Congratulations to the newest inductees into the NC Soccer Hall of Fame!

The NC Soccer Hall of Fame was established in 1996.  2021 will mark its 25th anniversary.  Voters in the election were the 54 living members of the Hall of Fame and 7 members of the Board of Directors. 

Thori (Staples) Bryan played collegiately at North Carolina State University from 1992-1995.  While a member of the Wolfpack, she earned numerous ACC, NCAA, and Soccer America accolades.  Notably, Bryan was named ACC Rookie of the Year in 1992 and was the first defender named Soccer America Magazine's Freshman of the Year.  During her time there, NC State made three NCAA Tournament appearances, reaching the quarterfinals in 1995.  Thori received a call up to the US Women’s National Team in 1992 and went on to earn 64 caps for the USWNT from 1992 to 2003.  She was a member of the USWNT that placed 3rd at the Women’s World Cup in Sweden in 1995 and an alternate for the 1996 Olympic team.  In August 2002, she was named to the ACC 50th Anniversary women’s soccer team.  Thori was also a member of the Raleigh Wings from 1998-2000, helping the team to win W-League national championships in 1998 and 1999 and runner-up in 2000.   She was the only American player drafted in the first round of the Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA) inaugural draft in December of 2000. Over the past 20+ years, Thori has also held various coaching positions in NC.  Early on, she has had stints as a camp staff coach at NC State and UNC, Adidas ESP camp, and F1 Strength & Conditioning.  She has also coached youth teams for CASL and has been a technical coach for NCFC youth through the Elite Technique program.  For the past 10 years, she has run the Thori Bryan Soccer Academy in Wake Forest, NC.  The academy provides summer soccer camps and individual and team training for youth soccer players.

Thori volunteers as an Advisory Board member for Off the Bench, an advocacy organization designed to increase female participation at the elite level in the sports of soccer, volleyball, lacrosse.  The organization’s main focus is to promote and encourage young women of color to participate in soccer, volleyball, and lacrosse.  Off the Bench also provides scholarships for middle school age girls to attend soccer camps that they might not otherwise be able to afford.

Paul Dinkenor was born in Manchester, England, and played soccer for the famed Manchester Grammar School in the 1970’s. He began coaching at the 400-year-old Charterhouse School, credited with inventing the word “soccer,” in Surrey, England, in 1980.  After moving to the USA, Paul took a job in 1987 at North Forsyth High in Winston-Salem. While at North Forsyth and later, at Leesville Road, Paul has compiled a record to date of 760-294-84. His teams have been to the 4A State Championship game six times, beginning in 1991 with a Runner-up finish for the North Forsyth Vikings to five victories for the Leesville Pride, two for the Men’s Teams in 1997 and 1999 and three for the Women’s in 2008, 2009 and 2011. The 1999 Men’s team at Leesville won the State title with an undefeated record and a final national ranking of #6, as did the 2009 Women’s team, earning a #2 final national ranking. Paul’s teams have won 18 Conference Tournament/Regular Season titles. His coaching has not gone unnoticed by his peers.  In 2014 the NCHSAA recognized Paul as one of the top 100 coaches in the organization’s Centennial celebration. In 2015 the NC Soccer Coaches’ Association inducted Paul into its Field of Honor (hall of fame). He has been State Coach of the Year 3 times, Regional Coach of the Year 9 times, and Conference Coach of the Year 15 times.

Tim Guter has dedicated his career to the betterment of the NC soccer community.  His passion for and service to the game is matched by few while his imprint can be seen at nearly every level, college, club, ODP, and high school.  Tim grew up in New Jersey. In 1995 he took a position as a Physical Education teacher and Head Men’s & Women’s Soccer Coach at New Bern High School, where he continues to coach today.  In 25 seasons of coaching both teams, he has a remarkable overall record of 677 wins against 283 losses and 85 ties. Tim’s coaching goes beyond x’s and o’s.  He is committed to developing the student as well as the athlete.  Each year, his teams engage in community service projects such as hurricane clean-up projects as well as holding the annual J-Bird Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Campaign in honor of his wife, Jessica.  Tim has been well-decorated for his numerous accomplishments.  He was the NCSCA State Women’s Coach of the Year in 2011, a 5-time women’s NCSCA Regional Coach of the Year and a 7-time Conference Coach of the Year.  On the men’s side, Tim is a 5-time NCSCA Regional Coach of the Year and a 10-time Conference Coach of the Year.  In 2019, he was inducted into the NCSCA’s Field of Honor. Tim has also made a tremendous impact at the grassroots level of soccer throughout the state, serving as an active club coach since 1989.  His 2002 Coastal United Club (U-19) won the NCYSA State Championship and was a USYS Regional Finalist.  They were also State Finalists in 2000 and 2001.  In addition to his local club duties, Tim is a well-respected NC and Regional ODP coach.  He spent time on the NCYSA ODP staff from 2003 to 2017, the USYS ODP Regional (East/One) Women’s Staff from 2003 to 2013 and is currently coaching with the USYS ODP Regional (South/Three) Men’s and Women’s programs and has been since 2012.  Tim Guter is one of the elite coaches in North Carolina at any level.  His impact on the growth and development of the game reaches multiple levels and thousands of athletes and coaches.

Roger Morton is one of the giants of soccer officiating in North Carolina. He has been a tremendously successful soccer referee, assessor, and referee instructor. He has spent the last 35 years as a sports official, including time at the NCAA and NAIA levels in soccer.   He has been an avid supporter of North Carolina youth and adult soccer and North Carolina Soccer Referees since 1990, when he first joined as a referee and continues to this day to recruit officials to expand the organization to meet the ever-growing needs for qualified soccer referees. In his position as president of NISOA Triangle NC for 20 plus years he has been instrumental in doubling the size of the chapter to over 200+ members becoming the largest single chapter. Roger is a firm believer in referee education and continues to provide incredible education and training to NC Soccer Referees.  No one has a deeper passion and respect for the game, players, and coaches. He continues to serve the game as referee, administrator, and referee assignor. Here are some of his many accomplishments: former US Soccer PRO Local Area Referee Coordinator (North Carolina); current US Youth Soccer Region III Referee Administrator; National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association Hall of Fame (inducted 2019); President, Triangle NC Intercollegiate Soccer Referee Association (TISOA); Former National NISOA Referee; referee Five Final Fours NCAA Division I & II (Men & Women); 1995 NAIA Men’s National Championship Official; NJCAA Women’s National Championship Official; North Carolina High School Athletic Association Board of Directors-Ex Officio; NCHSAA Dick Knox Distinguished Service Award.

Because of the ongoing Coronavirus Pandemic, the date and location of the induction banquet has not been determined but will be announced as soon as possible.