Recapping Indiana Soccer Roster Changes Before Preseason Opener Against Wright State

Indiana men's soccer lost four players that started in last year's national championship match. The team's 2023 preseason begins Friday night at Bill Armstrong Stadium. While final roster decisions may have to wait weeks, tonight will provide the first few snippets of player rotations and how new or returning players perform in the team's 4-4-2 formation, unless the coaching staff experiments with another formation in the first few preseason exhibitions.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana's preseason starts Friday, and looking at its roster turnover, four starters from last year's national championship match are absent from this year's team. Three were taken in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft, while the fourth plays in the MLS Next Pro League.

Regardless of whether the Hoosiers can replenish that talent – and they likely will because Indiana hasn't missed the Sweet 16 since 2014 – the vacancies are still quite costly: two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Daniel Munie, a pair of attacking-midfielders, first-round SuperDraft selection Herbert Endeley and 2022 team-leading goal scorer Ryan Wittenbrink, and sturdy right-back Nyk Sessock, who had the team’s second-most assists in 2022.

If Indiana opts for its iteration of the 4-4-2 formation again this year, internal or newly recruited players would have to replace Wittenbrink and Endeley toward the wings, who counteracted each other well. Wittenbrink was always in the right place at the right time to score, as more than 50% of his shots were on goal. Endeley was somewhat more unpredictable in 2022, but put up the team's third-most goals and possessed flashy dribbling to penetrate the final third.

"Four to five (players) are not here, that's a pretty decent chunk," Indiana head coach Todd Yeagley said Wednesday after the first practice.” We've had years where it's eight, nine. If I can keep it most years two, three, four, I feel like we're doing a good job of working the new players into starting roles. But then, we assess. If there's a player that started last year and there's a kid that’s better and more ready to help us, then we have to make that decision.”

Yeagley continued, saying that the coaching staff won’t be ready on day one to make those decisions, and players must be further evaluated in the preseason. Yeagley, however, announced names that are probable he’ll experiment with on the back line in trying to fill in for the vacated Munie and Sessock. Senior center back Jansen Miller returns after appearing in 11 matches last season. The Hoosiers also picked up 6-foot-4 transfer senior Hugo Bacharach from Fairleigh Dickinson, the USL League Two Defender of the Year this summer.

Younger names Yeagley mentioned were freshmen Joel Demian, Alex Barger and Justin Schreffler. The latter two aren’t listed as defenders, but have played some defense. Meanwhile, Yeagley said Demian’s natural position is left back, and though that could interfere with returning fifth-year senior left back Brett Bebej, Bebej can also play many positions.

“That’s what we’re going to experiment with,” Yeagley said. “Get them into games, get them into 11’s. The more you go, there’s just a certain amount you can cover. We got to hone in on getting what is applicable to the match. It’d be great to have a month of preseason to do all kinds of different things, but we don’t have the time, so we got to get them into match play.”

Like 2022, there will be plenty of returners to the offense this upcoming season. Junior forwards Sam Sarver and Tommy Mihalic, redshirt senior Maouloune Goumballe, Karsen Henderlong, and even midfielder Quinten Helmer and sophomore forward Luka Bezerra, who both logged valuable minutes throughout last season, despite not playing as many in the postseason. All can be expected to contribute.

Backing up, the center-midfield should remain intact, with sophomore Jack Wagoner and junior Patrick McDonald returning. Wagoner was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team and was one of the Top Drawer Soccer Postseason Top-100 Freshmen. 

One player to keep an eye on is freshman forward Collins Oduro, the 2022 Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year. Oduro may add to the numerous offensive options and perhaps, that may impact if Indiana will experiment with an offensive-heavy formation. 

Friday’s first exhibition at Bill Armstrong Stadium at 7:30 p.m. ET against Wright State will supply answers about formation plans. Rather than normal 90 minutes, the exhibition will feature four 30-minute periods. 

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• EXHIBITION SCHEDULE: After losing in the national championship match last year, the Indiana men's soccer team enters the 2023 season ranked No. 2 in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll. Prior to the regular season, Indiana will play three exhibition matches. The first is on Friday night in Bloomington, and the final two will be against recurring foes from last year's exhibitions. CLICK HERE