The Big Ten Conference released its preseason honors list Wednesday afternoon, with three IU players honored.
Senior defender Grant Lillard, junior midfielder Andrew Gutman and junior defender Jeremiah Gutjahr each saw their names on the preseason honors watch list.
The No. 7-ranked Hoosiers were also chosen to finish second in the conference in a poll of the Big Ten coaches. No. 6 Maryland edged out the top spot with Wisconsin, Michigan State and Michigan filling out third, fourth and fifth place.
This is the second preseason honor for Lillard. He was named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List earlier this month.
Last season, the Hillsdale, Illinois, product earned second-team All-America honors from College Soccer News and Top Drawer Soccer. He comes into the 2017 season having started 18 of the 21 matches last season for IU.
Gutman receives a Big Ten Preseason Honor after being named a second-team All-Big Ten player in his first two seasons as a Hoosier. Aside from being a defender for IU, he has also excelled at getting forward in IU's attacking style of play. He grabbed a goal and three assists last season.
Gutjahr receives his first preseason award of his career after being a mainstay in IU's lineup a season ago. The Bloomington-native has also seen his name called by Under-20 Men's United States National Team head coach Tab Ramos. He was selected to play in the CONCACAF Championship last February and participated in a training camp in preparation for the FIFA U-20 World Cup this past June.
The Hoosiers have two more exhibition matches to play before their regular season begins in South Bend, Indiana, on August 25 against Cal Poly.
Josh Eastern
