Another quest for Indiana men’s soccer’s long-awaited ninth national championship begins Sunday afternoon.
Since their 1-0 defeat to Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament on Nov. 7, the No. 14 Hoosiers have waited patiently. But that wait is finally over, and five straight wins is all that stands in the way of Indiana and its title aspirations.
Indiana ended the regular season with a share of the Big Ten regular season title and a seven-game winning streak, including victories over then-No. 18 Michigan and then-No. 15 UCLA.
The late-season push coincided with the emergence of Indiana’s attack, one which scored only seven goals through eight games to start the year but ended with 32 goals in the final 10 matches. Senior forward Tommy Mihalic led the Hoosiers with 10 goals and five assists, securing the 2024 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year award Nov. 8.
Along with Mihalic in the front line, senior Sam Sarver contributed five goals and eight assists while graduate student Justin Weiss netted six goals. Four other Hoosiers netted at least three goals, including freshman forward Michael Nesci with three and freshman midfielder Charlie Heuer with four.
Both senior midfielder Patrick McDonald and junior defender Quinton Elliot joined Mihalic and Sarver on the All-Big Ten First Team. McDonald started every game except Indiana’s bout against Division III Trine University, adding two goals and two assists. Similarly, Elliot started every game, scoring three goals and providing three assists.
But Indiana’s regular season is in the past –– and the NCAA Tournament marks a completely new season for the Hoosiers.
Meet the Zips
In its only guaranteed home contest, Indiana starts its tournament charge against the University of Akron (12-4-4). The Zips defeated Princeton University 1-0 Thursday, earning a trip to Bloomington for the Round of 32.
The Hoosiers are well acquainted with the Zips, having faced them 36 times in their history with 26 victories and only seven losses. Most recently, Indiana faced Akron in 2022, with the Hoosiers triumphing 2-0.
Similar to Indiana’s slow start to the season, Akron began the year 1-3-3. However, nine straight victories led the Zips to a Big East regular season title, the first in their history since joining from the Mid-American Conference in 2023.
Akron is led by redshirt senior forward Emil Jaaskelainen, one of the most prolific players in the country. The Bolton, England, native leads the nation with 23 goals, adding eight assists to his tallies as well.
Jaaskelainen’s goalscoring prowess is nothing new –– he netted 43 in his four-year career at Long Island University. His efforts this season earned him a unanimous selection for Big East Offensive Player of the Year and First-Team All-Big East selection.
Along with Jaaskelainen, Akron touted the Big East Defensive Player of the Year with redshirt senior Beto Ydrach and Big East Goalkeeper of the Year with redshirt junior Mitch Budler. Both players joined Jaaskelainen on the First-Team All-Big East, along with redshirt senior midfielder Dyson Clapier.
Kickoff between the Hoosiers and the Zips is slated for 1 p.m. Sunday at Bill Armstrong Stadium in Bloomington. Coverage will be on ESPN+.
Follow reporters Matt Press (@MattPress23) and Mateo Fuentes-Rohwer (@mateo_frohwer) for updates throughout the Indiana men’s soccer season.
