Anson Dorrance has a new weapon when talking to potential recruits for his University of North Carolina women's soccer team.
Now, he's a Hall of Fame coach.
Former U.S. Women's National Team coach Dorrance, who completed his 29th year as the Tar Heels' coach this past fall, earned election to the National Soccer Hall of Fame on Monday. He'll join Veteran selection Hugo Perez, a former U.S. Men's National Team player, during the 2008 Induction Ceremony.
As of Tuesday, the Soccer Hall had not set a date for the ceremony, which featured former U.S. women's standouts Mia Hamm and Julie Foudy last year.
Dorrance appeared on 28 of the 52 ballots cast (53.85 percent) in the Builders election, which is voted on by Hall of Famers, Major League Soccer management, MLS Commissioner Don Garber and representatives of U.S. Soccer. To earn election, a builder must appear on at least 50 percent of the ballots and finish as the top vote-getter.
"It's such a wonderful feeling to be so endorsed and accepted by your peers," said Dorrance, who has won 19 national championships with the Tar Heels. "I feel tremendously honored by this."
Perez qualified under the same percentage guidelines in a separate Veterans election, which allows only Hall of Famers to vote. Perez appeared on 28 of 48 ballots cast (58.33 percent).
"I'm very honored, excited and humbled, but I'm not going to tell you I deserve it," Perez said. "I tried to give my best in what I did. When you judge a career, I was satisfied with what I did. When it comes to people remembering you, I can't control that."
Nobody earned election through the Players ballot, which was voted on by Hall of Famers, U.S. National team coaches, select media members and MLS representatives, among others.
Former U.S. Men's National Team member Preki Radosavljevic received 87 votes of 128 ballots cast for 67.97 percent, followed by Joy Fawcett (86 votes, 67.19 percent). To gain election, a player must appear on 75 percent of the ballots.
Although some media outlets received the 2008 election results Monday, the Soccer Hall did not release the information to The Daily Star until Tuesday morning via e-mail.
Jack Huckel, the Soccer Hall's director of museum and archives, expressed surprise in Tuesday's e-mail to The Daily Star that no information on the 2008 election results appeared in Tuesday's editions. No Daily Star employee received the information Monday, and the Soccer Hall never specified when the 2008 election results would be released this year.
Last year, the Soccer Hall released its election results Feb. 27. In 2006, which marked the elections of Alexi Lalas and Carla Overbeck, the Soccer Hall announced the results May 7.
Huckel said the Hall hopes to have a date for the 2008 Induction Ceremony soon. The Hall, Huckel said, is working with Dorrance and Perez to set a date that works best with their schedules.
Dorrance said he's looking to use the honor to his advantage.
"I think this will sink in when I officially retire," he said. "But what's going through my mind is how I can spin this with recruiting."
As if Dorrance needs any help.
Dorrance, 56, enters the Hall a year after one of his best players _ Mia Hamm _ earned election. Hamm played for Dorrance at UNC and on the national team.
Hamm joined Foudy, Builder Alan Rothenberg and Veteran Bobby Smith on stage in the biggest Soccer Hall Induction Ceremony to date in 2007. The August event drew a crowd estimated at 5,000.
Dorrance, who introduced Hamm last year, said Hamm has already called to offer congratulations.
"She's the sweetest thing," said Dorrance, who added that he thought the Hall left it up to the inductee to decide who will do the introductions. "It was a nice phone call. ... To follow her in is a wonderful privilege. I feel good about joining her."
Dorrance said there's a long list of people he'll consider for his introduction, including Hamm, Kristine Lilly and longtime assistant coach Bill Palladino.
Dorrance also almost had the chance to go in this year with one of his former national team players in Fawcett.
"There's no question she should be in there," Dorrance said. "I think she will be in eventually. ... There's not a woman in the Hall that wouldn't say she should be in there. In my opinion, she's a first-ballot inductee."
In 29 seasons at UNC, Dorrance has a 648-32-19 record, including 18 NCAA championships and one AIAW national title. In NCAA tournament games, his teams are 94-7-1.
Dorrance also coached the North Carolina men, including 10 seasons as the head of both teams. In 12 years as the men's coach, he went 175-65-21. Dorrance led the men to the Atlantic Coast Conference championship and an NCAA Final Four appearance in 1987.
On the national level, Dorrance spent nine years at the helm of the Women's National Team, finishing with a 65-22-5 mark, including the 1991 World Cup championship.
Dorrance also said he will enjoy being inducted with Perez.
"He's a remarkable player," Dorrance said. "I'm honored to be going in with a player of his caliber."
Perez, 44, said he was shocked when he heard the news because being a Hall of Famer was never something he thought about when he played.
Perez, who has spent time as an assistant coach with the University of San Francisco and the California Victory, a USL First Division professional team that folded in 2007, is currently coaching youth soccer. He said he occasionally works with the U.S. Under-20 team and with U.S. Soccer's developmental programs.
Perez appeared in 73 international games for the U.S. National Team and scored 13 goals. A midfielder, Perez participated in the 1994 World Cup and said he prided himself on his ability to handle the ball. He also said he didn't think that the game had changed much since he played.
"People say soccer is faster and more physical," Perez said. "I don't see it that way. Soccer is always going to be soccer. The technical part of soccer is the most important thing. It's a sport that should be very technical and creative and that's the way I like it."
Perez played three seasons North American Soccer League and then four seasons in the Major Indoor Soccer League after the NASL folded. He earned MVP honors for San Diego in the 1988 MISL championship series. After spending several years playing internationally, Perez retired in 1996.
"It will sink in when I'm there," Perez said. "I never expected this. I played because I loved it and made a career out of it. I didn't think about being inducted."
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P.J. Harmer can be reached at pharmer@thedailystar.com or 607-432-1000, ext. 229.
