The NSCAA released their preseason rankings Tuesday, and the Hoosiers were ranked 15th overall heading into the 2016 season.
IU will face six ranked teams this season in Stanford (1), Maryland (4), Notre Dame (9), UCLA (16), Ohio State (18), and Rutgers (25), and is one of four ranked Big Ten teams.
The Hoosiers return nine starters from a season ago. Two of those nine, midfielder Tanner Thompson and defender Grant Lillard, were named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List in July.
In 2015, the Hoosiers finished 13-5-3 and reached the NCAA Tournament for the 29th straight season. IU received a national seed for the 11th time in the last 13 years while finishing second in the Big Ten to Ohio State with 13 points to the Buckeyes’ 16.
The Hoosiers get their season going on Aug. 16 against Loyola-Chicago in an exhibition match at Bill Armstrong Stadium before their first non-conference match of the season against New Mexico in the Mike Berticelli Memorial Tournament in South Bend, IN, on Aug. 26.
Josh Eastern
