RALEIGH — N.C. State has a new women's soccer coach, butLaura Kerrigandoes not need a history lesson on the Wolfpack's program.

Kerrigan returned to her alma mater where she was a soccer All-American and N.C. State's valedictorian of the 1989 class. Those credentials, along with her collegiate experiences, have helped her as a coach.

"I know what it feels like to be in their shoes. I know what it feels like to be out there representing your school," Kerrigan said. "I know what it is like to be a student here, so I have a unique perspective that not a lot of coaches have."

The new coach inherited a team that has not enjoyed the same success that the teams Kerrigan played on did, but she sees a spirit that teams need to improve.

"They want to learn," Kerrigan said. "They want to be challenged, and that is something they told me when I first got here. Just by their work ethic, they told me that."

While coach Kerrigan is trying to re-build the Pack's program, she did have some tearing up to do.

"The first thing I did when I got here was destroy all of the old photos and videos that were laying around from the late 80's," Kerrigan said.

However, one video does remain. It is one from 1988 when Kerrigan's kick beat North Carolina in the ACC Championship. She hopes to be a part of more Wolfpack celebrations this time as a coach.