Laura Duncan completed her 12th season as the head coach of the University of New Haven women’s soccer team during the 2022 season.

Through the years, Duncan has mentored numerous notable athletes, including Meabh De Burca ’11 (Galway Women’s FC), Amber Simms ’15 (Assi IF) and Carlie Schecht ’16 (Galway Women’s FC), all of whom have signed professional contracts to extend their soccer careers abroad.

Over the years, Duncan has coached 11 Chargers who were selected to play in the NEWISA Senior Bowl, a list that most recently includes Halle Palmedo and Mackenzie Myers in 2022, and Kelly Quigley in 2017. Quigley was also named to the NEWISA All-New England Team in 2017.

In 2015, the Chargers had one of their most successful seasons under Duncan, posting a 10-5-4 overall record (6-5-3 NE10), Marisa Garcia ’16, Sierra Stein ’17 and Annie White ’19 all earned New England Women’s Intercollegiate Soccer Association postseason accolades. In addition, Garcia was an NSCAA and D2CCA Second Team honoree, and was also named to the NE10 First Team.

In 2013, New Haven completed its most successful season to date as a member of the Northeast-10 Conference, finishing with a record of 11-5-3, to help Duncan complete her fourth-straight season with a winning record. The Chargers began the fall with a program-record eight-match unbeaten streak and won the first Northeast-10 postseason match in team history with a 5-1 triumph at Merrimack in the quarterfinal round.

Monica Yanez and Amber Simms each garnered First Team All-Northeast-10 laurels to lead a roster of five All-NE-10 honorees. Nicole Pacapelli capped her career with a Second Team distinction, while Marisa Garcia and Amanda Hathaway merited Third Team honors. Simms, Yanez and Pacapelli were all NSCAA All-East selections, and the trio was joined by Garcia as NEWISA All-New England honorees.

On the national level, Simms added a Daktronics Honorable Mention All-America nod and Yanez collected a Capital One Academic All-America selection for her performance in the classroom. Following the 2013 season, Simms was named to the NEWISA All-New England Team, NSCAA All-Region Third Team, and was named first team All-Conference. In addition, Garcia added NEWISA All-New England and NE-10 third team accolades in 2014.

In 2012, the Chargers finished 11-7-1, the program's highest win total since 2007. A 2-0 blanking of defending ECC champion and nationally-ranked No. 23 Dowling highlighted a 4-0-0 start for the Chargers – New Haven would rise to 6-1-1 and, at No. 25, earned its first NSCAA national ranking since the 2007 preseason poll.

Five members earned All-Northeast-10 Conference honors, as voted upon by the conference’s 16 head coaches. Monica Yanez, who finished the regular season ranked second in the conference with a team-best 12 goals, merited the Chargers’ first First Team All-NE-10 distinction since 2008. The junior forward added to her impressive campaign with a NSCAA First Team All-Region, NEWISA First Team All-New England and Daktronics Second Team All-Region recognition.

Five total all-conference selections represent the most by New Haven since joining the Northeast-10 in 2008 and the most overall since five Chargers garnered All-East Coast Conference laurels in 2006.

The fifth head coach in program history, Duncan is the first head coach to boast a winning record in multiple seasons to begin his or her tenure at UNH. Duncan’s 2011 Chargers defeated three teams that advanced to the Northeast-10 Conference Tournament en route to a 9-8-0 record. Her club produced two All-Northeast-10 student-athletes; Amber Simms ’15 and Monica Yanez ’14. Simms, a midfielder, also earned a place on the conference’s All-Rookie Team.

In Duncan’s first season on the sidelines at Kayo Field, the Chargers went 9-8-2. That 2010 squad won three of its final four regular season matches to finish with a 7-6-2 conference record and qualify for the Northeast-10 Conference Tournament. The Chargers were recognized as NSCAA Academic Award recipients in 2010 while four student-athletes earned All-NE-10 honors.

Before coming to New Haven, Duncan served five seasons as an assistant for the Fairfield University women’s soccer team. Duncan was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the program, recruiting and game-day and practice coordination. While at Fairfield, the Stags were twice crowned Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Champions (2005 & 2008) and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Duncan also mentored two MAAC Players of the Year for the Stags.

A 2005 graduate of Central Connecticut State University, Duncan was a four-year letterwinner for the Blue Devils. She helped Central Connecticut to three consecutive Northeast Conference Championships and three straight NCAA Tournament appearances. Duncan was a defender on the 2003 Blue Devils’ team that posted 10 shutouts en route to a 16-win campaign, punctuated by a 1-0 victory over Boston College in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Following that season, she garnered NSCAA Third Team All-Northeast Region, SoccerBuzz First Team All-Northeast Region and NEWISA First Team All-New England laurels. Duncan was also a two-time First Team All-NEC honoree during her 57-match career in New Britain.

A native of Seaford, England, Duncan currently resides in Middletown, Conn.