwhelming for the majority of the season, especially Evans and Bogavac.
For Evans and Bogavac to find sustain success and confidence, a strong outing will go a long way in that regard. Saturday is an important game for the Tar Heels’ guard who need to show a sign of life with conference play heating up.
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BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — As of Friday, Jan. 9, there are a total of 310 measles cases in South Carolina, mostly in Spartanburg County, including 99 new cases since Tuesday, according to S.C. health officials.
North Carolina is also dealing with measles, with a case recently confirmed on Friday in Rutherford County. This raises the state’s total to five cases since late December, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS).
While the number of measles cases in western North Carolina is in single digits, health officials are warning the public about just how quickly and easily it can spread, along with several other illnesses.
Health officials continue to remain focused on stopping it from spreading.
NEW MEASLES CASE CONFIRMED IN RUTHERFORD COUNTY; 5TH CASE IN NORTH CAROLINA SINCE DECEMBER
“Currently, we do not have a community spread of measles in Buncombe County. The cases that we’ve had have been connected to the South Carolina outbreak that is right across the state line,” said Buncombe County Public Health Director Dr. Ellis Matheson.
The measles case in Polk County, confirmed on Dec. 31, 2025, was the first in N.C. believed to be linked to the S.C. outbreak, after an unvaccinated child traveled to Spartanburg County, as News 13 previously reported. The next three WNC measles occurrences, which NCDHHS announced on Jan. 6, were siblings in Buncombe County who also traveled to Spartanburg County.
Measles continues to be an issue in North Carolina.
In Friday’s case update, Matheson said if you feel like you’ve been exposed and are already experiencing symptoms, let the clinic or hospital know before coming in.
“Please call ahead so that we can really reduce any potential exposures to possible measles,” Matheson said.
If you haven’t been vaccinated but have been exposed, Dr. Matheson added that even if you aren’t experiencing symptoms, you’re being asked to quarantine for 21 days from the date of exposure.
NC HEALTH OFFICIALS URGE VACCINES AMID MEASLES AND RESPIRATORY ILLNESS SURGE
She’s also encouraging those who were exposed to measles on January 4 between 2 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. at Mission Hospital’s Emergency Department waiting room to contact them right away.
“We are in general seeing community spread of both varicella and whooping cough,” Matheson said.
As for chickenpox, outbreaks have not spread to additional schools, but community spread has continued, including an outbreak at Fairview Elementary School, which is why she’s encouraging everyone to take steps in prevention.
“So once again, I would just strongly encourage that people are making sure that they are up to date on recommended vaccines for everything that we have vaccines for,” Matheson said.
Buncombe County health officials are holding free vaccine clinics every week. For more information or if you want to book ahead, call (828) 250-6100.
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