Think having the most prestigious program in the country and playing the most popular sport in the world means that the Indiana men’s soccer team is “Hoosiers” in name only? Think again. The roster is loaded with players that went to Indiana high schools. In case you needed one more reason to rally around the institution that is Indiana men’s soccer as it prepares to commence its quest for a 9th national title, take note of the following Hoosiers playing for the Hoosiers:
- 2 – Jordan Kleyn, Defender, Plainfield, IN (Avon High School)
- 6 – Jack Griffith, Midfielder/Defender, Danville, IN (Brownsburg High School)
- 11 – Cory Thomas, Midfielder/Forward, Corydon, IN (Corydon Central High School)
- 17 – Jeremiah Gutjahr, Midfielder, Bloomington, IN (Bloomington North High School)
- 18 – Thomas Warr, Forward, Zionsville, IN (Zionsville High School)
- 19 – Rece Buckmaster, Defender/Midfielder, Auburn, IN (Cantebury High School
- 21 – Spencer Glass, Defender/Midfielder, Fort Wayne, IN (Carroll High School)
- 28 – John Bannec, Defender, Bloomington, IN (Bloomington South High School)
- 29 – Josh Lipe-Melton, Forward, Bloomington, IN (Bloomington North High School)
- 30 – Jacob Gruber, Goalkeeper, Fishers, IN (Cathedral High School)
Collectively this group makes up 1/3 of the roster. That’s a pretty impressive list when you consider that IU could easily fill its roster from anywhere in the country, or the world for that matter. And there has always been a local component to the legendary team. We’re sure that this is an incomplete list, but several of the all-time program greats have also hailed from the Hoosier state, including:
- Michael Anhaeuser
- Dylan Mares
- Juergen Sommer
- Eriq Zavaleta
- Todd Yeagley
Something Else
If you want to know more about the history of the IU men’s soccer program and how they became elite, we came across the following video while researching this story. It is certainly worth 7 minutes, and it will leave you anxious for the first NCAA match. The quest for the program’s ninth national title begins Sunday at Bill Armstrong Stadium at 1:00PM. Students can attend for free with a student ID.
[Rece Buckmaster photo by Ben Mikesell]
