Dorrance has no interest in the ACC adding Cal and Stanford — ‘we don’t need them’

By R.L. Bynum

CHAPEL HILL — UNC women’s soccer coach Anson Dorrance has no interest in the ACC adding Stanford and Cal, clearly backing Carolina’s reported vote against such a move.

After the Tar Heels beat the Bears 3–1 in their home opener on Sunday, he bristled at any suggestion that the matchup could be a conference game in the future.

“We would hate it,” Dorrance said. “Especially Stanford and Cal; they’re going to live on an airplane. They’ll all flunk out of school after one semester.”

UNC reportedly is one of four ACC schools that voted against welcoming Cal and Stanford into the conference — along with N.C. State, Florida State and Clemson — leaving the league one vote short of approving the expansion.

Jon Wilner, a sports writer who covers the Pac-12, tweeted Thursday that momentum was trending in favor of Stanford and Cal going to the ACC. But he also suggested that there would be clarity this weekend, and there has been no more news.

Football is driving conference expansion, with little consideration given to sports such as soccer, which play two league games weekly.

The ACC probably wouldn’t have considered adding Stanford and Cal before the Big Ten decided to welcome USC and UCLA, beginning with the 2024–25 school year.

“We don’t need them,” Dorrance said. “We’re the best women’s soccer conference in the country. Good luck to what remains of the Pac-12.

“But I love the ACC,” Dorrance said. “I love the fact we’re the best conference in the country in men’s and women’s soccer. I’m very, very proud of that. We don’t need anyone else to embellish us in any respect.”

No. 2 UNC is one of five ACC teams in the top 6 of the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Preseason women’s soccer poll (No. 3 Notre Dame, No. 4 Duke, No. 5 Virginia and No. 6 Florida State), with Pittsburgh No. 14 and Clemson No. 25. Stanford is No. 11 and Cal isn’t ranked.

Money, of course, would drive the change if it was made, not other factors.

Dorrance didn’t want to speak for the other Carolina coaches, but it’s easy to guess that the rest of the school’s head coaches aren’t eager for the expansion either.