In her collegiate coaching debut, Carla Overbeck made an immediate impact on the Duke University women’s soccer program, helping the 1992 Blue Devils advance to the NCAA title game. Over the last 31 years, she has continued her work with the Blue Devils as Duke has advanced to the NCAA Tournament 28 times, including NCAA College Cup appearances in 2011, 2015, and 2017.

    Overbeck’s work with the Blue Devils helped them capture the 2017 ACC regular season championship, their third such honor in program history. Behind a school record of 23 wins and a perfect 10-0-0 record in conference play, Duke secured the honor and then captured a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the second time in school history, eventually advancing to its second NCAA in the last three years. For their success, Overbeck and the entire Blue Devil staff were named the United Soccer Coaches National Staff of the Year, becoming the first DWS staff to receive the honor.

    A three-time All-America selection at the University of North Carolina, Overbeck was a member of four unbeaten Tar Heel national title squads from 1986-89. North Carolina posted a phenomenal 95-match unbeaten streak (89-0-6) during her career.

    Overbeck was a four-time member of the NCAA All-Tournament Team and a two-time All-ACC selection. In addition, she was a member of the 1986 Soccer America All-America Freshman Team and was the Most Valuable Defensive Player of the 1988 NCAA Tournament.

    Overbeck’s playing accomplishments include competing for the United States National Team. Overbeck was an instrumental player for the U.S. in winning the 1991 Women’s World Cup in China. She captained the 1995 U.S. World Cup squad that advanced to the semifinals and also served as captain of the 1996 U.S. Olympic Team that won the gold medal.

    In 1998, Overbeck competed on the gold-medal-winning Goodwill Games squad. She again captained Team USA to the 1999 World Cup Championship and a silver medal in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.

    In August of 2022, U.S. Soccer unveiled The Carla Overbeck Leadership Award, which will be presented each year to an individual who demonstrates a unique ability to lead and guide others and who contributes to the success of an initiative that benefits those outside their organization and places emphasis on collaboration within and among leadership.

    On May 6, 2006, Overbeck was elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame and was a 2010 North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame inductee. Overbeck, who graduated from North Carolina with a degree in psychology in 1990, attended Richardson High School in Richardson, Texas. She and her husband, Greg, have one son, Jackson, and a daughter, Carson Elizabeth.

OVERBECK’S CAREER HONORS

- FIFA World Cup Champion (1991, 1999)

- Olympic Gold Medalist (1996)

- Olympic Silver Medalist (2000)

- Goodwill Games Gold Medalist (1998)

- US Women’s National Team Member (1988-2000)

- US Women’s National Team Captain (1993-2000)

- Sports Illustrated Sportswomen of the Year (1999)

- WUSA Founders Cup II Champion (2002)

- National Soccer Sports HOF Inductee (2006)

- North Carolina Sports HOF Inductee (2010)

- NCAA National Champion (1986-1989)

- Soccer America Freshman All-America (1986)

- NCAA Tournament Most Valuable Defensive Player (1988)