Head Coach, UNC Women’s Soccer
Damon Nahas
Damon Nahas rose through the staff ranks of the University of North Carolina women’s soccer team to become interim head coach in 2024. That year's 22-5 record and flawless NCAA Tournament run crowned his team champions and earned him Coach of the Year honors from TopDrawerSoccer. By December, he was officially named head coach of the Tar Heels. As a key part of the program’s success since 2015, Nahas built a reputation for elite recruiting and player growth. His recruiting classes have never dipped out of the Top 5 in the nation, and more than 30 players have advanced to the professional level during his tenure. His players have excelled internationally as well with multiple Olympic gold medal winners and UEFA titles. Before arriving at UNC, Nahas has been a leader in successful youth soccer development programs. He founded Next Level Academy in 2000, creating one of the Triangle’s top training grounds for young players. He later built the curriculum at Capital Area Soccer League and coached teams to multiple national championships. His work at the youth level led to coaching roles with U.S. Soccer, including leading the U15 Girls National Team and assisting with the U17 and senior Women’s National Team programs.Before arriving at UNC, Nahas spent more than 15 years coaching youth, club, and national teams. He founded a technical academy in North Carolina and served on U.S. Soccer staff assignments. A native of East Northport, New York, Nahas played collegiately at NC State and later competed professionally. He and his wife Nicole have three children.
Assistant Coach & General Manager
Chris Ducar
Chris' influence on Carolina women’s soccer spans nearly three decades. He serves as both assistant coach and general manager, helping guide the program on and off the field.His responsibilities include recruiting, alumni relations, fundraising, and program development. Ducar also works directly with the team’s goalkeepers, a role in which he built his national reputation. He spent more than 25 years as the program’s goalkeeper coach before adding general manager duties in 2021. His leadership has helped Carolina maintain its position among the nation’s elite.Ducar earned National Assistant Coach of the Year honors in 2006 after helping lead UNC to NCAA and ACC championships. His recruiting efforts consistently brought in top-ranked classes, and many of his players advanced to professional leagues and international competition.He also contributed to U.S. Soccer through youth national team coaching and national staff roles. His experience includes collegiate coaching positions across the country and leadership roles in youth development.Ducar graduated from the University of Missouri and later earned his teaching credential from San Jose State University. He holds top-level coaching licenses and remains one of the most respected figures in the college game.
Assistant Coach
Tracey Bates Leone
Tracey Bates Leone experience spans more than 30 years across college and international soccer. She returned to Chapel Hill in 2024, bringing championship experience as both a player and coach. She remains one of the most accomplished figures in the history of the sport.Her playing career at UNC included three national titles, All-America honors, and College Cup Defensive MVP recognition. She later represented the United States Women’s National Team and helped win the first FIFA Women’s World Cup in 1991.Leone moved into coaching soon after her playing career ended. She founded the women’s soccer program at Clemson and led the team to six straight NCAA Tournament appearances. Her career also included coaching roles at Arizona State, Harvard, Northeastern, and Colby College.Her international success as a coach and mentor includes working with various levels of the U.S. Women’s National teams, the Olympic Development Program and the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. She became the head coach of the U-16 squad in 2000 and led the U-19 team to the world championship gold medal in 2002. She also served as an assistant coach during the 2004 Olympic gold medal run and later worked with New Zealand’s national team.A Dallas native, Leone graduated from North Carolina in 1989. She and her husband Ray have remained closely connected to the game.
Former Head Coach (1979-2024)
Anson Dorrance
Anson Dorrance built the most successful program in women’s college soccer history. His impact on the sport remains unmatched. He led North Carolina to 21 NCAA championships and more than 900 victories as women’s head coach. His teams defined excellence for more than four decades with unparalleled dominance in their sport, including two 100-game unbeaten streaks: a 103-game unbeaten streak (97-0-6) from 1986 to 1990 and a 101-game unbeaten streak (99-0-2) from 1990 to 1994. For perspective, Beckett Entertainment named the 1982-2000 Tar Heels one of the six most successful sports dynasties of the 20th Century, along with the 1957-69 Boston Celtics, 1947-62 New York Yankees, 1963-75 UCLA Bruins (basketball), 1991-98 Chicago Bulls and 1953-60 Montreal Canadians. Dorrance also coached the UNC men’s team and achieved more than 1100 combined career wins. His leadership helped establish UNC as the national standard.The success extended beyond college. Dorrance coached the United States Women’s National Team to victory in the first FIFA Women’s World Cup in 1991.His players included many of the greatest athletes in the sport’s history. Numerous Tar Heels have earned national awards, Olympic medals, and professional success.Dorrance received the Werner Fricker Builder Award and was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame. His influence shaped generations of players and coaches.
Soccer Camp Coach & Field Coordinator
Susan Ellis
Susan Ellis has dedicated her career to developing young players and building championship teams. Her impact spans more than four decades.She played at the University of North Carolina and helped win four national championships. Coaching followed soon after, beginning with youth programs in Chapel Hill.Ellis became head coach at Ursuline Academy in Texas and built one of the nation’s most dominant high school programs. Her teams won 15 state championships and produced an extraordinary record.She later returned to UNC to lead Durham Academy, where her success continued. Her teams earned championships, regional honors, and consistent national respect. Ellis also worked with the Carolina Courage professional team and remained active in player development at every level. Her achievements ultimately earned induction into the North Carolina Soccer Hall of Fame and the Durham Academy Hall of Fame.She has served as a coach and field coordinator at UNC's soccer camps since 1985 with an inspiring energy and commitment that has influenced generations of players.
DIRECTOR OF SPORTS SCIENCE & PERFORMANCE COACH
Elena Cantu
Elena Cantu joined the UNC women’s soccer staff as a full time Director of Sport Science and Performance coach in the fall of 2025 after two seasons of working as an intern with the team while earning her masters degree.Cantu earned her Biology degree from UNAM in Mexico in 2022 where she played collegiate soccer. She then spent a year as a sport performance intern at Stanford University before enrolling in the Exercise Physiology graduate program at the University of North Carolina.While earning her degree, Cantu spent two years working with the women’s soccer team coordinating the players’ strength and conditioning, nutrition, and sports medicine requirements to optimize the players’ performance.This two year stint with the team culminated in them winning the 2024 National Championship.After graduating in May of 2025, Cantu was hired full time by UNC to be the women’s soccer team’s Director of Sport Science and Performance heading into the 2025 season.In addition, Cantu worked the summer of 2025 with numerous U.S. Soccer Youth National Teams as those teams’ sport scientist gaining valuable experience in the field.
