Duke’s all-time leader in women’s soccer coaching wins announces retirement plans

The coach with more wins than any other Duke women’s soccer coach is ready to call it a career.

Robbie Church informed the Blue Devils players Monday that he’ll retire following this season and Duke has already decided his associate head coach, Kieran Hall, will replace him.

“I feel like the past 23 years I’ve been the luckiest person in the world,” Church said in a statement. “I coach at a university I love. I get out of bed every day and I go work with unbelievable student-athletes, coaches and staff and they’re so fun to be around. It’s been a great career and ride. I’ve enjoyed it, but like everything it must come to an end and I feel personally for myself, it’s just time.

Duke’s coach since 2001, Church led Duke to three appearances in the College Cup, the sport’s final four. Duke made national championship game appearances in 2011 and 2015. He’s compiled a 293-147-66 record in 23 seasons and has twice been named the ACC’s coach of the year.

“Robbie’s extraordinary impact on countless student-athletes across four-plus decades in collegiate soccer cannot be overstated,” Duke athletics director Nina King said in a statement, “and Duke University has been the beneficiary of his commitment, drive and passion for the past 23 years. However, the job is not finished as we look forward to a special final season this fall, and then we can usher Robbie into the well-deserved, relaxing next stage of his life.”

A native of Blackburn, England, Hall will take over as Duke’s head coach in 2025. He’s been at the school since 2016, when he joined the Duke men’s soccer staff. After three years as an assistant coach, he moved to the women’s program as an assistant under Church in 2019. He was promoted to associate head coach in 2020.

“We are thrilled to name Coach Hall as Duke’s next head coach for what we expect to be a seamless, dynamic transition,” said King. “The traits Kieran possesses — namely prioritizing the student-athlete experience in conjunction with an organized plan to compete for championships — coupled with his eight-plus years at Duke make him the natural fit to succeed Coach Church. I’m excited to watch Kieran and the staff continue to push the program forward, both on and off the field.”

Hall is retaining Duke assistant coach Carla Overbeck for his staff. A former star player at North Carolina who has coached at Duke for 33 years, Overbeck will move up to associate head coach next season.

“I am truly honored to be the next head coach of Duke women’s soccer,” Hall said in a statement. “I want to thank Nina King and (Duke senior deputy athletics director) Chris Kennedy. I am humbled by this incredible opportunity and the belief you have entrusted in me. I would also like to thank Robbie Church. I am deeply grateful for your invaluable mentorship, guidance and friendship. Because of this, I feel extremely well-prepared for this opportunity. We are excited about building upon the DWS legacy of developing strong leaders and competing for championships.”

Church has led Duke to 20 NCAA Tournament appearances in his 23 seasons at the school. He’s looking to add to that level of success in his final season.

“Although I am retiring at the end of the season,” Church said, “I am so excited about this year. My retirement will start after our final match of the 2024 season and I hope that isn’t until December. I am all in this year and I’m excited about this team. I think we have great potential and we can be one of the best teams in the country. We have very lofty goals and we’re going to start working next Tuesday on the field. We will work extremely hard and we will be all in and working toward our goals of winning championships.”