Bentley Names Sarah Dacey as Head Women’s Soccer Coach

Sarah Dacey has been named the head women’s soccer coach at Bentley University, Director of Athletics Vaughn Williams announced today. 

Dacey, who earned three national championships during an All-America playing career at the University of North Carolina (UNC), comes to Bentley after a successful coaching career in roles at Curry College, Hingham High School, Barry University and Babson College. All her teams have posted winning records and she has a career collegiate record of 105-51-25 (.649). 

“I am extremely excited to be the next head women’s soccer coach at Bentley University,” said Dacey. “I want to thank Vaughn Williams, Courtney Finn and the search committee for this tremendous opportunity. It was clear from the very beginning of the interview process what a special place Bentley is and what a special time it is to be part of Bentley Athletics.” 

“We are excited to add Sarah Dacey to our arsenal of head coaches,” said Williams. “Coach Dacey has been a winner wherever she has been, beginning with her time as a student-athlete and continuing throughout her coaching career. She fully understands how to compete for excellence in the classroom and on the field of play. I am looking forward to seeing her move the program forward.” 

During her time at Curry, Dacey led the Colonels to the Commonwealth Coast Conference semifinals for the first time in seven years. In her Division II coaching role at Barry, her team ranked 19th in the final United Soccer Coaches rankings and twice attended the NCAA South Regional tournament. She was the Sunshine State College Coach of the Year in 2018 and 2019. She was also an assistant on the 2015 Barry team that reached the Division II national quarterfinals. 

In her five seasons at Babson, her program saw the second-best winning percentage in its history and reached the finals of the NEWMAC Championships in 2007. Her team at Hingham High was ranked first in Massachusetts and fourth nationally and attended the 2021 state championship game. 

Dacey’s coaching resume also includes roles as director of coaching for the Galway Rovers FC, the Pinecrest Premier Soccer Club and FC Boston Bolts Celtic as well as assistant women’s soccer coach at the University at Albany, Boston College, University of Tennessee and Providence College. She was also the lacrosse coach at Curry, the assistant women’s lacrosse coach at Babson and the head soccer and lacrosse coach at the Fay School. 

At UNC, Dacey played for Anson Dorrance, the winningest coach in NCAA women’s soccer history. She was a four-year starter, a Soccer News All-America and a key member of the Tarheels’ national championship teams in 1993, 1994 and 1996. During her career, UNC’s record was a remarkable 98-3-1. Dacey was also a two-time IWLCA All-America in women’s lacrosse for UNC and was team captain. Both teams reached the NCAA Final Four. 

Dacey played in the Women’s United Soccer Association for the Carolina Courage and the Boston Breakers. She graduated from UNC in 1998 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Physical Education.  

A Framingham, Massachusetts, native, Dacey thanked her wife and daughter for their support, saying, “I could not be where I am today without them.”  

Dacey’s team will open the 2023 season August 31 against Molloy College. “I can’t wait to meet the team and help guide the women’s soccer program to new heights in this next chapter together,” she said.