Indiana University Athletics
Indiana University
Cal Poly
Indiana Set to Open 2017 Campaign This Weekend
8/17/2017 4:54:00 PM | Women's Soccer
The game is part of the annual Hoosier Challenge Cup tournament, which also includes No. 13 Clemson and SIUE. Indiana will face off against Clemson Sunday at 1:30. Admission to all Indiana Women's Soccer home games is free of charge. Both games will be streamed live on BTN Plus.
Full Hoosier Challenge Cup Schedule:
Friday
4:30 p.m. - SIUE vs. #13 Clemson
7:30 p.m. - Cal Poly at Indiana
Sunday
11 a.m. - Cal Poly vs. SIUE
1:30 p.m. - #13 Clemson at Indiana
MATCHUP UP WITH THE MUSTANGS
Friday's meeting with Cal Poly will be just the second time the Hoosiers and Mustangs have played each other. Cal Poly came away with a 3-1 victory in 2008.
Cal Poly is coming off a 6-10-3 2016 campaign, including a 1-5-2 Big West record. The Mustangs were picked to finish sixth in this Big West Preseason Coaches Poll. Senior midfielder Megan Abutin was tabbed for the Preseason All-Conference Team. Abutin returns to the pitch after sustaining a season-ending injury in the first game of the 2016 season. Abutin's 20 career assists is second in program history and ranks 18th in the NCAA. Cal Poly also returns goalkeeper Sophia Brown, who played every minute last year as a freshman. Brown made 92 saves with a 1.3 goals against average.
CLASHING WITH CLEMSON
The No. 13-ranked Tigers are coming off their first NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen appearance since the 2006 season, as well as their second ACC regular season title. Clemson finished the 2016 season ranked No. 12 in the final NSCAA poll and No. 13 in the final RPI. Clemson was picked to finish sixth in the Preseason ACC Coaches Poll, with junior defender Sam Staab being named to the Preseason All-ACC Team. Staab was tied for second on the team a season ago with 15 points, with 11 of those coming on assists.
Sunday's game will be the first ever meeting for Indiana and Clemson.
WHAT'S AHEAD IN 2017?
The 2017 schedule features 10 total games against participants in the 2016 NCAA Tournament and 11 opponents who finished last season ranked in the top 60 of the RPI.
The non-conference portion of the slate includes eight games, with three opponents advancing to the tournament last year and four finishing in the RPI Top 60.
Big Ten play for Indiana includes 2016 Big Ten Co-Champions Northwestern and Minnesota, as well as seven meetings with 2016 NCAA Tournament teams.
In the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll, five of Indiana's 2017 opponents are ranked - No. 13 Clemson, No. 19 Minnesota, No. 21 Rutgers, No. 22 Nebraska and No. 23 Northwestern.
THIS WEEK'S PROMOS
Friday's opener includes a 2017 schedule magnet giveaway. On Sunday, fans are invited to bring their four-legged friends to Bill Armstrong Stadium for Pups at the Pitch. The Monroe County Humane Association will be in attendance with a pooch smooch booth. Sunday's game is also Faith and Family Day and will include post-game autographs.
RETURNING IN 2017
Indiana has 18 letterwinners returning from last season, including redshirt junior Mykayla Brown and sophomores Allison Jorden and Meghan Scott, all of whom were tapped for the Big Ten Preseason Honors List earlier this week. Brown led the Hoosier offense last season with eight goals, including three game-winners. Jorden and Scott both started every game for Indiana while Scott recorded seven assists, good for seventh-most in a single season at IU.
The senior class is represented by Kayla Smith and Kylie Kirk, both starters a season ago. Redshirt junior Annelie Leitner is back in action after missing most of last season with an injury. Returners also include juniors Caroline Dreher and Maya Piper, who each found the back of the net twice last season. Sophomores Sydney Kilgore and Chandra Davidson each found their way into the starting lineup last season and scored at least once. Macy Miller proved to be a difference maker in 2016, earning Big Ten All-Freshman team accolades.
Sophomore goalkeeper Sarah L'Hommedieu, who led the Big Ten with 93 saves last season, is joined by junior Bristal Hadley-Mautino, as well as freshman keeper Bethany Kopel.
THE NEW NINE
The Hoosiers have nine newcomers added to the roster this season. Joining Kopel are Cam Bell, Camryn Carty, Melanie Forbes, Ana Garibaldi, Grace Geise, Nicolette Kapsalis, Hanna Németh and Maddie West.
SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE
• Sergio Gonzalez was promoted to associate head coach on January 26. Gonzalez previously spent his first four seasons as an assistant coach.
• Former IUWS player Emily Basten will now serve as the team's graduate assistant manager. Basten, who transferred to Indiana in 2015 for her senior season after playing three years at Central Michigan, will help coordinate travel, administrative responsibilities and day-to-day operations.
• Annelie Leitner participated in the 2017 Cyprus Cup March 1-8 with the full Austrian National Team.
• A pair of freshmen also represented their countries as Hanna Németh competed in the Elite Round of the UEFA U19 Championship with Hungary in May. Melanie Forbes represented Team Ontario in the Canada Games earlier this month, winning a silver medal. Forbes netted a goal and picked up four assists during the Games.
• A program-best 10 Hoosiers landed on the Big Ten Distinguished Scholars list. The accolade was given to those who recorded at least a 3.7 GPA or higher during the 2016-17 school year. The 10 selections were the most of any other women's soccer programs in the conference.
25th SEASON
The 2017 campaign will mark the 25th season in Indiana Women's Soccer's history. The program was started in 1993 as Joe Kelley was appointed head coach to help transition the team from club to varsity. Since then, more than 250 players have donned the Cream and Crimson to lead the program to where it is today.
CATCH #IUWS ON BTN PLUS
The Big Ten Network announced on Thursday that Indiana Women's Soccer's Sept. 28 game against Northwestern will be broadcast on BTN at 8 p.m. ET.
In addition to the Big Ten Network broadcast, every home game will be available for streaming on BTN Plus, beginning with this Friday's season opener against Cal Poly.
BTN Plus is a web-only streaming service that is available for a small monthly fee. For more information and to subscribe, click here.
Griffin Weinberg returns as the voice of the Hoosiers this season and will be part of every BTN Plus broadcast.
