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North Carolina State University

Raleigh, NC 27659
North Carolina Southeast
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Tim Santoro

In 2012, NC State made a coaching change to a program that:

Had an RPI of 228 out of 338 NCAA Division I teams

Had not been in the NCAA Tournament since 1996 (17 years)

Had gone 15 seasons with two wins or less in the ACC, with each of those campaigns resulting in last place or next-to-last place conference finishes

Tim Santoro was named the head coach of the NC State women's soccer program on November 30, 2012. In 2016, after a short rebuild, NC State made its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 21 seasons.


In 2022, NC State made its sixth consecutive NCAA Tournament in the fall season and is one of only six teams in the ACC to do so over this time period. This follows a 2021 campaign where NC State made its fifth straight NCAA Tournament for the first time in almost 30 years, and was one of three teams in the country to beat two top-five teams (a 2-1 win vs. No. 11 Duke and a 1-0 vs. No. 4 North Carolina) and had a strength of schedule of No. 4 in the country.


NC State is one of eight programs in the country and one of four in the ACC from 2016-21 to advance to at least the NCAA Second Round each year, with at least three of those being NCAA Sweet 16 appearances while also being ranked in the Top 25 of the RPI every year.


Before not competing in 2020 due the pandemic, NC State’s dominance as a Top 25 ACC program in 2019 consisted of:

Its fourth straight NCAA Tournament

Third NCAA Sweet 16 in four years with postseason wins over two conference champions (Navy, Arkansas)

10 or more wins for the fourth year in a row

NCAA RPI of No. 19 and overall Strength of Schedule of No. 2

ACC regular season finish (fifth) and ACC Tournament semifinalist

Played nine matches vs. ranked teams, 12 matches vs. Top 50 RPI teams

Earned points in eight of 10 ACC matches and had as many, or less, losses in ACC play than two teams ahead of them in the regular season conference standings

Fewest losses in ACC play in program history (2) since the league expanded in 2004

In 2018, Santoro led NC State’s consistency as a Top 25 ACC program with:

Its third straight NCAA Tournament, the first time the Wolfpack has done so since 1994-96

Second NCAA Sweet 16 in three years with postseason wins over Santa Clara and Northwestern

Five results over top-20 teams (South Carolina, Princeton, Duke, Florida State and Santa Clara)

Ranked in the NCAA RPI Top 25 for the entire season

The 2017 season took the Wolfpack to new heights after the historic 2016 campaign:

Finishing 15-5-2, most wins since 1995

7-3-1 in the ACC and finished the ACC regular season in third place, best finish since 1995

First back-to-back ACC Tournament berths since 2003-04

Advanced to the ACC Tournament semifinals for the first time since 1995 with a 4-1 home win over Notre Dame in the ACC quarterfinals.

Ranked in top 25 throughout the 2017 season, the Pack advanced to the NCAA Tournament Second Round, playing in back-to-back NCAA Tournaments for the first time since 1995-96 and hosted its first ever NCAA home game at Dail Soccer Stadium (a 4-1 win over Arkansas)

The 2016 season marked a clear breakthrough for the Wolfpack. The NSCAA Southeast Regional Coach of the Year and a finalist for NSCAA National Coach of the Year, Santoro guided the program to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 20 years and led the Pack to its first ever NCAA Sweet Sixteen since the origin of the 64-team tournament. The program concluded the 2016 season ranked in the national polls: No. 23 in the TopDrawerSoccer poll and No. 24 in the NSCAA poll. The rankings mark the first time since 1995 that NC State has closed the year ranked in the top 25. NC State also finished No. 34 in the NCAA RPI, posting a 186-spot improvement from its final 2015 RPI ranking.


The team defeated or tied three other teams ranked in the final 2016 NSCAA poll including No. 4 North Carolina, No. 15 Minnesota and No. 22 Pepperdine. Overall, the Pack holds seven results against teams that were ranked or receiving votes.The NCAA Tournament wins against Minnesota, the 2016 Big 10 regular season and tournament champions, and versus 2016 West Coast Conference champion, Pepperdine, put the Wolfpack on the cusp of an NCAA College Cup berth. In addition, Santoro led NC State to its first ACC Tournament postseason berth in 10 years by gaining points in half of its ACC matches and garnering the No. 8 seed.


NC State’s four regular season ACC wins in 2016 were the most ACC wins since 1995 and the 11 overall wins were the most total wins since 1996. The team was also ranked in several polls throughout the year, and climbed to as high as No. 17 in the national polls despite facing the hardest ACC schedule in the conference.


The team earned a signature win in its ACC opener, traveling to North Carolina and getting a 1-0 victory at Fetzer Field for the first time in program history. The win marked the biggest win over a ranked team since 2001. The Pack totaled six straight wins and held a shutout streak over 463 minutes during the winning streak from Aug. 28 to Sept. 21. The team played exceptional on the road, going 4-4-2.


The 2016 squad was one of the youngest in the country, built primarily of freshmen and sophomores. The top-20 freshmen recruiting class accounted for the team’s top three and five of the top-six point scorers. Freshmen recorded 23 goals and 19 assists for 69% of the team’s points, while all four sophomores made a huge jump from their freshman seasons and started every match for the team. The team had a strong offensive and defensive year, scoring 32 goals – more than the last two seasons combined – and lowering its goals against average to 1.10 to tie its best mark since 2011.


Prior to NC State, Santoro was the associate head coach at Wake Forest from 2008-2012, helping direct and coordinate all aspects of the program. In his five seasons, Wake Forest was one of the premier programs in NCAA Division I and in the Atlantic Coast Conference, achieving major firsts in the program's history including a NCAA College Cup, the No. 1 overall seed in the 2011 NCAA Tournament, the 2010 ACC Championship and a top-five recruiting class in 2010.


In 2011, the Demon Deacons earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the program's first-ever College Cup, in addition to making a return trip to the ACC Tournament final after first winning the conference title in 2010. In addition, they gave up only 20 goals all season, earning a 0.74 goals against average that ranked as the lowest in school history, and kept 14 shutouts, the second-highest total for a Wake Forest squad.


The 2011 squad reached No. 1 in the NCAA RPI rankings and peaked at No. 3 in the NSCAA poll, with both marks being the highest in school history. The team also set a school season record for wins (18), finishing with an 18-4-4 record.


In 2010, a so-called "rebuilding year" after graduating seven starters in 2009, Santoro helped the Demon Deacons win their first-ever ACC Championship and receive a final ranking of No. 8 in the Soccer America poll.


Santoro attended Catawba College in Salisbury, N.C., and was a four-year member of the men's soccer program before graduating in 1994. He helped guide Catawba to a pair of NAIA National Tournament appearances before the school moved to the Division II level for his final two seasons. He was named an honorable mention All-American as a senior.


Santoro, who hails from a New Jersey soccer family with his older brother, Mat, the head coach at Division I men's program University of Southern Indiana. Santoro lives in Raleigh with his wife, Pilar, and their two dogs: Nesta and Philly.

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Sebastian Vecchio

NC State women’s soccer head coach Tim Santoro announced the addition of Sebastian Vecchio to the Wolfpack coaching staff on May 26, 2023.


Vecchio, most recently head coach at Cal State Bakersfield, will serve as the Wolfpack's associate head coach.


"Bringing Seb to NC State gives us a new voice and brings energy, work ethic and recruiting ability," head coach Tim Santoro said. "There's a responsibility to keep the program progressing within the changing landscape at NC State and the NCAA, so adding more Division I head coaching experience was a priority. It's great to get Seb to Raleigh after an unsuccessful attempt during my last search.


"Since 2016, NC State is one of 11 teams in the country to make the postseason every fall and advance to the Sweet Sixteen at least three times. But despite that success, you can't be stagnant, you must continue to evolve. Seb will play a big part to help with this."


Vecchio became the fifth head coach of Cal State Bakersfield in 2018, boasting the highest winning percentage of any Roadrunners' coach at the Division I level. The program's nine wins in 2019 is the highest number of wins in a season at the Division I level.


Vecchio was an assistant coach at TCU from 2016-17. Prior to coaching at TCU, Vecchio made stops at Vanderbilt, Rice and Memphis. He brings 19 years of coaching experience to Raleigh, including five appearances in the NCAA Tournament. Vecchio played a prominent role in bringing top-25 recruiting classes to each of his assistant coaching stops.


As a player, Vecchio started for two seasons at Memphis after transferring from Mid-Continent College in Kentucky. In 2004, he allowed just 12 goals in over 1,500 minutes of action, posting a school record of 0.69 goals-against average. He was later named the 2004 Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year and a First Team All-Conference USA recipient. Vecchio finished his career at Memphis with a school record 1.02 goals-against average and produced 21 wins in two seasons.


Vecchio obtained a bachelor's degree in marketing from Memphis in 2005 and a bachelor's degree in sports and leisure management in 2008.


Vecchio will be joined in Raleigh with his wife, Rachel, and his two sons, Luca and Nico.

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Maddy Haro

NC State women’s soccer head coach Tim Santoro announced the addition of Maddy Haro to the Wolfpack coaching staff on March 10, 2023.


Haro, who most recently served as an assistant coach at Loyola Chicago in 2022, will be named to the same role at NC State.


“I’m excited to finally get Maddy to Raleigh,” Santoro said. “The coaching and playing experience she brings to the program, combined with her energy, work ethic and recruiting connections are needed additions.


“My responsibility is to keep NC State progressing within the changing landscape of college soccer, and after looking at the entirety of the program over the last few years, Maddy brings attributes that will allow us to continue to evolve. I first got to know her during her recruiting process as a player 10 years ago, so to go full circle and connect now is ironic but fun.”


Haro, a standout player at Washington State from 2015-19, arrived for Loyola Chicago’s inaugural season in the Atlantic 10 in 2022 after spending two seasons as an assistant coach at The Texas Woman’s University.


In 2021, she helped guide the Pioneers to a 12-5-2 finish that included a 9-4-0 mark in Lone Star Conference (LSC) play. Six members of the team were named All-LSC honorees, led by two Second Team All-South Central Region selections by United Soccer Coaches.


The Corona, California native appeared in 76 games during her time at Washington State, starting in 44 contests. She dished out a single-season program-record 15 assists during her senior year en route to being named Second Team All-Pac-12 and United Soccer Coaches All-West Region selections. Haro closed her career second all-time in assists in the Cougar record book, in addition to scoring nine goals.


Following graduation in 2019, the double major in journalism and multimedia production and public relations served as an analyst for the Pac-12 Network while also coaching with her hometown club, Legends FC.

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Marc Hubbard

Marc Hubbard, a national championship winning coach, has been named the next head coach of NC State men's soccer, Director of Athletics Boo Corrigan announced on Dec. 9, 2023.


Hubbard, who led New Hampshire to seven straight NCAA Tournament appearances since 2017, will be the 10th coach in Wolfpack men's soccer program history.


"Marc has led his teams to championships and consistent, sustainable success during his coaching career," said Corrigan. "He prides himself on establishing a team-first culture, which makes him the perfect fit for the Wolfpack. I'm excited about the future of our men's soccer program under his leadership."


Hubbard (232-52-37 career record) spent the past nine seasons at New Hampshire, posting an impressive 115-32-21 (.747) overall record with seven NCAA Tournament appearances and four America East Tournament championships.


"I am deeply honored and thrilled to take on the role of the next NC State head men's soccer coach and join the Pack!" said Hubbard. "I want to thank Boo Corrigan, John Portland and the rest of the staff for giving me and my family the time and space necessary to make this decision. This is a role that I have been working for since I started coaching over 20 years ago and it is a responsibility that I do not take lightly. I want to also express my heartfelt gratitude to UNH and SNHU for all the unwavering support extended throughout my journey. I am immensely grateful for the guidance, mentorship, and camaraderie fostered by the incredible network of alumni, coaches, and supporters in New Hampshire.


"One thing that is non-negotiable for me when building our culture is that I will personally exemplify, instill and breed a collective and caring effort along with a strong commitment to working hard for one another every day. We will understand that good habits will not only shape us into the best soccer players but more importantly the best version of ourselves and ambassadors of the Wolfpack. The team's success will be a byproduct of this dedication. Our locker room will be based on the values of teamwork, sacrifice and the commitment that all of my past teams have displayed on and off the field and I couldn't be more excited to start working with the team and moving my family down to Raleigh."


The Wolfpack's new head coach led the Wildcats to a 13-3-4 record and their fifth-straight America East regular season championship in 2023, securing the No. 8 national seed in the NCAA Tournament - the highest seed in program history. Hubbard's squad advanced to the Sweet 16 after notching a dominant 3-0 victory over ACC foe Syracuse in the NCAA second round.


Consistent success has been a staple throughout Hubbard's 16-year head coaching career, as he has recorded double-digit win totals in all 15 of his full seasons (8-1-1 in a COVID-shortened campaign in 2020-21). He has recorded eight 15+ win seasons, highlighted by leading Southern New Hampshire to a Division II National Championship and a 22-1-1 record in 2013.


Hubbard has earned four regional coach of the year honors, nine conference coach of the year honors and was tabbed the NSCAA Division II Coach of the Year in 2013. His New Hampshire coaching staff was also named the America East Staff of the Year six times and the Northeast Region Staff of the Year four times (2017, 2019, 2021 & 2023).


In 2021, Hubbard led the Wildcats to their highest national ranking in program history when his squad checked in at No. 4 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll on Oct. 16. The Wildcats finished the 2021 campaign 17-2-2 and advanced to the Sweet 16 after notching a 4-1 victory over UNC in the NCAA Second Round.


In 2017, Hubbard guided New Hampshire to an undefeated home record (10-0-3) and the first home NCAA Tournament game and victory in program history. The Wildcats then won a penalty kick shootout at Dartmouth to advance to the Sweet 16.


In Hubbard's first season in 2015, he led the Wildcats to a four-win improvement from 6-10-1 in 2014 to a 10-5-3 overall record the following year. New Hampshire's final RPI of No. 52 was an improvement of 112 spots from the previous season.


Player development has also been a cornerstone of Hubbard's coaching career, as he has guided over 20 players to All-America honors under his tutelage. He has coached seven MLS Draft picks.


Before returning to New Hampshire, Hubbard led Southern New Hampshire to a 117-20-6 (.839) record in seven seasons. He collected the Northeast-10 Coach of the Year award three times and was named the NSCAA East Region Coach of the Year in 2008.


In 2008, his first season at SNHU, Hubbard guided the Penmen to a dramatic 10-win improvement. Hubbard went 15-3-4 in 2008 after inheriting a squad that finished 5-8-5 the year before. In seven seasons at SNHU, Hubbard won 12 or more games each campaign and never suffered more than four losses in a single season.


Hubbard's defensive tactical dominance has persisted throughout his 16-year coaching career. At Southern New Hampshire, Hubbard's squad led Division II in team goals-against average three times. During his nine-year tenure at New Hampshire, the Wildcats have ranked inside the top-10 nationally in goals-against average six times, including first-place finishes in the category in 2019 and 2021.


Prior to Hubbard's first head coaching job, he served as an assistant coach at New Hampshire from 2003-07. The Wildcats reached back-to-back America East semifinals in 2006 and 2007 and achieved a No. 23 national ranking in 2005. Hubbard was also a member of the America East's Staff of the Year in 2006.


As a player at Colgate, Hubbard earned three Patriot League second-team selections. The three-year captain graduated in 2003 with a bachelor's degree in political science before earning a master's degree in kinesiology from New Hampshire in 2006.


After college, Hubbard went on to play professionally for five years. While competing with the New Hampshire Phantoms of the USL Second Division, he was a captain twice and a 2006 USL first-team honoree as well as a Defender of the Year finalist. He also played for the Syracuse Salty Dogs in 2003 and for the Wilmington Hammerheads in 2004.

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