Wake Forest Athletics
Women's Soccer Assistant Coach Goes Pro
4/16/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
April 16, 2001
WINSTON-SALEM, NC - Wake Forest women's soccer assistant coach Kelly Cagle has left the Demon Deacon coaching staff to play professional soccer in the brand new Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) for the Atlanta Beat. A tenth round selection by the Beat and the 80th pick overall in the WUSA draft, Cagle made the team's final cut last week. The former Kelly Walbert was the 1995 ACC Player of the Year at Duke University.
In four seasons as an assistant coach under head coach Tony da Luz at Wake Forest, Cagle helped lead the Demon Deacons to the NCAA Tournament every season. She helped tutor a pair of ACC Rookie of the Year award winners, in Emily Taggart and Joline Charlton. Off the field, Cagle served as da Luz's top recruiter and coordinated all of the team's travel and administrative needs. Prior to arriving in Winston-Salem, Cagle spent one season as an assistant coach at the University of Texas in 1996.
"She's been with me since I got here so I'll miss her," said da Luz. "The program will also miss her because she has become synonymous with the Wake Forest women's soccer program. This is something that we had worked on together to get her to the pros. It is a culmination of a lot of hard work, a lot of miles in the car and a lot of intensive training. We are proud of her. She flowed through and got it done."
A four-year starter and three-time All-American at Duke, Cagle still holds Blue Devil career records for points (117), goals (47), shots (317), games played (90), games started (90) and season records for points (40) goals (18) and shots (107). During her playing days in Durham, Duke advanced to the NCAA Tournament four consecutive seasons, including reaching the championship game in 1992. She became the first player in Duke history to earn an international cap with the U.S. National Team when she traveled to Trinidad & Tobago in 1993. A three-time participant in the U.S. Olympic Festival, she holds the Festival record for goals in a game (4) and led her team to the bronze medal.
During her coaching stint at Texas, she was able to play 10 games with the Denver Diamonds in the USWISL, recording the second highest point total in the league in 1996. Cagle also played for the Raleigh Wings of the USISL while at Wake Forest and led them to three undefeated seasons. She was also invited into National Team Camp in 1999.
Cagle received a bachelor's degree in Sociology from Duke, as well as certificates in Markets & Management and Film & Video in 1996.
The Atlanta Beat kicks off their season Saturday, April 21 at home versus New York. The match begins at noon and will be televised on TNT. Wake Forest will conclude its spring season April 22 at Brian Park in Greensboro. The Demon Deacons will play Davidson at 9:00 a.m., UNC-Wilmington at 12:00 p.m. and Belmont-Abbey at 3:00 p.m.
