Soccer
Oct 10 (Fri)
7 p.m.
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- Tracy.Chao@Colorado.edu
Tracy Chao will begin her fourth season as assistant coach for the Buffaloes. Chao came to CU from Northern Colorado where she was an assistant coach for three years under head coach Tim Barrera.
During Chao's time at UNC, the Bears were undergoing a reclassification from Division II to Division I. Her first season as assistant coach was in 2005 when the Bears were Division I independent. In her second season (2006) the Bears joined the Big Sky Conference but were not able to participate in post-season competition.
Chao's third season at UNC was a very successful one for the Bears as it was the first time they were eligible for post-season play. Chao helped her team to third in the regular season giving the Bears their first appearance in the Big Sky Tournament, and becoming the first team in school history, in any sport, to reach the Big Sky Tournament Championship.
In 2007, five members of the squad were named to the All-Big Sky Team and three were selected to the Big Sky All-Tournament Team. The Bears also earned recognition for their achievements in the classroom earning the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Academic Award by sporting the highest grade point average of any team in the league.
At the collegiate level, Chao was a standout player at Wake Forest University under head coach Tony DaLuz, and helped lead the nationally ranked Demon Deacons to a 49-31-6 record and four-straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 1999-2002.
The defender turned goalkeeper earned MVP honors as a sophomore and became the first ACC goalkeeper to ever shutout the eventual 2000 National Champions, North Carolina. For her efforts in the 1-0 win over UNC, Chao was named to Soccer America's Team of the Week and was also crowned ACC Player of the Week on Oct. 30, 2000. Chao returned back to the defense as a junior to wrap up her playing tenure with Wake Forest.
Chao was a member of the W-League's Carolina Dynamo from 2000-02 and once residing in Colorado, she served as the team captain for both the Mile High Edge in 2006 and the Ft. Collins Force in 2007.
A Raleigh, N.C. native, Tracy Chao was born on Aug. 10, 1981 in Raleigh. Prior to playing at Wake Forest, she captained her club team, the '81 CASL Raleigh Spartan Spirit, which she led to the 1993 and 1996 state championships.
A starter on the North Carolina State Select team, Chao participated in the Olympic Development Program from 1995-98 and was a member of the Region III Pool team in 1997. In prep play, the all-state defender was named Region 6 Player of the Year, Tri-Seven Conference Player of the Year, and was a three-time all-region and all-conference selection at Wake Forest Rolesville High school.
A 2003 recipient of the Brian Surette Soccer Writer's Award, Chao graduated from Wake Forest University with a bachelor's degree in sociology and holds a master's degree in sport administration from the University of Northern Colorado.
Her hobbies include playing golf and snowboarding as well as hanging out with her golden retriever, Chaco.
