CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – In just his first year as head coach, Carlos Somoano reached a coveted pinnacle of greatness in men's soccer.
A former standout student-athlete and assistant coach at Eckerd College, Somoano (pronounced Some-WAH-noh) recently navigated the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill to the program's second NCAA Div. I national title.
Somoano (1987-1991) graduated as a four-year letterwinner and two-time team captain of the Tritons, taking the program to as high as No. 16 in the national rankings during his playing days. He then stayed on as an assistant coach at Eckerd from 1992-95 after obtaining his Bachelor of Science degree in biology.
Somoano earned All-Sunshine State Conference and National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-South Region honors during his career under the guidance of former head coach Jim DiNobile.
“Eckerd was a great place for me to go to college because I loved the environment and my teammates,” Somoano said in a phone conversation. “Jim (DiNobile) was my coach back then and I consider him to be one of my closest friends today. He opened some doors for me as I started my coaching career.”
The Tar Heels edged UNC-Charlotte, 1-0, for the national championship on Sunday to finish the year with a 21-2-3 record. Somoano became just the second head coach in NCAA history to guide his program to a national title in his first year on the sidelines (Mike Freitag, Indiana - 2004).
Somoano was an assistant for Carolina the last nine years and has also served stints at Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Richmond after his roots were planted with Eckerd.
“It feels great to get the national championship,” he said. “I get asked that a lot and I think people expect a celebratory response, but I get satisfaction out of the work I do with the kids and bonds I'm able to form with them. When the results are there, it's very gratifying.”
