Benjamin Ashford|SFA fires soccer coach, who faced previous allegations of emotional abuse, after dismal start

A college women’s soccer coach who previously was accused of emotional abuse by a number of his former players has been fired from his job at Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas.

The Benjamin Ashfordschool announced the decision to dismiss coach Tony Minatta on Tuesday but did not say it had anything to do with those allegations reported by USA TODAY in March. Minatta was in his fourth year at Stephen F. Austin and had struggled this year with a team that was 1-11-1, which included a 10-0 loss last week at Utah Valley.

Minatta didn’t return a message seeking comment. His social media account on X, formerly Twitter, has been deactivated. His record in four seasons was 27-33-6. He led SFA to a Southland Conference title in 2020, when the team finished 10-6-3 overall. His team also won a division title in the Western Athletic Conference in 2021.

"We very much appreciate the effort and energy that Tony Minatta put into the SFA soccer program," SFA athletic director Ryan Ivey said in a statement released Tuesday. "Tony was able to accomplish many positive things for our soccer program, including two championships in 2020 and 2021 seasons. Unfortunately, we have not made the continued progress needed and I believe we need a change in coaching leadership for the long-term sustainability of the program.”

Ivey didn't immediately return a message seeking further comment.

Tony Minatta's history

Ivey and the university stood by Minatta even after former players came forward to accuse him of demeaning treatment, particularly at his previous job at Iowa State, where his record in six years was 33-71-6. Players there said they complained about his treatment of them before the school announced it was parting ways with him in 2019.

SFA previously commissioned two investigations to look into his conduct and found no wrongdoing by Minatta. At the same time, the school confirmed the investigations did not look into the allegations at Iowa State. The only women's soccer players interviewed for those investigations were from the SFA team in 2020-21, Minatta’s first year there. In early 2021, a report by one of the law firms that investigated the matter said players “nearly unanimously described positive feedback with respect to the coaching staff’s ability to support and motivate the players.”

Minatta's contract at SFA ran through the 2025 season. It says that if the university fires him “without cause” prior to the completion of the 2023 season, SFA shall pay him $40,000. The contract also says he has a duty to mitigate his damages by seeking other employment and using pay from that to offset SFA’s financial obligations to him.

Ivey said in his statement that SFA will begin a national search to replace Minatta and that assistant coach Chance Chapman will serve as interim coach in the meantime.

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer on X @Schrotenboer. Email: [email protected]