Two of the players, midfielder Austin Panchot and goalkeeper Cody Jewett, have already enrolled in classes at IU at the start of spring semester.
“I am really excited about this group of eight,” IU Coach Todd Yeagley said. “With positional needs we feel like we have been able to fill those areas, specifically the left back and midfield spots that will soon be or have ?graduated.”
Two of the recruits, Jeremiah Gutjahr and Andrew Gutman, have the ability to play at left back next fall, a position formerly played by Patrick Doody, who has since graduated and signed a homegrown contract with the Chicago Fire.
Gutjahr was originally part of IU’s 2016 class but elected to graduate high school a year early. Gutjahr is from Bloomington and played for the Indiana Fire Academy where he captained both the U-15/16 and U-17/18 teams.
Gutman comes from Hinsdale, Ill., and played for the Chicago Fire Academy with current Hoosier Grant Lillard.
“Andrew is one of the best and most versatile defenders in the entire country,” Yeagley said.
In addition to Panchot, IU also added two midfielders with this class, Rece Buckmaster and Sam Stockton. IU will return three out of its five starting midfielders from last season after losing Dylan Lax and Jamie Vollmer to graduation.
“The environment that Rece has grown up with is tremendous ... Rece is arguably one of the best midfielders in the country,” Yeagley said. “I’m very excited to see what he’ll be able to do to help our team.”
Buckmaster participated in a U-17 men’s national team summer camp in July 2012 and played for the Indiana Fire Academy during his junior and senior years of high school. He was named a NSCAA Youth All-American in 2014.
Stockton won numerous awards during his time playing at Trinity High School. He was named 2014 Kentucky Mr. Soccer, the 2014 Kentucky High School Athletics Association Most Outstanding Senior and Offensive MVP, 2013 Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year and was first team NSCAA All-?American in 2014.
Stockton was also named first team all-state and all-region twice, and he was a four-time member of the All-Catholic High School team. He scored 14 goals and recorded 21 assists during his senior season.
“One of his best qualities is his ability to make the final pass,” Yeagley said. “He’s a team player with a great ?soccer IQ.”
IU also returns freshmen Michael Riedford and Trevor Swartz, sophomore Richard Ballard and junior Kyle Sparks, all of whom played significant minutes off the bench in the midfield.
In addition to Jewett, IU also added goalkeeper Sean Caulfield. Caulfield attended East Lake High School in Florida where he captained a team that won a regional title and was a state semifinalist.
The final member of the class is forward Jordan Kleyn from Plainfield, Ind. Kleyn was a 2014 NSCAA All-American and was named first team all-state as a junior and senior.
“There is great character in this class,” Yeagley said. “We see a great work ethic and leadership. Overall, I think this group is going to fit in nice with what we have and fight for quality minutes from day one.”
