Duke head coach Robbie Church to retire at end of 2024; Kieran Hall named as successor

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 that 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 Cooper, 21 All-America selections, 22 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) draft selections, 38 All-ACC honorees (73 honors) and 15 Academic All-America selections (24 honors).

“Heartfelt congratulations to Coach Church, Linda and their entire family on a truly remarkable coaching career,” said Duke Vice President and Director of Athletics Nina King.  “Robbie’s extraordinary impact on countless student-athletes across four-plus decades in collegiate soccer cannot be overstated, 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.”

One of the top young minds in collegiate soccer, Hall joined the program in 2019 and was elevated to associate head coach in June of 2020.  Along with Hall taking over as the head coach following the season, he is excited to have longtime assistant coach Carla Overbeck, who enters her 33rd season with the Blue Devils, elevated to associate head coach.

“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.”

“I am truly honored to be the next head coach of Duke women’s soccer,” said Hall.  “I want to thank Nina King and Dr. 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.”

“I want to thank the administration here — Nina King, Chris Kennedy and Todd Mesibov — for coming to this decision with Kieran being named the head coach and Carla the associate head coach,” said Church.  “I feel this is a natural process and it’s going to be a seamless transition. Obviously, Kieran and Carla have been involved in everything we’ve done in this program — Carla for over 30 years and Kieran for six years. They have experience in every area of our program and they’re going to do an absolutely, fantastic job continuing to elevate the program to new heights. Both Kieran and Carla are just unbelievable people and it’s exciting to see good people that work really hard to be able to get promotions like this.  I know they’re going to knock it out of the ballpark and I’m excited to watch.”

Hall was a member of the Duke men’s soccer staff for three seasons, before joining the women’s staff.  He helped lead the Blue Devils to the NCAA Championship all three years.  Prior to arriving in Durham, Hall served as an assistant coach and director of operations at the University of Denver for a season.

A four-year starter at Fort Lewis College, Hall helped lead the Skyhawks to the 2005 NCAA Division II National Championship and the 2006 NCAA runner-up.  He served as a team captain and was an all-conference and all-region selection during his time at Fort Lewis, before graduating in 2008.

Robbie Church Career Highlights

• Led Duke to NCAA College Cup Appearances in 2011, 2015 and 2017
• The ACC Coach of the Year in 2011 and 2017
• Tabbed the Soccer America National Coach of the Year and Southeast Region Coach of the Year in 2011
• Church’s staff earned the United Soccer Coaches National Staff of the Year in 2017
• Earned the NSCAA/Adidas South Region Coach of the Year in 2004
• Guided the Blue Devils to NCAA Championship appearances in 20 of 23 seasons, including advancing to at least the NCAA Quarterfinals in 11 of those
• Totaled a 293-147-66 ledger as the Duke head coach and is the winningest coach in Blue Devil women’s soccer history
• Collected a perfect, 10-0-0 ledger in the ACC in 2017 to win his second ACC Regular Season title and went on to advance to the NCAA College Cup, while finishing with a school-record 23-2-1 record
• Made his first NCAA College Cup appearance in 2011 as he guided the Blue Devils to a 22-4-1 record and won the ACC Regular Season title with an 8-1-1 mark
• Advanced to the National Championship match in 2011 and 2015
• Collected 10 or more victories in 15 of his 23 seasons with the Blue Devils
• Brought in 15 top-10 recruiting classes over the last 21 seasons
• Coached 22 Blue Devils that went on to be drafted in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), including five first round selections
• Eight different Duke players have gone on to represent their home country national team, including four in the World Cup and three in the Olympics – Toni Payne (Nigeria), Quinn (Canada), Rebecca Smith (New Zealand) and Kayla McCoy (Jamaica)
• Nine former Duke players or staff are currently coaching in the college or professional ranks
• Over his 38 seasons as a head coach, totaled a 476-261-80 mark as a women’s head coach at Duke, Vanderbilt and Charlotte along with a men’s head coach at Lynn, Belmont Abbey and East Carolina
• As a women’s head coach, registered a 380-196-77 ledger for a 64.1 winning percentage
• Tabbed Conference USA Coach of the Year in 1997
• Earned Carolinas Conference Coach of the Year in 1989, along with NAIA National Coach of the Year accolades
• Collected NAIA South Region Coach of the Year in 1988 and 1989, while also earning NAIA District 26 Coach of the Year in 1988 and the NAIA District 25 Coach of the Year in 1990
• In one season at Lynn University in 1990, guided the men’s program to a 17-4-2 record and led the squad to the District 25 Championship and the NAIA national finals
• Inducted into the Pfeiffer University Hall of Fame in 1998, N.C. Soccer Hall of Fame in 2020 and Belmont Abbey Hall of Fame in 2023

KIERAN HALL QUICK FACTS

• Born: Blackburn, England
• Family: Wife – Emily Hall
• High School: Queen’s Park High School
• College: Fort Lewis College, 2008 – Business Administration
• College Playing Career:
  • Four-year letterman at Fort Lewis College, 2004-07 (Played under now Stanford Head Coach and three-time NCAA DI National Champion, Jeremy Gunn)
  • Represented Great Britain U-23s at two World University Games (Bangkok 2007, Belgrade 2009)
  • Drafted by Houston Dynamo
• College Honors: 2005 NCAA DII National Champion, 2006 NCAA DII National Runner-Up
• Coaching Career:
  • Women’s Soccer Associate Head Coach at Duke, 2020-24
  • Women’s Soccer Assistant Coach at Duke, 2019-20
  • Men’s Soccer Assistant Coach at Duke, 2016-18
  • Director of Operations/Assistant Coach at the University of Denver, 2015-2016
  • U16 Academy Coach at Levante UD (La Liga), 2014-2015
  • Assistant Coach at Fort Lewis College, 2013-2014
  • US Soccer Senior A and UEFA B Licensed Coach