Completed Event: Women's Soccer versus #1 Stanford on December 5, 2025 , Loss , 0, to, 1
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Women's Soccer
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Photo by: Duke Athletics
Hall Adds Gardner & Gaffney to Women’s Soccer Staff
1/10/2025 1:25:00 PM | Women's Soccer
DURHAM, N.C.— New Duke women's soccer head coach Kieran Hall has made his first two hires for the Blue Devils with the addition of assistant coaches Hanna Gardner and Evan Gaffney.
A native of Chapel Hill, N.C., Gardner joins the Blue Devils after two seasons as an assistant coach at Alabama. Gaffney, a native of Dublin, Ireland, arrives in Durham after spending the last three seasons at East Carolina.
Over the last two years, Gardner helped lead Alabama to 22 victories and one trip to the NCAA Tournament second round. Prior to her time with the Crimson Tide, she was a High Performance Coach at the Charleston Battery and the Kansas City Current for back-to-back seasons. Gardner also spent time at North Carolina FC as a Youth Head Coach for the North Carolina Olympic Development Program.
"We are absolutely delighted to welcome Hanna Gardner to our coaching staff," said Hall. "With her background in elite soccer, as a national champion and professional experience, Hanna brings a wealth of knowledge and a track record of success. Her energy, charisma and passion for wholistic development will have an immediate and lasting impact on our program."
Prior to joining North Carolina FC, Gardner spent three years with Carolina Leadership Academy.
Gardner was a tremendous leader, four-year starter and captain at North Carolina from 2012-16. She scored the winning goal in the 2012 NCAA Championship match and also led UNC to the 2016 NCAA College Cup. A walk-on as a freshman, Gardner started the final 22 matches on defense and helped the Tar Heels to 10 shutouts and the NCAA title.
I am beyond excited to join the Duke women's soccer staff as an assistant coach," said Gardner. "I couldn't be more thrilled to be a part of the next chapter of this program with Kieran at the helm. His infectious passion and dedication already resonates throughout this team. Growing up, I idolized Carla Overbeck and her generation of players that forged the path for women's soccer in this country. It's truly a dream to have the opportunity to work alongside them both and I cannot wait to begin working with and learning from them daily. Duke is a place with incredible tradition and a standard of excellence and I'm honored to help build on that legacy"
Starting 74-of-91 career matches, Gardner totaled three goals at North Carolina. She guided UNC to 81 team wins over five seasons and five NCAA Tournament appearances. On the defensive side, Gardner helped her squads combine for 56 shutouts. She was a member of the U.S. U-20 National Team from 2013-15 during her time with the Tar Heels.
During his three years with the Pirates, Gaffney and the ECU squad totaled 27 overall wins and 12 league victories, while helping claim ECU's first conference tournament championship and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2024.
"We're excited to bring Evan Gaffney on board as goalkeeper coach," said Hall. "His experience, technical knowledge and dedication to player development aligns perfectly with the culture we have here at Duke. Evan's ability to connect with student-athletes and push them to their full potential will be a huge asset to us and we're looking forward to seeing the positive impact he will have on our program."
Coming off one of the best seasons in program history in 2024, Gaffney helped the Pirates to a 10-4-7 ledger and to a 1-0 victory over top-seeded Memphis in the American Athletic Conference Championship to send the Pirates to the NCAA Tournament.
"I am incredible honored and extremely excited to be a part of the Duke family and join the Blue Devil coaching staff," said Gaffney. "Thank you so much to Kieran Hall and Carla Overbeck for this opportunity to be a part of one of the best programs in the country and I can't wait to get started."
Prior to ECU, Gaffney served as men's assistant coach and developmental squad head coach at Coker University where he helped lead the Cobras to the South Atlantic Conference Tournament Championship and an overall 12-7-2 mark during the 2021 campaign.
Following a stellar playing career at Truett McConnell (Ga.) University, Gaffney served a part-time role as keeper coach for the women's program at his alma mater in 2020. He was a four-year starter, a two-time All-Appalachian Athletic Conference selection and two-time team captain, while manning the net for the Bears from 2016 to 2019. He helped lead TMU to an AAC Tournament title in 2017, was selected as the Defensive Player of the Year on three occasions and named the Newcomer of the Year in 2016.
The Duke women's soccer staff for 2025 is now complete with Hall, associate head coach Carla Overbeck, Gardner and Gaffney.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils women's soccer, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWSOC".
#GoDuke
A native of Chapel Hill, N.C., Gardner joins the Blue Devils after two seasons as an assistant coach at Alabama. Gaffney, a native of Dublin, Ireland, arrives in Durham after spending the last three seasons at East Carolina.
Over the last two years, Gardner helped lead Alabama to 22 victories and one trip to the NCAA Tournament second round. Prior to her time with the Crimson Tide, she was a High Performance Coach at the Charleston Battery and the Kansas City Current for back-to-back seasons. Gardner also spent time at North Carolina FC as a Youth Head Coach for the North Carolina Olympic Development Program.
"We are absolutely delighted to welcome Hanna Gardner to our coaching staff," said Hall. "With her background in elite soccer, as a national champion and professional experience, Hanna brings a wealth of knowledge and a track record of success. Her energy, charisma and passion for wholistic development will have an immediate and lasting impact on our program."
Prior to joining North Carolina FC, Gardner spent three years with Carolina Leadership Academy.
Gardner was a tremendous leader, four-year starter and captain at North Carolina from 2012-16. She scored the winning goal in the 2012 NCAA Championship match and also led UNC to the 2016 NCAA College Cup. A walk-on as a freshman, Gardner started the final 22 matches on defense and helped the Tar Heels to 10 shutouts and the NCAA title.
I am beyond excited to join the Duke women's soccer staff as an assistant coach," said Gardner. "I couldn't be more thrilled to be a part of the next chapter of this program with Kieran at the helm. His infectious passion and dedication already resonates throughout this team. Growing up, I idolized Carla Overbeck and her generation of players that forged the path for women's soccer in this country. It's truly a dream to have the opportunity to work alongside them both and I cannot wait to begin working with and learning from them daily. Duke is a place with incredible tradition and a standard of excellence and I'm honored to help build on that legacy"
Starting 74-of-91 career matches, Gardner totaled three goals at North Carolina. She guided UNC to 81 team wins over five seasons and five NCAA Tournament appearances. On the defensive side, Gardner helped her squads combine for 56 shutouts. She was a member of the U.S. U-20 National Team from 2013-15 during her time with the Tar Heels.
During his three years with the Pirates, Gaffney and the ECU squad totaled 27 overall wins and 12 league victories, while helping claim ECU's first conference tournament championship and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2024.
"We're excited to bring Evan Gaffney on board as goalkeeper coach," said Hall. "His experience, technical knowledge and dedication to player development aligns perfectly with the culture we have here at Duke. Evan's ability to connect with student-athletes and push them to their full potential will be a huge asset to us and we're looking forward to seeing the positive impact he will have on our program."
Coming off one of the best seasons in program history in 2024, Gaffney helped the Pirates to a 10-4-7 ledger and to a 1-0 victory over top-seeded Memphis in the American Athletic Conference Championship to send the Pirates to the NCAA Tournament.
"I am incredible honored and extremely excited to be a part of the Duke family and join the Blue Devil coaching staff," said Gaffney. "Thank you so much to Kieran Hall and Carla Overbeck for this opportunity to be a part of one of the best programs in the country and I can't wait to get started."
Prior to ECU, Gaffney served as men's assistant coach and developmental squad head coach at Coker University where he helped lead the Cobras to the South Atlantic Conference Tournament Championship and an overall 12-7-2 mark during the 2021 campaign.
Following a stellar playing career at Truett McConnell (Ga.) University, Gaffney served a part-time role as keeper coach for the women's program at his alma mater in 2020. He was a four-year starter, a two-time All-Appalachian Athletic Conference selection and two-time team captain, while manning the net for the Bears from 2016 to 2019. He helped lead TMU to an AAC Tournament title in 2017, was selected as the Defensive Player of the Year on three occasions and named the Newcomer of the Year in 2016.
The Duke women's soccer staff for 2025 is now complete with Hall, associate head coach Carla Overbeck, Gardner and Gaffney.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils women's soccer, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWSOC".
#GoDuke
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