DURHAM, N.C. – Duke women’s soccer head coach Robbie Church, who has led the Blue Devils to 20 NCAA Tournament bids and three NCAA College Cup appearances over the last 23 years, announced Monday the 2024 season will be his final year of coaching. Following a national search, Kieran Hall, who is Duke’s associate head coach and enters his sixth season with the Blue Devils, has been named Church’s successor and will be the program’s third head coach beginning with the 2025 season.
Over his 38 years as a head coach in men’s and women’s soccer, Church has amassed a record of 476-261-80, advanced to the NCAA Tournament 21 times, including three NCAA College Cup visits in 2011, 2015 and 2017. He is a two-time ACC Coach of the Year honoree in 2011 and 2017, and earned National Coach of the Year accolades in 2011.
“I feel like the past 23 years I’ve been the luckiest person in the world,” said Church. “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. My wife, Linda, has supported this profession for 43 years and made a lot of sacrifices. We want to spend more time with our daughter, Ashley, and son, Kyle, and their families as well.
Although I am retiring at the end of the season, 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 towards our goals of winning championships.”
Church has collected a 293-147-66 ledger in 23 years at Duke and led the Blue Devils to ACC regular season titles in 2011 and 2017. In one of the toughest conferences in collegiate soccer, he has posted 112 ACC victories and collected an impressive 41-17-10 record in NCAA Championship action. Church has coached Duke’s six Missouri Athletic Club (MAC) finalists, including the 2022 winner Michelle…
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