With 14 newcomers in the fold for the 2024 season, Indiana men’s soccer has gotten off to a bumpy start.
The Hoosiers — who entered the year ranked No. 7 in the country — started their campaign with a 2-0 loss on the road to Saint Louis University on Aug. 23 before returning home and drawing then-No. 8 University of Notre Dame on Aug. 29.
After senior forward Tommy Mihalic’s brace earned Indiana its first win of the season over Yale University, the Hoosiers tied Butler University and subsequently lost to the University of Dayton, marking the program’s first loss at home since Sept. 1 of last season.
With Big Ten play starting Friday night against Rutgers, the IDS men’s soccer reporters discussed four topics for the remainder of the season.
Most valuable player
MATT PRESS: Since transferring from Northwestern in the offseason, graduate student forward Justin Weiss has only played sparingly. He dealt with an injury through the preseason and sustained a calf injury against Yale that held him out of the ensuing two matches. Still, there’s reason to believe Weiss can be Indiana’s most potent attacker when he returns. Weiss was twice named a first-team All-Big Ten selection with the Wildcats, and last season he led the conference in assists (7) while finishing third in goals (7). Maouloune Goumballe was a consistent, clinical finisher up top for the Hoosiers — and a clutch performer late in the season — and I think Weiss will find his form and fulfill a similar role.
MATEO FUENTES-ROHWER: The two best games of Indiana’s season have been against Notre Dame and Yale. The constant across both games? Goals from Tommy Mihalic. His overall play took a turn in the next two matches against Butler and Dayton, as Indiana dropped points with a draw and a defeat, respectively. For a Hoosier squad looking to defend its co-Big Ten regular season title, Mihalic’s veteran presence and goal-scoring prowess will be necessities. He’s started 57 games over the first three seasons of his career, while adding 14 goals and three assists. Indiana has already shown it depends on Mihalic, and I believe his hot and cold start will begin to level out with consistent, winning performances.
Breakout player
PRESS: I’ve been high on junior defender Quinton Elliot throughout the first five matches, and I think we will start to truly see him emerge soon. The University of Louisville transfer is a stout defender, effective in the air and supremely technical with the ball at his foot. Head coach Todd Yeagley said he challenged Elliot to match former Hoosier star Andrew Gutman’s 11-goal season in 2018, and while that might be an unachievable feat, I think there’s scoring for Elliot looming. He’s already firing dangerous crosses at a consistent rate and becoming involved in attacking combinations, and I believe it’s only a matter of time before Elliot’s playmaking ability manifests on the stat sheet.
FUENTES-ROHWER: Sophomore forward Clay Murador has yet to register a goal or an assist 21 matches into his collegiate career. But to the watchful eye, it’s clear he’s right on the cusp of breaking that drought. At the end of the half against Notre Dame, Murador’s effort struck the post, and his electrifying pace in the second half against Dayton caused nightmares for the Flyer defenders. Indiana has a crowded attacking core, but no player can match his speed and quickness. With more opportunities and game time, I suspect Murador will finally break through on the score sheet.
Biggest question
PRESS: I’m curious to see if Indiana can increase its production on set pieces. Former Hoosier Ryan Wittenbrink’s set-piece brilliance played a major role in the squad’s run to the national championship game in 2022, but senior forward Sam Sarver’s free kicks haven’t been quite as dangerous since. Similarly, on corners, the Hoosiers haven’t been able to consistently offer threatening chances. Even on penalty kicks, Indiana hasn’t been as clinical as it would hope — Weiss and Mihalic have each missed one this season. For the Hoosiers to succeed in the remainder of the season, they’ll need to wreak havoc and generate goals on set pieces.
FUENTES-ROHWER: Last season, Indiana conceded 11 regular season goals, but through five matches in 2024, the Hoosiers have allowed seven. Losing center back Joey Maher and fullback Brett Bebej was critical, but it’s still surprising to see the Hoosiers reach such large totals so early in the season. Maher’s replacement raised questions, and his brother Josh, who has started the last four matches, appears to be the answer. It’s important for Indiana to improve its scoring, but a more consistent defense will be just as crucial.
Big Ten standings prediction
PRESS: After a similarly rocky start to last season, Indiana transformed during conference play and went on to win both the Big Ten regular season and Big Ten Tournament titles. I’m not so sure they’ll do the same this season. The Hoosiers are still figuring out how to deploy certain players on the attack, and the backline has at times struggled with opposing teams’ pace. There’s plenty of time for things to change, but it feels like there’s some kind of X-factor missing in this year’s squad. It’s difficult to ever truly rule out an Indiana team, but there are formidable competitors like newcomers Washington and UCLA, as well as Penn State and Ohio State. I’ll say the Hoosiers finish the regular season fifth in the table.
FUENTES-ROHWER: The Big Ten was already one of the toughest conferences in the nation, so the inclusion of UCLA and Washington only made it tougher. Indiana will have home field advantage against the Huskies, reigning co-Big Ten regular season champion Penn State and No. 22 Michigan. However, this means the Hoosiers travel to UCLA, No. 8 Wisconsin and No. 12 Ohio State. I expect Indiana to figure out most of its issues, but given how little room for error is allowed in the expanded Big Ten, I predict the Hoosiers to finish fourth in the table.
Follow reporters Matt Press (@MattPress23) and Mateo Fuentes-Rohwer (@mateo_frohwer) for updates throughout the Indiana men’s soccer season.
