Women’s Soccer

Sergio Gonzalez

Associate Head Coach

Sergio Gonzalez was named Indiana Women’s Soccer’s associate head coach in 2019. Gonzalez spent the 2013-17 seasons at IU before spending the 2018-19 seasons at Ohio State University as an associate men’s soccer coach. At Indiana, Gonzalez will have an emphasis on coaching, training, and recruiting goalkeepers.

During his first tenure with the Hoosiers, Gonzalez had a hand in leading the 2013 squad to a second-round NCAA tournament appearance. Gonzalez mentored goalkeeper Shannon Flower to set the single-season program record of nine shutouts and 15 victories. Teams under Gonzalez set the second-longest defensive scoreless streak in IU history, made appearances in the Big Ten Tournament, and claimed multiple Big Ten weekly honors.

Before returning to Indiana, Gonzalez spent two seasons with Ohio State Men’s Soccer. With back Big Ten Tournaments in 2018-19, Gonzalez also guided the defensive third to five shutouts, culminating in a 4th place ranking in the Big Ten Conference. 

Before joining the Big Ten, Gonzalez was the head coach of New Jersey Institute of Technology Women’s Soccer team, where he also worked on staff with Indiana’s van Bennekom. During his tenure, 20 players were named to the Great West Conference All-Academic team, 3 were named All-Conference by College Sports Madness, and the team set a school record for most shutouts and highest rank percentage index (RPI). Gonzalez also spent the 2006-11 seasons as the assistant coach for the University of Dayton’s Women’s Soccer team and the 2000-06 seasons as an assistant coach for Slippery Rock University Women’s Soccer. 

At the national level, Gonzalez has worked with the U.S. Development Program since 2006. He has served as the goalkeeper coach for various U.S. Soccer development camps. Gonzalez was also the goalkeeper coach for the under-16 and under-17 Women’s National Teams. 

As a student-athlete, Gonzalez had a four-year starting goalkeeper position and was a three-time captain at Salve Regina University. He holds the record for most career saves (425), wins (32), shutouts (22), and goal-against average (1.04), along with a season record .918 save percentage. He earned 3 All-Conference honors and was Salve Regina’s Male Athlete of the Year in 1999-2000.

Gonzalez graduated with a degree in criminal justice in 2000 and earned a master’s degree in student personnel at Slippery Rock. Gonzalez also holds multiple National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) diplomas. 

Gonzalez and his wife, Megan, have three children, Aiden, Liliana, and Nora.

Emily Basten

Assistant Coach

Emily Basten was named the assistant coach of Indiana Women’s Soccer in 2020. Basten served as a volunteer assistant coach in 2019 and a graduate assistant for 2017-18. Basten will be responsible for on-field training and coaching, coordinating strategic talent identification, and recruiting efforts. 

Outside of the collegiate realm, Basten has coached for club teams Alliance FC and Cutters. 

As a student-athlete, Basten transferred to Indiana from Central Michigan for her 2015 senior season. As a Hoosier, Basten played every game on the backline and earned the team’s Big Ten Sportsmanship award in 2015. 

Basten earned a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience and continued her education with a master’s degree in Indiana’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs.

Tara Ballay

Director of Soccer Operations

Tara Ballay was named the Director of Operations for Indiana Women’s Soccer in 2020. Ballay joins Indiana from Rider University, where she served as a volunteer assistant coach for the Women’s Soccer program.

At Rider University, Ballay was responsible for coordinating event details with visiting and host teams, and assisting in the coordination of travel planning, team building, and team meals. As a coach, Ballay worked on team and student-athlete development and facilitated daily operations like coding game video. Ballay also organized external program events and created social media content. 

Ballay served as a graduate assistant coach for Bloomsbury University Women’s Soccer for one season before returning to Rider in 2017. She has served as a head coach and trainer for Patriot FC in Newton, Pennsylvania. 

As a student-athlete, Ballay sixth on Rider University’s all-time scoring list with 20 goals and 45 points in only 53 games. She was part of a Metro Atlantic Athletic Association (MAAC) Championship team and was named MAAC Offensive Player of the Year in 2014. Ballay also earned CoSIDA First Team and Second Team Academic All-American honors. She was also a three-time MAAC All-Academic honoree. 

Ballay graduated from Rider University in 2016 with a degree in psychology. She received her master’s degree from the Athletic Leadership Program at Rider University in 2020.