Indiana University Athletics
Student Spotlight: Jeremiah Gutjahr
10/17/2016 9:34:00 AM | General, Men's Soccer
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - From the moment that he began to consider his future after high school, Jeremiah Gutjahr was almost certain that he would go to Indiana University.
He had considered other schools like Stanford, his parents' alma mater, but he didn't want to be that far away from family. That's what made Indiana the perfect choice. Gutjahr is not only a Bloomington native, his father, Paul Gutjahr, is a professor of English at Indiana University.
Jeremiah loves that he goes to the same school where his father works. Last year, Gutjahr had a class in Swain Hall and his dad taught a class in the same hall around that time. So they walked to class together.
"I'm really close with my dad, so it's great having him nearby," Gutjahr said. "I wasn't a kid that wanted to get away from my parents when I went to college. It's super cool, because I didn't get to see him much in high school since I was traveling for soccer."
From the time that he first took the pitch in youth leagues, soccer surrounded Gutjahr's upbringing. Jeremiah's dad, a massive soccer fan, would take his son to Indiana soccer games. They watched the Hoosiers hoist the national championship trophy in 2003 and 2004 when Gutjahr was eight years old.
"I was already playing soccer, but I think this team helped," he said. "Having a program like Indiana this close to my home grew my passion for soccer."
That passion formed into a dream of playing for the Hoosiers, which he realized over 17 appearances in his freshman year. Gutjahr said that in the short time he's been with the team, he's gained a sense of holding others accountable and improving his play every time he takes the pitch.
Also, as a kid who grew up watching the team, Gutjahr can get caught in the moment when he puts on the crimson kit with eight stars above the badge. "It can be a little overwhelming being a hometown kid and wanting to do your best to deliver for your hometown team," he said, "but it's really special."
Gutjahr reached another milestone in his soccer career before coming to Indiana, when he earned a call-up to the Under-18 Men's National Team training camps in 2014 and 2015. He then received a call-up to the U-20 team during his freshman year at Indiana, participating in the Mercedes-Benz Elite Cup in Stuttgart, Germany.
Indiana's coaching staff, especially associate head coach Brian Maisonneuve, are excited to see Gutjahr receive recognition in the national pool. Maisonneuve, who suited up for Team U.S.A. in the 1998 World Cup, advised Gutjahr to enjoy the moment every time he gets an opportunity to play for his country.
"It's really cool," Gutjahr said, recalling the first time he donned the national kit. "It's always been a dream of mine to play with the U.S. National Team and youth teams. I didn't get called in when I was really young, with the U-14 or U-17 teams, but getting the call for the U-18 and U-20 teams was really cool. It kept the confidence going in me."
Despite all of his activity around the soccer team, Gutjahr finds the time to stay active off the pitch. He's a student in the Kelley School of Business, and he claims that the consistency and certainty of his classwork is easier to manage compared to the tumultuous nature of college soccer.
"The Kelley School is challenging, and I've liked it a lot," he said. "I'm not entirely sure what I want to do yet, but it's a school where you have to actually learn the material, you can't just regurgitate information."
In the athletic department, Gutjahr is plugged in with the Emerging Leaders program and the Hoosier HEROES mentorship program. His involvement with Hoosier Heroes is especially important to him because of the help he received as a freshman. Abby Urbanek, currently a junior on the Indiana field hockey team, mentored Gutjahr through his first semesters last year.
"I'm only a sophomore, so I'm still working on being a mentor, but the biggest thing is making sure they enjoy the process," Gutjahr said. "I went through high school really fast, and I skipped my senior year so my college freshman year went really fast. For me, college athletics is a great time, and you should take advantage of the opportunities you're given."
Gutjahr is only a sophomore, but he has big plans for his future at Indiana and beyond. With his teammates, he hopes to bring a ninth national championship to the Indiana soccer program before his career comes to a close. After that, he hopes to continue his playing career at the professional ranks before pursuing a career in business.
Until then, he's going to pick his head up and enjoy the comforts of playing top-level soccer while receiving a degree from the Kelley School, all in the comforts of his hometown.
"It's the community that I have around me," Gutjahr said, describing his favorite thing about going to Indiana. "I love the teammates I have, and the coaches have built a fantastic culture. It's really enjoyable to go to practice and be around the guys. Being from Bloomington, I also have a great local community around me here."
He had considered other schools like Stanford, his parents' alma mater, but he didn't want to be that far away from family. That's what made Indiana the perfect choice. Gutjahr is not only a Bloomington native, his father, Paul Gutjahr, is a professor of English at Indiana University.
Jeremiah loves that he goes to the same school where his father works. Last year, Gutjahr had a class in Swain Hall and his dad taught a class in the same hall around that time. So they walked to class together.
"I'm really close with my dad, so it's great having him nearby," Gutjahr said. "I wasn't a kid that wanted to get away from my parents when I went to college. It's super cool, because I didn't get to see him much in high school since I was traveling for soccer."
From the time that he first took the pitch in youth leagues, soccer surrounded Gutjahr's upbringing. Jeremiah's dad, a massive soccer fan, would take his son to Indiana soccer games. They watched the Hoosiers hoist the national championship trophy in 2003 and 2004 when Gutjahr was eight years old.
"I was already playing soccer, but I think this team helped," he said. "Having a program like Indiana this close to my home grew my passion for soccer."
That passion formed into a dream of playing for the Hoosiers, which he realized over 17 appearances in his freshman year. Gutjahr said that in the short time he's been with the team, he's gained a sense of holding others accountable and improving his play every time he takes the pitch.
Also, as a kid who grew up watching the team, Gutjahr can get caught in the moment when he puts on the crimson kit with eight stars above the badge. "It can be a little overwhelming being a hometown kid and wanting to do your best to deliver for your hometown team," he said, "but it's really special."
Gutjahr reached another milestone in his soccer career before coming to Indiana, when he earned a call-up to the Under-18 Men's National Team training camps in 2014 and 2015. He then received a call-up to the U-20 team during his freshman year at Indiana, participating in the Mercedes-Benz Elite Cup in Stuttgart, Germany.
Indiana's coaching staff, especially associate head coach Brian Maisonneuve, are excited to see Gutjahr receive recognition in the national pool. Maisonneuve, who suited up for Team U.S.A. in the 1998 World Cup, advised Gutjahr to enjoy the moment every time he gets an opportunity to play for his country.
"It's really cool," Gutjahr said, recalling the first time he donned the national kit. "It's always been a dream of mine to play with the U.S. National Team and youth teams. I didn't get called in when I was really young, with the U-14 or U-17 teams, but getting the call for the U-18 and U-20 teams was really cool. It kept the confidence going in me."
Despite all of his activity around the soccer team, Gutjahr finds the time to stay active off the pitch. He's a student in the Kelley School of Business, and he claims that the consistency and certainty of his classwork is easier to manage compared to the tumultuous nature of college soccer.
"The Kelley School is challenging, and I've liked it a lot," he said. "I'm not entirely sure what I want to do yet, but it's a school where you have to actually learn the material, you can't just regurgitate information."
In the athletic department, Gutjahr is plugged in with the Emerging Leaders program and the Hoosier HEROES mentorship program. His involvement with Hoosier Heroes is especially important to him because of the help he received as a freshman. Abby Urbanek, currently a junior on the Indiana field hockey team, mentored Gutjahr through his first semesters last year.
"I'm only a sophomore, so I'm still working on being a mentor, but the biggest thing is making sure they enjoy the process," Gutjahr said. "I went through high school really fast, and I skipped my senior year so my college freshman year went really fast. For me, college athletics is a great time, and you should take advantage of the opportunities you're given."
Gutjahr is only a sophomore, but he has big plans for his future at Indiana and beyond. With his teammates, he hopes to bring a ninth national championship to the Indiana soccer program before his career comes to a close. After that, he hopes to continue his playing career at the professional ranks before pursuing a career in business.
Until then, he's going to pick his head up and enjoy the comforts of playing top-level soccer while receiving a degree from the Kelley School, all in the comforts of his hometown.
"It's the community that I have around me," Gutjahr said, describing his favorite thing about going to Indiana. "I love the teammates I have, and the coaches have built a fantastic culture. It's really enjoyable to go to practice and be around the guys. Being from Bloomington, I also have a great local community around me here."
Players Mentioned
Midfielder/Defender
/ Men's SoccerFB: Nico Radicic - Spring Practice No. 11
Tuesday, April 21
FB: Drew Evans - Spring Practice No. 11
Tuesday, April 21
FB: Bray Lynch - Spring Practice No. 11
Tuesday, April 21
FB: Spring Practice - Curt Cignetti Press Conference
Thursday, April 16