Indiana men’s soccer has dealt with defensive turnover before.
In 2019, fresh off a College Cup appearance and an undefeated Big Ten regular season record, the Hoosiers lost four of their five members in the backline — the reigning Hermann Trophy winner Andrew Gutman, 2018 Goalkeeper of the Year Trey Muse and Second Team All-Big Ten members Rece Buckmaster and Timmy Mehl.
The 2018 Freshman of the Year and center back Jack Maher marked Indiana’s sole returner. Even with such drastic turnover, the Hoosiers failed to see devastating consequences as they reached the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.
Five years later, Indiana is in nearly the same situation.
Center back Jansen Miller, full back Quinton Elliot and goalkeeper JT Harms all departed the program in the offseason. However, this time around, the Hoosiers retained three of their key defenders from last season — sophomore Alex Barger, redshirt sophomore Breckin Minzey and freshman Josh Maher.
Dealt nearly an identical situation to Jack’s five years ago, Maher will be the only consistent starter returning from the backline. And just like in 2019, head coach Todd Yeagley has no doubts his team will fare just fine.
“I feel good about where we are in general,” Yeagley said in a press conference Jan. 23. “Our depth, I think, is very good. It's just who can kind of punch through and be at (an) All-Big Ten level.”
Miller was that player in 2024.
Originally transferring from Xavier University, the Ballwin, Missouri, native notched only three starts and 11 appearances in 2022 — his first season in Bloomington. Miller broke into the starting lineup in 2023, securing 17 starts in 19 games during his senior season.
But in 2024, the then-fifth-year senior Miller truly broke through. He started every game except against Division III side Trine University, and his game-winner against the University of Akron on Nov. 24 secured Indiana’s 10th straight Sweet 16 appearance. Miller’s efforts resulted in an appearance on the Second Team All-Big Ten and a selection as the No. 9 overall pick to Sporting Kansas City in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft.
Now the backline is under Maher’s command, even with just one year of collegiate experience under his belt. As for the spot next to him, the competition is “wide open.”
“It's a very important position that we're pursuing,” Yeagley said. “We need to make sure we have a very high-end starting level center back. And that’s not going to exclude any internal options, but you have to have three for two (spots) there. You can’t just have two capable starters.”
One of those internal options is Minzey, who shifted around the back line depending on what Indiana needed. Yeagley and his staff feel confident in his ability to play both right back and center back, and the 15-year Hoosier head coach noted the importance of that flexibility.
Regardless of those decisions, the Hoosiers will add more pieces to the backline this offseason.
“We're definitely bringing in a player that we think can be an instant impact,” Yeagley said. “We just haven't announced that player yet, but to be determined on when we’ll let you know.”
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For the first time in three seasons, Indiana’s goalkeeper position will feature a new face on day one. Harms departed the program after exhausting his collegiate eligibility, spending three seasons with the Hoosiers. Now the Cream and Crimson will likely turn to graduate student Holden Brown.
Brown spent four seasons with the University of Virginia before transferring to the Hoosiers in April 2024. The Zionsville, Indiana, native missed all of last season while recovering from knee surgery, and he now enters his last year of eligibility.
After an extended period on the sideline, Indiana is still taking cautious measures with Brown. Yeagley noted he is “limited” in his actions, only participating in some handling, footwork and technical work with assistant coach Christian Lomeli.
Still, Yeagley already has a solid understanding of the player Brown is — and what type of player Indiana will need him to be to succeed.
“He's a really positive, energetic, good leader and he did a great job in his role this year on the sideline,” Yeagley said. “But we need him not only in goal ready to compete, but we also need his voice and his leadership. It's a big void losing some personalities that we did this past fall.”
In total, Indiana’s three departures leave with 205 combined appearances, a number that will be nearly impossible to replicate through the portal.
But if history is representative of Indiana’s success with a rebuilt defense in 2025, it appears Yeagley and the Hoosiers will be just fine.
Mateo Fuentes-Rohwer covers Indiana men’s basketball and men’s soccer for the Indiana Daily Student. You can follow him at @mateo_frowher on X and contact him via email at matfuent@iu.edu.