Adel Heder is the most established and successful coach in the history of the IUP women's soccer program, as he enters his 20st season at the helm in 2021.
Heder is the face of a program that has made 14 postseason appearances since he took over in 2001. He heads into the new season as the winningest coach in program history with a 212-131-23 (.611) overall record. Heder reached 200-career wins as the Crimson Hawks defeated Clarion October 9, 2018.
Heder coached IUP to the PSAC Championship in 2004, with the Crimson Hawks finishing as the runners-up in the conference in both 2006 and 2008. He has won at least 10 matches in a season 11 times during his tenure, taken IUP to three NCAA tournaments (2004, 2006, 2009), and has been named the PSAC Coach of the Year on two occasions (2004, 2006). IUP even won the PSAC Western Division regular season title in back-to-back seasons (2005-06) during a six-year run that the conference was split into divisions.
In 20 seasons, Heder has coached 73 total PSAC postseason honorees, including 30 first team selections, 29 second team selections, 10 third team selections, three Freshman of the Year honorees, and one Player of the Year. In addition, 10 players since 2007 have earned All-Atlantic Region recognition.
IUP is coming off a 10-9 record in 2019, with sophomore forward Mahogany Willis earning First-Team All-PSAC honors. Willis was also an All-Region honoree after leading the PSAC with 15 goals.
The Crimson Hawks had one of their better seasons in 2019, as Heder guided them to a 10-9 overall record and 14th all-time conference tournament appearance. IUP went 8-8 in PSAC West play to earn the division's fourth seed in the conference tournament. In their first round match up Crimson Hawks pushed the number one seed Slippery Rock to the limit before eventually falling 2-1 in the PSAC quarterfinals.
Highlights of the season included a 2-1 victory over PSAC champions Slippery Rock on September 25th, as well as an 8-0 demolition of Salem on October, 20th.
IUP was one of the best offensive teams in the PSAC under Heder in 2019. In addition to having the leading goal-scorer in the PSAC in Willis, the IUP offense finished the year in the top ten in the PSAC in goals scored and scoring average. The Crimson Hawks finished eighth overall in the PSAC with a total of 37 goals scored. IUP's scoring average of 1.95 goals per game was also eighth best in the league. Those outputs were the third most of any team in the PSAC Western Division.
Heder was also honored for his contributions to the sport in western Pennsylvania in 2019. Heder was ne of five inductees to the 2019 PA West Soccer Youth Hall of Fame. He garnered the honor thanks to his work building the Kiski Area Soccer Club, and coaching the Kiski Area Sneior High School and PA West Olympic Development Program.
Heder was hired by IUP in August 2001 and immediately made his mark on the program. The team went 12-4-1 that season and qualified for the PSAC tournament. Heder won at least 12 games in eight of his first nine seasons.
From the 2004 through 2009 seasons, when the PSAC was split into two divisions, IUP had a record of 47-19-2 in PSAC West games and won consecutive division titles in 2005 and 2006.
Heder was named PSAC West Coach of the Year in 2004 and 2006. Heder was also named the Northeast Region Coach of the Year in 2001 and 2006.
In 2004, IUP won a school-record 19 games against only four losses, captured its first PSAC championship in a decade and earned a first-ever bid to the NCAA tournament. IUP was ranked No. 24 in the nation at the conclusion of the season.
In 2005, IUP won the PSAC West title with an 8-1-1 record and finished 13-4-1 overall. The team was ranked in the top 25 for the majority of the season, reaching as high as No. 8. The season included a school record nine-game winning streak. The following season, IUP won its first-ever NCAA tournament game, defeating New Haven 3-1. IUP finished with an overall record of 15-7 and won its second straight PSAC West title with a 9-1 mark in 2006. IUP finished the season ranked No. 15 in the country in the National Soccer Coaches Association poll, and Heder was the PSAC West Coach of the Year for the third time and the Northeast Region Coach of the Year for the second time.
IUP reached the NCAA tournament for the third time in school history in 2009, advancing to the third round for the first time by defeating Gannon and No. 5 West Chester. The Crimson Hawks finished with a record of 14-7-2.
Under Heder's direction, Sarah Romasco, who concluded her career in 2009, was a four-time All-PSAC West first team and All-region selection and the 2006 PSAC West Player of the Year. Romasco finished her career as IUP's all-time leader in goals with 65, assists with 40 and points with 170 and was the 2010 IUP Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Prior to coming to IUP, Heder ran the soccer program and served as boy's varsity coach at Kiski Area High School from 1987 until he left to join the collegiate ranks. During his stint at Kiski, Heder led the team to a WPIAL Class AAA Top 10 ranking in 1996, and he was selected Section V Coach of the Year in both 1993 and 1996.
In addition to his work at Kiski, Heder was the head coach of the Pennsylvania West Olympic Development program and the head coach and coordinator of the state select Pittsburgh Strikers Soccer Club. In the latter capacity, he developed under-18, under-16 and under-13 squads and helped direct the team to several local, statewide and regional championships.
Heder holds "A" and "B" national coaching licenses from the United States Soccer Federation. He is a member of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, the United States Soccer Federation and the Western Pennsylvania Soccer Coaches Association.
Heder earned his master's degree in health and physical education from the University of Pittsburgh in 1984. Heder's daughter, Crystal, played on the IUP soccer team from 2003-06, and daughter Viann finished her senior season with the Crimson Hawks in 2011.
Updated June 28, 2019
Heder's Year-By-Year Record
| Year |
Overall |
Pct. |
PSAC |
Pct. |
| 2019 |
10-9 |
.526 |
8-8 |
.500 |
| 2018 |
9-8-1 |
.528 |
7-8-1 |
.469 |
| 2017 |
12-6 |
.667 |
11-5 |
.688 |
| 2016 |
9-9-1 |
.500 |
8-7-1 |
.531 |
| 2015 |
8-8-2 |
.500 |
7-7-2 |
.500 |
| 2014 |
9-7-3 |
.553 |
8-6-2 |
.563 |
| 2013 |
9-8-1 |
.528 |
7-8-1 |
.469 |
| 2012 |
9-6-4 |
.579 |
6-5-3 |
.536 |
| 2011 |
11-4-3 |
.694 |
9-3-2 |
.714 |
| 2010 |
9-8-1 |
.528 |
7-6-1 |
.536 |
| 2009 |
14-7-2 |
.652 |
9-4-1 |
.678 |
| 2008 |
13-9-1 |
.587 |
8-6 |
.571 |
| 2007 |
12-8 |
.600 |
6-4 |
.600 |
| 2006 |
15-7 |
.682 |
9-1 |
.900 |
| 2005 |
13-4-1 |
.750 |
8-1-1 |
.850 |
| 2004 |
19-4 |
.826 |
7-3 |
.700 |
| 2003 |
13-6 |
.684 |
6-6 |
.500 |
| 2002 |
6-9-2 |
.412 |
1-8-2 |
.182 |
| 2001 |
12-4-1 |
.736 |
8-2-1 |
.773 |
| Total |
212-131-23 |
.611 |
130-98-18 |
.565 |
