2002 Season-In-Review (12-19-03)

Junior Vijay Dias, a two-year starter in the midfield, will be one of three seniors on the 2003 team.

12/19/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer

Dec. 19, 2002

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Indiana men's soccer team finished the 2002 season with a 15-4-2 record, and a perfect 6-0-0 mark in Big Ten matches on the way to its seventh straight conference regular season title. IU made the NCAA Tournament for the 27th time in the 30-year history of the program this season and advanced to the third round before falling at UCONN.

Indiana came out of the gates a little slow as it forged ties in its first two games of the season against a pair of top 10 teams, Rutgers and Clemson, in the adidas/IU Credit Union Classic. After a loss at St. John's in its fourth game of the season, the Hoosiers' record stood at 1-1-2.

Then things began to come together. IU went on an 11-match win streak, which included victories at No. 22 Michigan State, 6-1, and 12th-ranked Penn State, 1-0, in overtime. At the conclusion of the Hoosiers' conference slate, the team had once again claimed the conference regular season crown with a perfect 6-0 record. Indiana's class of seniors closed their careers with a 36-0 record against Big Ten opponents in regular season play.

After suffering a tough loss at Cal State Fullerton, 2-1, the Hoosiers bounced back and defeated No. 17 UC Santa Barbara, 3-1. The Hoosiers capped the regular season with a senior-day victory over IUPUI in overtime. Indiana was then set to begin postseason play.

The team entered the Big Ten Tournament in State College, Pa., as the top seed and enjoyed a first-round bye. In semifinal action, Indiana met tourney host and No. 4 seed Penn State. The Hoosiers and Nittany Lions battled to a 1-1 tie in regulation. Despite dominating and out-shooting Penn State, 7-0, in the two overtime periods, Indiana fell on penalty kicks, 4-1, and lost the match by a score of 2-1.

The Hoosiers were awarded a first-round bye in the NCAA Tournament and hosted 21st-ranked Notre Dame in second round action. The Hoosiers prevailed against the Fighting Irish, 1-0, and advanced to face seventh-seeded UCONN in Storrs, Conn., where the team ended its season with a 1-0 loss to the Huskies.

While Indiana did not make the NCAA College Cup for the first time in six years, it upheld its status as one of the nation's elite soccer programs. The Hoosiers were a consensus No. 1 in the preseason and ranked among the top five for the majority of the year. At season's end, Indiana remained tied for first in the nation in NCAA Tournament wins (63, with Saint Louis) and has the best winning percentage in tournament contests with a 63-22 record (.741). In addition, the Hoosiers were No. 11 in the final adidas/NSCAA Top 25 poll. IU continues to lead the country in end of the season top 10 rankings since 1971 with 22.

Noonan led Indiana in scoring for the third straight season, finshing with 37 points on 14 goals and nine assists. He also became just the 14th player in IU history to score 100 career points. Sophomore goalkeeper Jay Nolly had an 0.78 goal-against average to go with 50 saves and eight shutouts.

Three Hoosier players attained All-America status this season. Senior Pat Noonan completed his career as a three-time National Soccer Coaches' Association of America (NSCAA) All-American and also finished runner-up, by just four points, for the M.A.C. Hermann Trophy, which honors college soccer's national player of the year. Senior John Swann was one of three defenders on the first team and sophomore midfielder Ned Grabavoy made the second team.

In addition, seven IU soccer athletes were selected All-Big Ten Conference. Noonan, Swann and Grabavoy, were all consensus selections, while Nolly, sophomore midfielder Danny O'Rourke and senior midfielder/forward Ryan Mack garnered first-team honors. Senior defender Phil Presser nabbed a spot on the second team.

Rookie midfielder Brian Plotkin was tabbed the league's freshman of the year and Noonan was the player of the year for the second straight season.

Head coach Jerry Yeagley earned his seventh Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year award. Yeagley, college soccer's winningest active coach, extended his career record to 527-98-40 (.823). He is just 18 wins shy of breaking the all-time record for coaching victories.

2002 Honors

Big Ten Players of the Week

Offensive Player of the Week

Pat Noonan (Sept. 16 , Sept. 23 and Oct. 21)

Ned Grabavoy (Oct. 13)

Defensive Player of the Week
John Swann (Sept. 2 and Oct. 21)

Jay Nolly (Sept. 30)

David Prall (Oct. 13)

All-Big Ten Conference
First Team

Danny O'Rourke

Second Team

Phil Presser