Indiana University Athletics
Corrado Joins Hoosier Soccer Squad
1/18/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Jan. 18, 2011
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The 2009 Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year A.J. Corrado has joined the Indiana University men's soccer team this semester, head coach Todd Yeagley announced Tuesday. Corrado comes to IU from Southern Methodist University and will have three seasons of eligibility remaining beginning with the fall of 2011.
Corrado appeared in 18 games as a freshman for SMU, tallying one goal and one assist as the Mustangs posted a 16-2-2 record in 2010 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament, falling to North Carolina in penalty kicks after a 1-1 tie. Corrado had nine shots on the season, four of which were on-frame.
"We are very excited to have A.J. join us at IU," Yeagley said. "A.J. is very talented with the ball at his feet and will certainly give our attack a boost as we prepare for next fall. His ability to unbalance defenders off the dribble along with his precise distribution will help us become a more creative and explosive attacking unit. He is a team player who excels on the field and in the classroom."
The Zionsville Community High School graduate is no stranger to soccer in the state of Indiana, captaining the team to the IHSAA state championship in 2009 while playing alongside current Hoosier freshman Harrison Petts. Named an All-American by ESPN/Rise in 2009, Corrado, trained with the U.S. U-17 National Team in 2009 and was a member of the Region II Olympic Development squad. He played his club ball with Indiana United, winning back-to-back USSF Development Academy national championships in 2007-08 and 2008-09, playing alongside both Petts and Nikita Kotlov. Corrado was an ISCAA All-State selection in 2009, in addition to being an academic all-state pick in 2008 and 2009.
Corrado started school at IU in January and is eligible to participate with the team immediately. Unlike football and basketball, Division I men's soccer athletes can make a one-time transfer to another Division I school without having to fulfill a year of residency before becoming eligible to play.
The team is already back in action with conditioning and training and will begin a spring exhibition schedule sometime in late March.
Players Mentioned
