Last season’s Big Ten freshman of the year Jack Maher and freshman forward Joshua Penn received preseason All-America honors from Top Drawer Soccer Wednesday morning.
Maher stands as the lone sophomore named on the preseason MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List. The defender also made the second-team preseason best XI team and was featured on the Big Ten preseason honors list Tuesday.
Penn was named to the freshman preseason Best XI team. He joins Penn State defender Alex Stevenson as the only freshmen from the Big Ten to be named to the team. The honors were the first for Penn but the second for Maher as he earned All-America honors from College Soccer News as well.
As the No. 12 overall recruit, according to Top Drawer Soccer, Penn played with the U.S. U-19 and U-20 men's national teams before coming to IU this season. He will be a key replacement at the forward position for the graduated seniors of last season.
The No. 2 Hoosiers are favored to win the Big Ten according to the conference poll from the league’s coaches. Maher and Penn will be two leading underclass forces for the Hoosiers as the team develops a consistent starting 11 on a team that has to replace 10 starters.
