Wisconsin Soccer Central

Five weeks before the 2014 regular season kicks off, UW-Green Bay named former U.S. national team midfielder Kacey Burke its new women's soccer coach Friday.

The 30-year-old Burke starred at North Carolina from 2002 to '05 and played professionally in Sweden and the U.S., and has four seasons of experience as a college assistant. She succeeds Trevor Warren, who announced his retirement last month after compiling a 24-57-21 overall record in six seasons at the helm.

It appears that Burke has been hired only for the 2014 season at this point, with the school's news release announcing her addition noting that a full national search will be conducted at the conclusion of the season.

"Kacey is the right coach to lead our program and our young women," Green Bay athletic director Mary Ellen Gillespie said in the news release. "She played at the highest levels both collegiately and professionally, and her coaching experience will serve her well as she leads and teaches our student-athletes. Her competitive spirit is contagious and she will win the right way. She is an excellent fit and an outstanding role model, and we are thrilled to welcome her to the Phoenix family."

Burke was an All-American for the Tar Heels in 2004 and '05, helped the team win its 17th national title in 2003 and finished her college career with 22 goals and 58 assists. She earned 18 caps with the national team from 2006 to '10, and played with Swedish clubs Bälinge IF and AIK before stints with Sky Blue FC, magicJack and the Atlanta Beat in Women's Professional Soccer from 2009 to '11.

A native of Arlington, Texas, Burke started her college coaching career at Texas Tech in 2007, was a volunteer assistant at Southern Methodist in 2008 and spent the past two seasons on the Oklahoma coaching staff.

"I am extremely honored and humbled to be afforded this wonderful opportunity and am excited to get to work and be a part of the Phoenix family," Burke said.

The Phoenix were 4-8-5 overall and finished eighth in the Horizon League with a 1-5-1 record last fall, and have 18 players returning this season. The program has had a winning record in just four of its 27 seasons, most recently in 2006.

On Twitter: @KaceyWhite59