University of North Carolina Athletics
Carolina Alumna Tracy Ducar Named Women's Soccer Coach At Greensboro College
February 29, 2004 | Women's Soccer
Feb. 29, 2004
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Former University of North Carolina women's soccer All-America Tracy Noonan Ducar has been named head women,s soccer coach at Greensboro College, as announced by GC Athletics Director Kim Strable. Ducar spent the past three seasons playing in the WUSA for the Boston reakers. A founding member of that league, she earned the team's Shield Award following the 2001 season. Ducar played with U.S. National Soccer team from 1996-99, and was a member of the 1999 World Cup championship team.
Prior to that, Ducar was a student-athlete at the University of North Carolina playing for the nation's most successful women's soccer program. As a Tar Heel, she played on three national championship teams under Head Coach Anson Dorrance.
In her senior season, Ducar recorded a 0.39 goals against average, posted 13 shutouts, and helped UNC to a 25-0 regular season record. She was named All-America following the year. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from UNC in 1995, earning a achelor of Science degree in biology and minoring in chemistry.
"Tracy has lived the dream as an athlete and has been exposed to the highest levels of coaching for many, many years," Strable said. "She's excited about the opportunity to parlay those experiences into a championship women's soccer program at Greensboro College."
A native of North Andover, Mass., Ducar will lead a GC program that has won two straight conference titles and qualified for the last two NCAA Division III Tournaments. She replaces Doug Shank, who coached The Pride to a 40-27-7 (.587) record the past four years. The 2003 team compiled a program best 13-3-4 mark.
"Unlike most other professional athletes, Tracy has spent much of the past 13 years coaching," says Dorrance. "She is organized, hard-working, and attentive to detail. While she may not have college head coaching experience, I'm confident she will do a fine job. I was in the same position when UNC hired me in 1976.
"It's stunning how many goalkeepers become great head coaches," Dorrance continues. "Perhaps it's because they watch and study the games as they develop before their eyes. I expect Tracy, like Tony DiCicco, to have the necessary capacities to translate from great player to coach."
"Tracy's professionalism and attention to detail will surely make her an asset to the Greensboro College athletics program. Her drive to win is complemented by her commitment to the goals of higher education and preparing student-athletes for life beyond college," says Tony DiCicco, former commissioner of the Women's United Soccer Association and former head coach of the U.S. Women's National Team.
No stranger to the Gate City, Ducar was the goalkeeper coach and recruiting coordinator at UNC Greensboro in 1999 and 2000. She is married to Chris Ducar, the current women's goalkeeper coach and recruiting coordinator at UNC. The couple lives in Durham.
Ducar, who holds a National Soccer Coaches Association of America National Diploma, has been active in the Smoke Free Kids Program since 1996. As part of the program, she lectures kids, parents, and teachers about the benefits of leading a healthy lifestyle.
In her spare time, she enjoys backpacking, snowboarding and rock climbing.