INDIANAPOLIS - The IUPUI men's soccer team will open the Spring 2021 season on Monday (Feb. 22) when the Jaguars host Purdue Fort Wayne (0-2 HL) at the on-campus Michael A. Carroll Stadium at 2:00 p.m.. It's a long anticipated season opener as the Jaguars received the first week bye and have since had matches with Green Bay and Robert Morris canceled due to COVID-19 protocols.
Fans will not be permitted to attend Monday's match as heavy snow accumulation in Central Indiana has the seating bowl covered in snow. Ongoing snow removal efforts have focused on the playability of the pitch and ensuring the ability to broadcast the contest. Monday's match will be aired on ESPN3 as Jonathan Matthes (pxp) is on the call.
The Jaguars enter this season with high expectations as head coach Brian Barnett's team returns a strong defensive core and an emerging group of attacking players seeking to build on a 4-10-3 2019 campaign.
PRESEASON POLLS
IUPUI was recently picked to finish ninth among the 11-team #HLMSOC Preseason Poll.
#HLMSOC STANDINGS
RETURNING STARTERS (7)
Gianni Catenacci - Sr. - D (1 goal, 4 assists)
Ethan Diedel - Jr. - D (17 appearances, 11 starts)
Corey Goede - Jr. - D (15 starts)
Caleb Hussain - Soph. - D (13 starts)
Quinn McCallion - Jr. - GK (1.84 GAA, 84 saves)
Tommy Patacca - Sr. - D (3 goals, 1 GWG)
Chris Workman - Soph. - MF (1 goal)
HONOREES AND LEADERS
Workman was the lone IUPUI player to earn postseason accolades last season, being named to the 11-man All-Freshman Team. Workman appeared in 16 games and made 13 starts in the midfield while tallying a goal at Northern Kentucky in front of a large contingent of family and friends. Workman was fourth among IUPUI's field players with 1,280 minutes played and played 90 or more minutes seven different times.
ON THE SIDELINES
Head coach Brian Barnett is in his fifth year on the Jaguars' sidelines, having taken over the program just prior to the 2016 campaign. He led the team to the #HLMSOC Tournament Semifinals in 2018 before falling to eventual league champion UIC on penalty kicks. Barnett is joined on the sidelines by John Schwien, who enters his first year with the program.
NEW FACES
IUPUI has six new faces on the roster this year in true freshmen
Rayan Choukri,
Mandela Cybahiro,
Max Guidry,
Logan Finnegan,
Owen Jarrell and
Tyler Kaput. Choukri and Cybahiro were teammates for Millennium Indy and Finnegan, Jarrell and Kaput were all three teammates for Galaxy SC. Four other Jaguars -
Tylin Broaders,
Nate Pendleton,
Lucas Morefield and
Ethan Miller - are all in line to make their IUPUI debuts after redshirting last season.
SCOUTING PURDUE FORT WAYNE
Purdue Fort Wayne is 0-2 to start the year with losses to Milwaukee and at Oakland to start the year. The Mastodons have been outscored 5-3 in their two matches as Logan Lee and Romario Simpson each have a goal and an assist to lead the attack. Luke Benford also has a goal for the 'Dons. In goal, Erik Josson has a 2.50 goals against average and has recorded 11 saves with a .688 save percentage.
VERSUS THE 'DONS (see the entire history here)
IUPUI is 15-13-1 all-time against Purdue Fort Waye in a series that dates back to October 1987. The Jags won a non-conference meeting last season, defeating the 'Dons at Carroll Stadium by a 2-0 score. Alan Aguilar scored both goals in just more than three minutes with the winner coming via assists from Catenacci and Borges. McCallion made one save in the shutout. IUPUI is 9-4-1 in the 14 meetings in Indianapolis and 6-4 against PFW as league foes.
SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN
The Horizon League will compete in a weekly, single round robin format this season that began on Feb. 3. Games will be played every six days.
ESPN COVERAGE
Every IUPUI home match at Carroll Stadium will be aired on ESPN platforms (either ESPN3 or ESPN+) this season. In addition, selected road matches will also be aired on ESPN platforms at the host schools' discretion.
