John Kerr serves as the head coach of the men’s soccer program at Duke University, where he is in his 18th season leading the Blue Devils. During his tenure he has compiled a career record of 254-170-58 and a Duke-specific record of 173-111-45. Under his direction, Duke teams have produced 14 All-Americans, captured 14 major ACC awards, and earned 49 All-ACC selections. He was inducted into the Duke Sports Hall of Fame in 2004 and continues to elevate the program’s standing in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Kerr’s journey to coaching at Duke is rooted in an illustrious playing career. As a student-athlete at Duke he won the Hermann Trophy in 1986 and served as captain as his team captured the university’s first NCAA Championship. He went on to become the first American player to appear in the English Premier League, represented the U.S. men’s national team in 17 matches, and played professionally in multiple countries. Before returning to his alma mater as head coach in 2007 (following nine seasons at Harvard), he amassed experience as a player-coach in the A-League. His leadership emphasizes both developing elite talent and sustaining a high-performing team culture.
