Men's Soccer Preview: Attacking Strength Powers No. 7 Indiana

Hoosiers should have a potent attack in 2024.

Indiana players celebrate after junior Patrick McDonald (22) scored to tie the game in the second half of an NCAA Tournament men's soccer quarterfinal game against Notre Dame Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023, at Alumni Stadium in South Bend. Also pictured is Collins Oduro (11), Clay Murador (20), Sam Sarver (9) and Joey Maher (2). Of those Hoosiers, all but Maher return in 2024. / Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – When the United Soccer Coaches released their preseason poll on Aug. 6, Indiana held down the No. 7 spot.

The Hoosiers’ rich men’s soccer tradition certainly plays a part. But even if it didn’t, all the coaches needed to do was take one look at Indiana’s attacking options, and it would have warranted high hopes for the Hoosiers.

Indiana returns 54.2% of its scoring output from its 15-4-5 team that did not lose after an October 2023 setback against Northwestern. Indiana was eliminated by Notre Dame in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in a NCAA Tournament quarterfinal on Dec. 2, 2023.

However, it’s just not about who returns, though having dynamic Sam Sarver, lightning-quick Collins Oduro, dependable winger Tommy Mihalic and midfielder Patrick McDonald back is nothing to sneeze at.

Indiana men’s soccer coach Todd Yeagley added to the Hoosiers’ attacking menu with the addition of Northwestern transfer Justin Weiss.

Justin Weiss, an Indiana transfer by way of Northwestern, should be an integral part of the Hoosiers' attack in 2024. / Northwestern Athletics

Weiss is a two-time first-team All-Big Ten attacker, having earned the honor in 2021 and 2023 for the Wildcats. He scored 18 goals and 10 assists over his Northwestern career.

He’s a fascinating addition to the Hoosiers. Weiss played in the center of Northwestern’s attack, but much like Sarver he was also adept at creating chances for himself or others from the flank.

“He’s a smart player. We have some really good imbalancers - guys who can create. Taking nothing away from Sammy or Collins, they do have good moments when they’re fantastic in combination, but Justin has more understanding in those moments. He’ll bring those qualities out into other players,” Yeagley said.

While Sarver tends to be right-sided, Weiss skews left-sided. They could be a potent combination.

Sarver played right wing at times, but also played in the middle of attack. Lightning-quick and aggressive, the Chesterland, Ohio, native was first-team All-Big Ten in 2023 with eight goals and six assists. He scored on 15.7% of his shots.

Samuel Sarver’s game-winning goal from this year’s @bigten Championship game was one to remember! 🤩#B1GSoccer x @IndianaMSOC pic.twitter.com/NSCmHKlXtl

— Big Ten Soccer (@B1GSoccer) July 8, 2024

Playing for Akron City FC during the summer, Sarver was TopDrawerSoccer.com’s Young Player of the Season in the National Premier Soccer League.

“Is Sammy better wide or up top? Those are the kinds we’re kind of going through (in preseason),” Yeagley said.

Oduro had a Big Ten All-Freshman campaign in 2023 with five goals and two assists. When Sarver played in the middle, Oduro tended to the right side. Mihalic fell off from seven goals in 2022 to two in 2023, but he remains a threat on the left side.

There’s depth in attack as well. Center forward Luka Bezerra and winger Clay Murador were both in the rotation when the Hoosiers went on their run in the last third of the 2023 season. True freshman Michael Nesci has potential as he was the 99th-rated recruit by Top Drawer Soccer.

Attackers who don’t return include five-goal scorer Maouloune Goumballe and four-goal scorer Karsen Henderlong.

McDonald, who was drafted by Toronto FC in the MLS SuperDraft, but who decided to return to the Hoosiers, anchors the midfield options. A box-to-box threat, McDonald had three goals and five assists in 2023, good for first-team All-Big Ten honors.

63' | PATTY ARE YOU KIDDING???#IUMS pic.twitter.com/OzIG53VKaq

— Indiana Men's Soccer (@IndianaMSOC) December 2, 2023

Also returning is center midfielder Jack Wagoner, who made 12 starts among his 20 matches in 2023.

Yeagley will have plenty of options to augment the midfield group – both players who return and one’s added.

Sophomore Justin Shreffler, versatile defensive-minded sophomore Breckin Minzey, sophomore Noah Joseph, and junior Grant Yeagley all made cameo appearances in 2023 and could emerge in 2024. EJ Dreher and Seth Stewart both redshirted in 2023 and could also be factors.

Yeagley also added Tulsa graduate transfer Luke Jeffus, a veteran of four NCAA Tournament matches, and true freshman Miles Imperato is the most highly touted of the freshman class, rated as the No. 92 prospect in the country by Top Drawer Soccer. Yeagley mentioned that Charlie Heuer is another freshman he’s intrigued to see what he can do.

One player Indiana won’t have, one who was key to the Hoosiers’ surge, is Hugo Bacharach. The 6-foot-4 Bacharach’s move from defense to midfield helped spur the Hoosiers, but the Spanish national was drafted ninth overall by Minnesota United in the MLS SuperDraft. He has played one match for the Loons.

Indiana’s back line, which only conceded 19 goals in 2023, was hit hardest by departures. Standard bearers Bret Bebej and Andrew Goldsworthy both exhausted their eligibility.

Indiana’s other departure creates an interesting possible transition. Center back Joey Maher elected to transfer to Saint Louis, but one of the candidates for his replacement is younger brother Josh Maher, the 35th-ranked recruit by Top Drawer Soccer. Josh is the third Maher brother to suit up for the Hoosiers, along with Joey and Jack Maher.

Indiana’s other center back, Jansen Miller, had a solid 2023 campaign as he made 17 starts for the defensively stout Hoosiers. 

“Who is going to win the center back spot that will best partner with Jansen?” said Yeagley, who defined it as one of Indiana’s challenges for the season. 

Also returning is Alex Barger, who was named one of Top Drawer Soccer’s Top 100 Freshmen in 2023 as a left back. Fullback Joel Demien also earned playing time on the left side in 2023.

“Joel Demien is a little more attack-minded wing back than Barger,” Yeagley said. “Barger can get up, he’s got an amazing endurance base and he’s got the profile we like, but we need a little bit more final third play from him.”

Louisville transfer Quinton Elliot will most likely replace Bebej at right back. Elliot provides attacking nous from the back as he had two goals and eight assists in his career with the Cardinals.

Fullback Luke Reidell and freshmen Jack Lindimore and Drew Gaydosh are also in the defensive mix.

JT Harms enters his third season as Indiana’s goalkeeper. He played a NCAA-high 2,183 minutes in 2023 and was credited with eight clean sheets in 2023.

One potential challenge to Harms – Virginia transfer Holden Brown – won’t play out as Brown, a third-team All-ACC keeper, is out for the season with a knee injury. Aiden Montoure, an Evansville grad transfer, provides depth along with Cooper Johnsen and Alex Kara.

While the coaches rated Indiana highly in their preseason poll, the rest of the Big Ten will need to prove themselves in the eyes of their peers. The only other Big Ten team in the preseason top 25 apart from Indiana is No. 21 UCLA. None of the other Big Ten schools even garnered another vote.

Indiana begins preseason action on Tuesday as it plays Bowling Green at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind. The Hoosiers will also play a preseason match at No. 24 Louisville on Saturday.

Indiana opens its regular season at Saint Louis on Aug. 23. The first home match is on Aug. 29 as Indiana nemesis Notre Dame, ranked second in the preseason poll, visits Bill Armstrong Stadium.

The Fighting Irish are the lone team in the preseason poll on Indiana’s schedule, though Kentucky, which comes to Bloomington on Oct. 8, received votes.

The Big Ten slate has been expanded to 10 matches with the addition of UCLA and Washington to the soccer membership. Indiana hosts Maryland (Sept. 20), Washington (Oct. 4), Penn State (Oct. 11), Michigan State (Oct. 18) and Northwestern (Oct. 29) on its Big Ten home match schedule.

Related stories on Indiana men's soccer

• MAHER IN, MAHER OUT: Joey Maher transfers while Josh Maher comes to Bloomington. CLICK HERE.

• WEISS, ELLIOT ON BOARD: Justin Weiss and Quinton Elliot transfer to Indiana. CLICK HERE.

• MEMORABLE MOMENTS FROM 2023: A look back at a season that creates its share of memories. CLICK HERE.