THE HISTORY OF CAROLINA SOCCER - Washington

2001 Carolina Men’s Soccer
Kerry Zavagnin led Carolina to 46 wins in his four seasons at UNC
before moving on to play professionally in the MLS.
A RICH TRADITION OF TREMENDOUS PLAYERS
The recent success of Carolina in the sport of men’s soccer is certainly
no aberration, however. The Tar Heels have had a quality program
since Marvin Allen coached that first team back in 1947.
Carolina has had 15 players land All-America honors in its soccer history,
beginning with midfielder Frank Nelson in that initial season of
1947. Right wing Eddie Foy starred for interim coach Alan Moore in
1951 to win All-America honors and was one of three Tar Heel All-
Americas in the 1950s. After Allen returned from his military service in
Korea, he helped develop All-America left wing Pete Cothran in 1955
and midfielder Bill Blair in 1957.
The 1960s saw three All-America selections in Chapel Hill — back
Terry Henry in 1966, midfielder Louis Bush in 1967 and midfielder Mark
Packard in both 1968 and 1969.
Some of the other greats to play for the Tar Heels include Dave Boak,
who led the Tar Heels in scoring twice and paced the team to a Southern
Conference championship in 1948; John Ghanim, who scored what was
then a school-record 16 goals in 1959, a mark which stood until Missimo
broke it with 20 tallies in 1989; Hugh Goodman, the school’s initial firstteam
All-South selection in 1958; Jackie Writer, who scored a then
school career-record 26 goals from 1964-66 and went on to coach at
Cornell University; Tony Johnson, a striker who is tied for third on
Carolina’s career list with 32 goals; Mark Devey, another striker who is
tied with Johnson for third on Carolina’s career goal list with 32 and is
third in points with 91; Billy Hartman, a midfielder who is fourth on the
career charts at UNC in points with 88 and third in assists with 33; Dino
Megaloudis, a midfielder who is second all-time at UNC with 34 career
assists; Kevin Kane, who still holds several Carolina goalkeeping
records set in the late 1970s; and Watson Jennison, who in his four-year
goalkeeping career which ended in 1992, established school records for
goalkeeper minutes played, saves, shutouts and consecutive shutouts.
Amongst other accolades, Smyth was a finalist for National Player of
the Year honors in 1987 and teammate Donald Cogsville earned firstteam
All-ACC honors at two different positions — as a defender in 1987
and at forward in 1988.
In 1989, a pair of All-ACC and All-South players for the Tar Heels
moved to the top of the school’s all-time scoring charts. Midfielder Chad
Ashton graduated after the 1989 campaign after becoming the
University’s all-time assists leader with 43. Meanwhile, Missimo, who
played his senior year in 1990, finished with a school-record 138 points
and 56 goals.
All-America choices in the 1990s included sweepers Gregg Berhalter
and Eddie Pope, offensive wizard Temoc Suarez, heady midfielder Talley
and forward Chris Carrieri.
Carrieri was a two-time All-America who in 2000 shattered school
records for goals and points in a season. He was the top overall pick in
the 2001 MLS draft. Defender Danny Jackson also was named All-
America in the 2000 season.
Pope has gone on to become one of the best players in Major League
Soccer since the league’s inception in the 1996. He and Talley are mainstays
for D.C. United, which captured three of the first four MLS championships.
Former UNC stars Suarez, Kerry Zavagnin, Marco Feruzzi,
Tim Sahaydak and Eddie Robinson have all joined Pope, Talley and
Carrieri in the MLS, making the Tar Heel program one of the top producers
of pro talent in the college ranks.
Two-time First-Team All-ACC choice Carey Talley also earned All-
America honors in 1996 and 1997.
Bill Richards
Temoc Suarez ranks in the top four on UNC’s all-time goal, assist
and points charts.
Bill Richards