Indiana Meets Syracuse in National Championship Match

CARY, N.C. — The ninth star is within reach.

The No. 13-seeded Indiana men's soccer team (14-4-6, 3-1-4 B1G) will play in the NCAA national championship match on Monday (Dec. 12) against No. 3 Syracuse (18-2-4, 5-1-2 ACC) at WakeMed Soccer Park. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. ET.

Fans can watch the match on ESPNU with streaming available on the Watch ESPN digital platform. Indiana Athletics will also host a watch party at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET Monday night.

SETTING THE SCENE
• The Hoosiers have advanced to the title match for the 17th time in a program history – another NCAA Tournament record for the Hoosiers – and the second time in three seasons. Meanwhile, Syracuse will play in the program's first-ever final amidst its second College Cup appearance.
• With a win, Indiana would become the only program to win a national title in each of the last five decades.
• The eight-time champion Hoosiers last won the title in 2012, the third year of the Todd Yeagley era.
• Indiana has not conceded a goal through its four NCAA Tournament matches, a total of 360 minutes. IU is the first team since Maryland (2018) to make a championship game without
conceding a goal throughout the NCAA Tournament and the seventh team all-time to achieve that feat.
• Redshirt senior forward Ryan Wittenbrink has tallied a goal contribution in eight of his last nine matches played, with four goals and four assists in that span.

ABOUT THE ORANGE
• Syracuse enters Monday's match with a 18-2-4 record and a 5-1-2 mark in ACC play. The Orange defeated Penn, No. 14 seed Cornell, Vermont and Creighton to advance to the championship match.
• SU has not lost a match since October 4, a 2-1 defeat to No. 22 Cornell.
• The Orange are led by 13th-year head coach Ian McIntyre, who has compiled a 122-87-40 during his time at Syracuse and a 229-150-72 career record in 24 seasons as a head coach.
• Syracuse's senior forward Levonte Johnson (first team) and sophomore forward Nathan Opoku (third team) each earned United Soccer Coaches All-America honors. Johnson leads the Orange in goals (11) and points (28), with Opuku right behind him (10 goals, 27 points).

SERIES HISTORY
• Monday's match will mark the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

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Indiana Meets Syracuse in National Championship Match

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Players Mentioned

Ryan Wittenbrink

Indiana University Athletics