2019 North Carolina Soccer Hall of Fame Dinner
January 26, 2019
Marriott Winston-Salem Hotel

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NORTH CAROLINA SOCCER HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES NEW INDUCTEES

The names of the North Carolina Soccer Hall of Fame’s 2019 inductees have been released.  They are Susan Ellis and John Kerr, Jr. of Chapel Hill and Sandra Serafini of Durham.  Duke University Men’s Soccer Program and the 1996 Greensboro United Soccer Association Navy Capture Girls soccer team will be inducted into the North Carolina Soccer Hall of Fame’s National Champions Hall of Honor.

The 22^nd Annual North Carolina Soccer Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Dinner will take place on Saturday, January 26, 2019, beginning at 6:15 p.m. at the Marriott Winston-Salem Hotel.

Susan Ellis played at the high school, college and national team levels and now she competes in over-50 leagues.  Her passion for playing soccer has led to a career in coaching, where she has successfully coached, taught and mentored thousands of girls of all ages and levels.  A natural athlete, Susan was recruited to play at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  In her freshman year, she helped lead UNC to win the first AIAW National Championship.  With the formation of the NCAA National Championship in her sophomore year, Susan led the Tar Heels to three consecutive national championships, captaining the team in her senior year.  After graduation, she was selected to the USA Women’s National Team in 1984 and coached with the Raleigh Wings professional team, which won USL Division 1 national championships in 1998 and 1999, and with the Carolina Courage professional team, which moved from last place in 2002 to champion in 2003 of the Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA).  Susan presently teaches and coaches at Durham Academy, where she has led the girls’ team to five conference championships.

John Kerr, Jr is a retired soccer midfielder who played professionally in the United States, Canada, England, France and Northern Ireland during a much-traveled and varied playing career.  In 1986, as a member of the Duke University team, John was named the Hermann Award winner as the top collegiate player of the year.  During his four years with the Blue Devils he was a two-time All American.  In 1986, the year that he won the Hermann Award, he was the captain of the Duke team that won the NCAA Division 1 national championship, finishing his collegiate career with 42 goals and 43 assists for 127 points, totals that rank fifth, second and third, respectively, all-time at Duke.  He also earned sixteen caps, scoring two goals, with the U.S. national team and is currently head coach of the Duke University men’s soccer team.  The son of Scottish footballer John Kerr, Sr., John won the 1984 James P. McGuire Cup with Montgomery United and in 1986, while playing the collegiate off-season with his father’s Fairfax Spartans, he won the National Amateur Cup.

Sandra Serafini became certified as a United States Soccer Federation (USSF) referee in 1998 and as a National Intercollegiate referee in 1999 and was the first from North Carolina to serve on the FIFA Panel of Women Referees from 2006 – 2009.  Originally from Hamilton, Ontario, she became certified in Washington State and moved to North Carolina in 2000, where she advanced through the referee ranks and represented North Carolina within the region and nationally at various tournaments and events.  In 2004, Sandra received the NCYSA/NCSRA Adult Referee of the Year Award for outstanding and significant service in officiating youth soccer matches.  She has also been recognized with TISOA’S William Utter Service Award and NISOA’s Regional Referee of the Year Award.  She officiated multiple college conference finals, NCAA Final Fours, men’s and women’s domestic professional leagues, and international events in North America, Europe, and Asia.  She currently serves with the Professional Referee Organization (PRO) as the Director of Strategic Initiatives and Innovation and as co-manager of the Development Group.  She served as a Triangle Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association (TISOA) board member and Director of Education for several years.

The Duke University Men’s Soccer Program began in 1930 and competed in the 1982, 1986 and 1995 national championship games.  Duke defeated the University of Akron 1-0 to win the 1986 NCAA Division 1 national championship title under head coach John Rennie.

The 1996 Greensboro United Soccer Association Navy Capture Girls Soccer Team won the United States Youth Soccer Association Presidents Cup Under-15 Girls national championship in 2012.

CHARLIE SLAGLE, CLASS OF 2005

Congratulations to Charlie Slagle, who recently published a book,  “Soccer Smarts: 75 Skills, Tactics, & Mental Exercises to Improve Your Game.”   A long-time soccer coach and administrator, Charlie’s stellar reputation in the world of soccer and on-field wisdom make his new book, Soccer Smarts, inspiring for soccer players of all ages. Believing that sports should be fun, every chapter has motivational tips and quotes along with the tactics and strategies for play.

NOTE:  Picking up on Charlie’s publication of his book, a new tab, Featured NCSHOF Authors, on the website will be considered.

JOHN RENNIE, CLASS OF 2011

Congratulations to John Rennie, after whom the John Rennie Nike Invitational was renamed in 2012 in its 31st year.  The collegiate men’s soccer tournament hosted by Duke was started in 1982 as the Duke Soccer Invitational.  Over the course of history, the weekend-long event played at Duke University in Durham has featured some of the best players, coaches and teams in the college game and has been renamed several times, most recently (2008-2011) as the Nike Classic.