Women's soccer legend Robin Confer completed her eighth season as Georgia's assistant coach and recruiting coordinator in 2012. During that time Confer has worked mainly with the Georgia offense, and in 2010 she served a stint as theBulldogs' interim head coach prior to Steve Holeman's hiring.
As the recruiting coordinator, Confer has played an integral role in bringing the three highest-ranked signing classes in UGA history to Athens. The 2006 class was ranked No. 8, the 2007 group was rated No. 14 and the 2008 class earned a No. 15 ranking. The Georgia program has been successful in keeping the best in-state talent at UGA, as six of the 14 members of the 2010 freshman class hailed from the Peach State.
Confer's work with the Georgia attack helped the Bulldogs outscore the opposition by a tally of 37-19 in 2010, while rookie Alexa Newfield earned first-team All-SEC honors and was ranked in the top-5 in several SEC offensive categories. In 2011, Confer's work with the attackers helped UGA again outscore its opposition 39-28, including a 20-10 mark in overtime, while Newfield emerged as the SEC's most threatening goal-scorer leading the league in nearly every offensive category while breaking the Georgia record for shots (102) and points (40).
As a former forward for the U.S. National Team, Confer pays special attention to Georgia's attacking players. In 2007 she helped coach sophomore Carrie Patterson to NSCAA Second-Team All-American accolades, as she became just the second Bulldog ever to earn that award. In 2006, Patterson earned SoccerBuzz Freshman All-America, SEC Freshman of the Year, First-Team All-SEC and Second-team All-Southeast Region honors, and left Georgia as the school's all-time leader in goals, assists, points, and multi-goal games under Confer's direction. Patterson was ultimately drafted 40th overall in the 2010 Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) draft.
Confer also assisted with the transition of senior Ali Williams from defender to forward in 2005, a move which sent Williams on to earn SEC Offensive Player of the Year recognition.
Confer joined the staff at Florida State after a stellar career in the ACC and successful coaching stints in the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big 12 and Southeastern Conference. The former 1997 National Player of the Year and three-time national champion at North Carolina is embarking on her 10th year in the collegiate coaching ranks.
Under Confer's watch in Tallahassee, the Seminoles posted a 29-13-4 overall record, a 9-5-2 mark in the ACC and advanced to the program's first College Cup in 2003.
But Confer is no stranger to life in the SEC, as she was an assistant coach at Mississippi State for one season under head coach Neil McGuire before joining the Seminole staff. Before her stint in Starkville, Miss., Confer served as a second assistant at one of the top women's soccer programs in the nation at Texas A&M. While working with Aggie head coach G. Guerrieri, Confer and Texas A&M advanced to the Sweet 16 in back-to-back NCAA Tournaments.
In addition to her UGA coaching responsibilities, Confer is a Southeast Region III ODP staff coach and is also involved with ODP in the state of Georgia.
Confer's first coaching experience came at her alma mater as she served as a volunteer assistant under coaching legend Anson Dorrance at North Carolina. A four-year starter at North Carolina from 1994-1997, Confer helped the Tar Heels to three national championships (1994, 1996-1997). During her senior season, Confer was named the National Player of the Year by both the Soccer News and SoccerBuzz. In North Carolina's run to the 1997 National Championship, Confer was named the Most Valuable Offensive Player of the NCAA Final Four, as well as being named a first-team All-American. She was also a finalist for the Hermann Award, which recognizes the nation's top collegiate soccer athlete, and a semifinalist for the Missouri Athletic Club Sports Foundation Player of the Year award in 1998.
Confer currently ranks fourth on UNC's career point-scoring list behind such great names as Mia Hamm and April Heinrichs. She is the fifth-leading goal scorer in Tar Heel history with 77 tallies, and her 55 career assists are the sixth most in North Carolina soccer history. Confer never missed a game in her Carolina career and holds the NCAA record with most games played at 107. She is one of just 11 former North Carolina players to have had their jersey retired. She was also named to The Atlantic Coast Conference 50th Anniversary Women's Soccer team which recognized the top 50 players in the conference since 1987.
A former captain of the U.S U-20 Youth National team, Confer eventually made her Women's National Team debut January 18, 1996, against Ukraine and was a member of the pool from 96-99 and earned eight caps and one goal.
In 2001, she was drafted in the fifth round of the WUSA's Global Draft as a member of the Boston Breakers in the league's inaugural season before a back injury cut her playing career short. Confer was a standout forward at Clearwater (FL) Central Catholic High School where she scored 227 goals, including 80 during her senior season prior to being named a Parade All-American. Confer received her bachelor's degree in exercise and sports science from North Carolina in 1998.
