Indiana - Four Star Class Ranking - The Hoosiers have added a relatively small but very strategic four member recruiting class that includes NSCAA High School All-Americans midfielder Kevin Bick and defender Matt Wiet.   The Hoosiers welcome back a solid nucleus including seven starters and their top three point producers from the 2008 team that was 14-7-3 overall with a 3-3-0 mark in Big Ten play.  Despite a solid showing in 2008, the Hoosiers likely ended the season wondering what might have been due to the unexpected manner in which their season came to an end.  Indiana, a team which normally does not relinquish a lead, jumped out in front of St. John’s 2-0 in an Elite Eight match in NCAA Tourney play but faltered down the home stretch in the contest and allowed the Red Storm to come from behind to win 3-2 in overtime.  Sometimes one year’s disaster can turn into next year’s triumph by providing a team a little extra momentum and focus.  The Hoosiers have a few gaps to fill but they definitely have the ingredients in 2009 to be a Final Four team.  Indiana’s losses due to graduation include midfielders Brad Ring (1g, 1a) and John Mellencamp (4g, 1a), forward Kevin Noschang (4g, 1a), and goalkeeper Chay Cain.  The Hoosiers also will miss the services of defender Kevin Alston who elected to forgo his senior year of eligibility to enter the professional ranks.   Sophomore forward Will Bruin (6g, 0a), the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, is among returning players who will add a little spice to the Indiana offense in 2009.  Bruin established last year that he is among the premier forwards in the Big Ten and the country.  Junior Neil Wilmarth (2g, 4a) and redshirt sophomores Alec Purdie and Max Weston are among other returning forwards who should be in the mix.  Senior Eric Alexander (3g, 4a) and junior Andy Adlard (7g, 5a) who were All-Big-Ten Second Team members last year return to lead a Hoosier midfield that should be able to more than hold its own with anyone in the country.  Seniors Darren Yeagle and Cameron Jordan, junior Rich Balchan (0g, 3a) and sophomore Nick Blevins round out a midfield that will be deep and athletic.  Senior center back Ofori Sarkodie, who has been a starter for the past three seasons, returns to anchor what looks to be a very solid IU backline.  Senior Lee Hagedorn who had thirteen starts last year,  junior Daniel Kelly, and sophomore Tommy Meyer who was a College Soccer News All-Freshman Second Team selection last year round out the Hoosier backline.  Sophomores Luis Soffner from St. Louis, Missouri, Nate Mitchell from Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Michael Munroe from Indianapolis, Indiana are among returning keepers who will vie for the goalkeeper position which Cain previously occupied for three seasons.  Any serious discussion of Big Ten soccer almost always starts with Indiana.  The Hoosiers have played their way into the Big Ten Tournament Championship match fourteen times and have prevailed in that contest eleven times.  The road to the Big Ten title still goes through Bloomington but the grip that the Hoosiers once had on the tournament championship seems to be loosening a bit due to the parity that now exists in the league.  It is noteworthy that Ohio State won the Big Ten tourney in 2007 advancing past IU in penalty kicks and Michigan State took it in 2008 with a 1-0 win over Indiana.  Mike Freitag will enter his sixth season as the IU head coach in 2009 with a very talented and deep team that will again be among the favorites to win the Big Ten regular-season and tournament crowns and that should once again challenge for a high national ranking.

 

Graham Basecke - Springfield, Missouri - Midfielder - Glendale High School - Named to the All-Ozarks team - Second Team All-District - Second Team All-State - Played club with Springfield.

 

Kevin Bick - Louisville, Kentucky - Midfielder - Saint Xavier - Two-time NSCAA High School All-American - Named Kentucky Mr. Soccer - Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year. 

 

Caled Konstanski - Bloomington, Indiana - Defender - South High School - First Team All-State - Played club soccer with the Bloomington Cutters - Five Time Indiana ODP team member.

 

Matt Wiet - Columbus, Ohio - Defender - Worthington Kilbourne - NSCAA High School All-American - Ohio Player of the Year - Played with Columbus Crew Development Academy.