Nearly a month after former Indiana women’s soccer head coach Erwin van Bennekom resigned, the Hoosiers have found their new head coach.
Josh Rife, who has been at the helm of Ball State University women’s soccer for the past six seasons, was hired by Indiana athletic director Scott Dolson to take over the program, according to an Indiana Athletics release Tuesday.
“This is an exciting day for Indiana Women’s Soccer,” Dolson said in the release. “Josh’s background as a Final Four player for our men’s program, coupled with his impressive 20-year coaching resume, caught our eye from the start. Then, once we talked to him, we knew he was the person to lead our program into a new, exciting era.”
Rife played two seasons for Indiana men’s soccer from 2000-01, when the Hoosiers made back-to-back College Cup appearances. The Cream and Crimson also won the Big Ten title in 2001. Prior to joining Indiana, Rife played a pair of seasons at Texas Christian University.
The Honolulu native played professional outdoor and indoor soccer. From 2003-2012, he played for the United Soccer League’s Charlotte Eagles before joining VSI Tampa Bay FC in 2012. He also played for the Major Indoor Soccer League’s Philadelphia Kixx, Detroit Ignition and Milwaukee Wave from 2005-2013.
Rife spent time as an assistant coach at Liberty University and Mississippi State University before he was hired by Ball State in 2019. Across his six seasons leading the Cardinals, Rife compiled a 49-38-21 overall record.
“I’m incredibly excited about the opportunity to come back to Bloomington and coach at my alma mater,” Rife said in the release. “My time as a student-athlete was special and I look forward to providing that experience to other student-athletes. I’m appreciative of Scott and the committee for entrusting me to lead the program and I look forward to getting started.”
Although van Bennekom led Indiana to an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2023 — the Hoosiers’ first since 2013 — the Cream and Crimson struggled in 2024 as they recorded just one conference victory in 11 tries.
Rife is now tasked with turning the Indiana program around, which has made just five NCAA Tournament appearances across its 32-year history.
Dalton James covers Indiana women's basketball and football for the Indiana Daily Student. You can follow him at @DaltonMJames on X and contact him via email at jamesdm@iu.edu.
