Indiana University Athletics
2006 Men's Soccer Preview: Part 3
7/26/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
July 26, 2006
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - IUHOOSIERS.com completes its season outlook with a look at the midfielders and forwards.
MIDFIELD
The midfield will be one of the Hoosiers strongest areas, led by three all-league honorees.
"Although we've lost some key players in the midfield, we return some players who are outstanding and will be a key to our success. We will be solid in the midfield," head coach Mike Freitag said.
Senior John Michael Hayden played both in the middle and wide last year, finishing the season with seven points on three goals and one assist. He earned second team All-Big Ten honors as a sophomore in 2004, scoring seven goals with four assists for 10 points in the middle.
"John will probably move into the middle where he feels most comfortable. He will be a great addition to our attack. John is one of the most technically gifted players we've had here and I look forward to him having a great senior year," said Freitag.
Senior Josh Tudela, a second team All-Big Ten selection last season, is Indiana's leading returning scorer, scoring six goals with five assists for 17 points last season. He was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 10 after scoring goals in wins over Louisville and Michigan.
"Josh has just been solid for us. He is a consistent player that comes every day to play. You sometimes don't realize how important he is to our team," Freitag said.
Sophomore Brad Ring, who spent his offseason with the Under-20 National team, was named to the Big Ten All-Freshmen team last year. He scored one goal and started in three games, but will look to start on a full-time basis this season. Ring has the potential to earn All-Big Ten accolades.
"Brad is going to be a dominant player in college soccer," says Freitag.
Sophomore John Mellencamp, who played in three of the first four games of the season before battling an injury for part of the year, had a strong spring and has the potential to see more playing time. He scored the game-winning goal in each of the last two spring games against the Mexican Youth National team and Butler. Sophomore Brian Ackley played in 11 games as a freshman and also had a good spring. He has the potential to play in several areas of the midfield.
Sophomores Doug Reisinger and Kiki Wallace each saw minimal action as freshman and will look to see more playing time next year.
Redshirt freshman Lee Hagedorn is coming off a strong spring for the Hoosiers. He scored two goals in spring action, with markers against IUPUI and Butler.
"I am very pleased with Lee. He had a great spring season, and is going to make us a better team in the near future," said Freitag.
A pair of talented freshmen will vie for a starting slot in the midfield, led by Gatorade National High School Soccer Player of the Year Eric Alexander. He played for former Hoosier B.J. Snow at Portage Central High School, and finished his career with 28 goals and 12 assists. Alexander is also a two-time NSCAA/adidas Youth All-American.
Freshman Daniel Kelly is also highly touted, playing with the Under-17 National team and earning NSCAA/adidas All-America accolades in 2005.
Junior Nick Sutter transfered from the University of Illinois - Chicago. He played in 30 games in two years with the Flames under former Hoosier John Trask, and tallied three assists.
FORWARDS
The forward position is an area where the Hoosiers suffer the most losses, with Jacob Peterson and Mike Ambersley moving on to Major League Soccer. However, Freitag feels confident that the returning players will step up their game.
Sophomore Kevin Noschang was a key reserve last year, playing in 21 games. He scored both of his goals on the season in a 5-0 win over IUPUI and tallied four assists on the year.
"Kevin is a young man with tremendous potential. With his speed, he is one of our best offensive weapons," Freitag said.
In his senior year, Kevin Robson has been a top reserve the past three years. Last season, he scored two goals with one assist. He also has the potential to play in the midfield.
"Kevin is very good in the box and with helping the team create scoring opportunities," Freitag said.
Sophomore Billy Weaver came on strong towards the end of last season. He appeared in eight games, seeing significant minutes in the Big Ten Tournament against Wisconsin. Weaver also came off the bench in the NCAA Tournament game against Notre Dame.
"Billy is an offensively minded player. He will be fighting for a position in the front line," Freitag said.
The top newcomer in the front, Darren Yeagle, looks to make an immediate impact in the scoring. Redshirting last season, he was a mainstay in the Hoosier lineup during the 2006 spring season after coming in as a 2004 PARADE Magazine All-American and a NSCAA/adidas All-American.
"Darren is an exciting, explosive player who will give the team some attacking from the wide position, midfield or up front. I am very excited about him," said Freitag.
Neil Wilmarth is also an incoming freshman, earning NSCAA/adidas and Soccer America All-America honors in 2005. He helped lead his team to the 2005 Illinois Class AA state championship.
Sophomore newcomer Jacob Tudela will also be a force up front. He did not play last season, but scored a goal against IUPUI during the spring. Sophomore George Tembon, who walked onto the soccer team from the track team, also scored a goal against IUPUI in the spring and will begin his first full season in 2006.
