Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Kick-Off 2010 Major League Soccer Season
3/24/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
March 24, 2010
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Major League Soccer season is upon us and 11 players with Indiana University men's soccer ties will take the pitch this weekend.
Drew Moor of the Colorado Rapids will be the first IU players out of the gate as they take on Chivas USA on Friday, March 26 at 10:30 p.m. ET in Los Angeles. Moor wore the Cream and Crimson in 2003 and 2004, earning All-America honors during the 2004 championship run. During his two seasons at Indiana, the Hoosiers went 37-7-6, and won a pair of national titles. He was a two-time unanimous first team All-Big Ten selection.
Toronto's Nick Garcia and Jacob Peterson will square off against Danny O'Rourke and Jed Zayner of the Columbus Crew on Saturday, March 27 at 4 p.m. ET in Columbus. Garcia was a three-time All-American at IU (1997-99). He anchored IU's defense that allowed just 39 goals in 73 games during his three-year career, winning back-to-back NCAA titles in 1998 and 1999. Peterson was at IU from 2003-05, earning All-America honors in 2005, leading the Big Ten in goals (12) and points (26) that season. O'Rourke was the 2004 Hermann Trophy winner, earning All-America honors as he led Indiana to an NCAA title that season. Zayner earned All-America status in 2005, organizing an IU defense over his three-year career that had a 0.63 GAA with 35 shutouts.
Rookie Eric Alexander and FC Dallas will place host to Houston Dynamo on March 27 at 4 p.m. ET. Completing his career at IU in 2009, Alexander is the latest Hoosier to join the MLS ranks. He was a three-time All-Big Ten pick, earning first-team honors in 2007 and second-team accolades in 2008 and 2009.
It will be another matchup of former Hoosiers as Ned Grabavoy and the 2009 MLS Cup champion Real Salt Lake face rookie Brad Ring and the San Jose Earthquakes on March 27 at 9 p.m. ET in San Jose. Grabavoy played at Indiana from 2001-03, receiving All-America status in 2002 and 2003. He was also a consensus All-Big Ten pick those seasons. After sitting out the season last year while recovering from injury, Ring is back on the pitch. He was a two-time All-American for the Hoosiers in 2007 and 2008, earning All-Big Ten honors both seasons.
Veterans Chris Klein and Dema Kovalenko of the Los Angeles Galaxy will play host to rising star Kevin Alston and the New England Revolution on March 27 at 11 p.m. ET. Klein played for the Hoosiers from 1994-97, tallying 19 goals and 18 assists during his four-year career. Kovalenko was Klein's teammate at IU during that time, earning All-America accolades in 1997 and 1998. His 105 points scored in three seasons ranks 12th on the school's all-time scoring list. Alston enters his second season at New England after a strong rookie campaign. Alston earned All-Big Ten honors in 2008 and has caught the eye of the U.S. Men's National Team, earning a pair of call-ups to training camps this year.
The 2010 Indiana Hoosiers open their spring season this Sunday (March 28) when they play host to Louisville at noon on Jerry Yeagley Field at Armstrong Stadium. The Hoosiers will also play host to Cincinnati (April 9- 7:30 p.m.)and IUPUI (April 14- 7 p.m.) before closing out the spring with a match against the Mexican Youth National Team on April 27 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the match vs. Mexico are $5 for adults and $3 for children/students.
