Cobey asked Anson Dorrance, then the UNC men's soccer coach to assess the club's ability to transition to varsity status.

Dorrance was impressed enough by the club, then coached by Mike Byers, to recommend that the school form a women's soccer team.

That year, the Tar Heels played an essentially club schedule, including games against high school teams.

[5] At the time, UNC had the only varsity women's soccer team in the Southeast and this allowed Dorrance to recruit the top talent in the region.

"[6] Building on that competitive drive, the Tar Heels went on to win the first three NCAA championships, and dominate the sport for years to come.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply.