The Indiana Hoosiers men's soccer team represents Indiana University Bloomington. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
Indiana is considered one of the most successful collegiate soccer programs in the history of the sport. The Hoosiers have won eight national championships in men's soccer (1982, 1983, 1988, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004 and 2012), second only to St. Louis' 10. Since the program began in 1973, Indiana has more national championships, wins, College Cup appearances, and a higher winning percentage in both regular season and post-season play than any other school in Division I soccer.
The Hoosiers have also dominated conference play. Since the Big Ten began sponsoring men's soccer in 1991, Indiana has won 15 Big Ten tournament titles. Indiana has also been crowned regular season champion 18 times, including nine-straight seasons from 1996 to 2004. A league-record 12 Big Ten Players of the Year come from Indiana.
Indiana players have won six Hermann Trophies (including Ken Snow twice) and three Missouri Athletic Club Player of the Year awards. The Hoosiers have produced 13 United States men's national soccer team players, six Olympians and six World Cup players. In addition, Hoosier players have earned All-America honors 52 times.
Every year since the NCAA began tracking men's soccer attendance in 2001, the Indiana program has ranked among the highest in average or total attendance. Indiana led the nation in average attendance in 2004 and 2005 and in total attendance in 2003.
History
Club sport beginnings
Indiana's first soccer coach was Jerry Yeagley, who went to Indiana as a Physical Education instructor and men's soccer coach. The team had been a club sport since 1947, but Yeagley's goal was to develop it into a varsity program. With the help of Jeff Richardson and Nick Matavuli, the club team was given varsity status. For ten years, with no money from the University for Yeagley's salary, team travel expenses, recruiting or uniforms, Yeagley, his wife Marilyn and the players lined the field, hung signs on campus and washed the players' uniforms. By 1973 the program had gained varsity status.
Jerry Yeagley era (1973–2003) Once the program gained varsity status and the full support of the university in 1973, Yeagley's teams quickly became a national power. Indiana reached the NCAA final in just its fourth season as a varsity program in 1976. In fact, through his 31-year career, Yeagley took every one of his four-year players to the NCAA College Cup, soccer's version of the Final Four. His teams made 28 NCAA tournament appearances, 16 appearances in the College Cup, and 12 appearances in the national final, while winning 10 Big Ten championships and 6 National championships (1982, 1983, 1988, 1998, 1999, 2003)
The consistency the Indiana program maintained under Yeagley's tutelage was unmatched. From 1973 through 2003 no team won more NCAA Championships or appeared in more College Cups than Indiana. The Hoosiers' longest stint away from the national semifinal was three years (1985–87) and they followed that brief drought by winning the 1988 NCAA crown. Yeagley led the Hoosiers to 28 NCAA Tournament berths, the third-most in NCAA history, including one in each of his final 17 seasons. His Hoosier teams owned a 68–22 (.756) record in tournament play, the best winning percentage of any school.
The Hoosiers were also successful in the Big Ten under Yeagley. Since the Big Ten began sponsoring men's soccer in 1991, he guided Indiana to 10 Big Ten (Tournament) championships. Yeagley was instrumental in the development of a conference tournament. In addition, his Hoosiers finished at the top of the regular season standings in his final eight seasons. Yeagley led Indiana to a 68-game unbeaten streak against Big Ten foes from 1983 to 1991. His teams owned a 137–7–6 (.933) record against Big Ten opponents. Since the advent of the conference season, Yeagley led Indiana to a 62–4–3 (.920) mark in Big Ten regular season play.