The 2019 Big Ten Conference men's soccer season was the 29th season of men's varsity soccer in the conference. The regular season began on August 30, 2019, and concluded on November 3, 2019. The season culminated with the 2019 Big Ten Conference Men's Soccer Tournament to determine the conference's automatic berth into the 2019 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Tournament. The tournament began on November 10, 2019, and concluded on November 17, 2019.
Indiana finished the season as the Big Ten Champions. Maryland enters the season as the defending NCAA Tournament champions. Indiana went on to win the Big Ten regular season and tournament.
Background Previous season
The previous season was the 28th season of men's varsity soccer in the conference. The 2018 Big Ten regular season began on August 24, 2018, and concluded on October 28, 2018. The season culminated with the 2018 Big Ten Conference Men's Soccer Tournament to determine the conference's automatic berth into the 2018 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Tournament. Indiana went on to win both the regular season and the tournament, winning all eight of their Big Ten Conference games. They defeated Michigan in the Big Ten Men's Soccer Championship Game.
With the Big Ten title, Indiana earned the conference's automatic berth into the 2018 NCAA Tournament, where Maryland, Michigan, and Michigan State joined as at-large berths. The conference had the strongest showing in the NCAA Tournament, where three of their four berths reached the College Cup (Final Four) of the tournament. Big Ten side, Maryland, would defeat Akron in the National Championship Game to win their fourth NCAA title, and their first since 2008.
Concluding the tournament, Indiana senior and captain, Andrew Gutman, won the TopDrawerSoccer.com National Player of the Year Award as well as the Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy. Gutman would forgo an opportunity to sign a homegrown contract with the Chicago Fire and signed with Celtic in Scotland. Indiana sophomore forward, Griffin Dorsey was the highest Big Ten player selected in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft, being drafted by Toronto FC ninth overall. Eleven other Big Ten players were selected in the MLS SuperDraft, the most of any collegiate conference, and an additional four signed homegrown player contracts with their parent MLS clubs.
Coaching changes Dan Donigan, the former head coach of Rutgers was fired following the 2018 season and was replaced by Fordham head coach, Jim McElderry.
SchoolOutgoing coachManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming coachDate of appointment Rutgers Dan Donigan Fired Preseason Jim McElderry
Head coaches
Team Head coach Previous job Years at school Overall record Record at school Big Ten record NCAATournaments NCAACollege Cups NCAATitlesIndiana Todd Yeagley Wisconsin 9 10 3 1Maryland Sasho Cirovski Hartford 26 25 9 3Michigan Chaka Daley Providence 7 3 0 0Michigan State Damon Rensing Michigan State (asst.) 10 8 1 0Northwestern Tim Lenahan Lafayette 18 4 0 0Ohio State Brian Maisonneuve Indiana (asst.) 2 0 0 0Penn State Jeff Cook Bethlehem Steel (asst.) 2 9 0 0Rutgers Jim McElderry Fordham 1 3 0 0Wisconsin John Trask UIC 10 2 0 0
Preseason Preseason poll The preseason poll was released on August 26, 2019. Team ranking 1. Indiana 2.Maryland 3.Michigan 4. Michigan State 5. Wisconsin 6. Penn State 7.Northwestern 8.Ohio State 9. Rutgers
Preseason national polls The preseason national polls will be released in July and August 2019. UnitedSoccer CSN Top DrawerSoccerIndiana 2 9 5Maryland 1 4 1Michigan 24 16 13Michigan State 7 10 8Northwestern — — —Ohio State — — —Penn State — — —Rutgers — — —Wisconsin RV RV —
Regular season Early season tournaments
Early season tournaments will be announced in late Spring and Summer 2019.
Team Tournament FinishIndianaIU Credit Union Classic1stMike Berticelli Tournament1stMarylandAudi Field Classic2ndNorthwesternIU Credit Union Classic3rdChicago Classic4thOhio StateDayton Classic1stWolstein Classic3rdWisconsinChicago Classic2nd
Postseason Big Ten Tournament
The Big Ten Tournament was played from November 9–17. Indiana won the tournament, defeating Michigan in the final.
NCAA Tournament
The NCAA Tournament will begin in November 2019 and conclude on December 17, 2019.
Seed Region School 1st Round 2nd Round 3rd Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Championship 5 Winston-SalemIndiana W 3–0 vs. Kentucky – (Bloomington, IN) L 0–1 (OT) vs. UCSB – (Bloomington, IN) 13 Winston-Salem Michigan T 0–0 (5–4 PKs) vs. Wright State – (Ann Arbor, MI) L 1–3 vs. Wake Forest – (Winston-Salem, NC) 15 GreenvillePenn State L 2–3 (OT) vs. Providence – (State College, PA) Winston-Salem Maryland W 4–0 vs. Iona – (College Park, MD) L 0–3 vs. Wake Forest – (Winston-Salem, NC)W–L–T (%): Total:
Rankings National rankings Improvement in ranking Drop in rankingRVReceived votes but were not ranked in Top 25NVNo votes received Pre Wk 1 Wk2 Wk3 Wk4 Wk5 Wk6 Wk7 Wk8 Wk9 Wk10 Wk11 Wk12 Wk13 Wk14 Wk15 Wk16 FinalIndiana 224458461010986None released9 554458777898866999Maryland 142425RVRV252522172322RVNone releasedRV 11121NVNVNV13157614141620202020Michigan 24RVRVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVRV17None released17 1313RV18NVNVNVNVNVNVNV24171116131313Michigan State 716RVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNone releasedNV 886NVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNorthwestern NVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNone releasedNV NVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVOhio State NVNVNVRVRVRVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNone releasedNV NVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVPenn State NVNVNVNVRVRVNVRV1916131213None released18 NVNVNVNVNVRV2022RV151510102018181818Rutgers NVNVRV2422RVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNone releasedNV NVNVNVNV2525RVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVWisconsin RVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNone releasedNV NVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNV
Regional rankings - USC North Region Improvement in ranking Drop in rankingRVReceived votes but were not ranked in Top 10NVNo votes received The USC North Region compares teams across the Big Ten Conference, Horizon League, and Mid-American Conference. Wk 1 Wk2 Wk3 Wk4 Wk5 Wk6 Wk7 Wk8 Wk9 Wk10 Wk11 Wk12Indiana211111111111Maryland1561062233435MichiganNV1098104477552Michigan State4NVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNorthwestern7NVNV95NVNVNV10109NVOhio StateNV64476NVNVNVNVNVNVPenn StateNV98345322223Rutgers10332396899NVNVWisconsin9NVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNVNV
Statistics
Goals RankPlayerCollegeGoals1 Nebojša PopovićMichigan102 Liam ButtsPenn State8 Aaron MolloyPenn State4 Pablo ÁvilaRutgers65 Joshua PennIndiana5 Devyn EtlingOhio State Jack HollandOhio State Matt ModerwellNorthwestern Derick BrocheMichigan Eric MatzelevichMaryland Victor BezerraIndiana Jackson TempleRutgers
Assists RankPlayerCollegeAssists1 Marc YbarraMichigan82 Jack HollandOhio State73 Aidan MorrisIndiana6 Matt ModerwellNorthwestern Jack HallahanMichigan6 Eli CrognaleMaryland5 Aaron MolloyPenn State Christian SloadPenn State9 Malcolm JohnstonMaryland4 Pierre ReedyPenn State
Shutouts RankPlayerCollegeShutouts1 Roman CelentanoIndiana3 Parker SiegfriedOhio State Oren AsherRutgers 4 Sean CaulfieldIndiana25 Niklas NeumannMaryland1 Andrew VerdiMichigan Hunter MorseMichigan State Kris ShakesPenn State Dean CowdroyWisconsin
Awards and honors
Player of the week honors Week Offensive Defensive Player Position Team Player Position Team Sep. 4Jørgen Wisth LieFWRutgersJack MaherMFIndiana Sep. 10Joe OrtizFWOhio StateSean CaulfieldDFIndiana Sep. 17Devyn EtlingFWOhio StateBen Di RosaDFMaryland Sep. 24Nebojša PopovićFWMichiganBrandon HackenbergDFPenn State Oct. 1Farai MutatuFWMichigan StateJosh LevineGKPenn State Oct. 8Aidan MorrisFWIndianaJackson RagenDFMichigan Oct. 15Liam ButtsFWPenn StateRoman CelentanoGKIndiana Oct. 22Aaron MolloyMFPenn StateJohannes BergmannMFMaryland Oct. 29Aidan MorrisFWIndianaNiklas NeumannDFMaryland Nov. 5Christian SloadFWPenn StateJack MaherMFIndiana
Postseason honors 2019 Big Ten Men's Soccer Individual Awards Award Recipient(s)Offensive Player of the YearNebojša Popović, Michigan*Defensive Player of the YearAaron Molloy, Penn State*Midfielder of the YearJack Maher, IndianaGoalkeeper of the YearAndrew Verdi, MichiganCoach of the YearTodd Yeagley, IndianaFreshman of the YearAidan Morris, Indiana
2019 Big Ten Men's Soccer All-Conference Teams First Team Honorees Second Team Honorees All-Freshman Team Honorees Sportsmanship Award HonoreesForward Nebojsa Popovic, Michigan* Liam Butts, Penn State Midfield Aidan Morris, Indiana Eli Crognale, Maryland Jack Hallahan, Michigan* Aaron Molloy, Penn State* Defense Jack Maher, Indiana* Johannes Bergmann, Maryland* Jackson Ragen, Michigan Brandon Hackenberg, Penn State Goalkeeper Andrew Verdi, MichiganForward Eric Matzelevich, Maryland Matt Moderwell, Northwestern Midfield Joshua Penn, Indiana Marc Ybarra, Michigan Jack Holland, Ohio State Pablo Ávila, Rutgers Defense Spencer Glass, Indiana Simon Waever, Indiana Patrick Nielsen, Michigan State Garrett Opperman, Northwestern Goalkeeper Niklas Neumann, MarylandHerbert Endeley, Indiana Aidan Morris, Indiana* Joshua Penn, Indiana* Malcolm Johnson, Maryland Nick Richardson, Maryland Derick Broche, Michigan Liam Butts, Penn State* Kris Shakes, Penn State Jalen Watson, Penn State* Hugo Le Guennec, Rutgers Jackson Temple, Rutgers* Jack Maher, Indiana Nick Richardson, Maryland Kevin Buca, Michigan Cody Sweatte, Michigan State Mac Mazolla, Northwestern Parker Siegfried, Ohio State Will Campbell, Penn State Jake Longo, Rutgers Noah Leibold, Wisconsin
* denotes unanimous selection
All-Americans
Consensus All-AmericansNone To earn "consensus" status, a player must win honors based on a point system computed from the four different all-America teams. The point system consists of three points for first team, two points for second team and one point for third team. No honorable mention or fourth team or lower are used in the computation. The top five totals plus ties are first team and the next five plus ties are second team. College Soccer NewsSoccer AmericaTop Drawer SoccerUnited Soccer Coaches First Team None None None None Second TeamAaron Molloy – Penn StateJack Maher – Indiana Aaron Molloy – Penn State NoneJack Maher – Indiana Aaron Molloy – Penn StateThird TeamJack Maher – IndianaAidan Morris – IndianaJack Maher – IndianaAidan Morris – Indiana
Other awards TopDrawerSoccer.com National Freshman of the Year Award: Aidan Morris, Indiana
2020 MLS Draft
The 2020 MLS SuperDraft was held in January 2020. Nine Big Ten players were selected in the draft, all in the first three rounds.
Player Team School12DFNashville SCIndiana (So.)116MFPortland TimbersPenn State (Sr.)123DFAtlanta UnitedMichigan State (RS-Jr.)246DFReal Salt LakeMichigan State (Sr.)250MFLos Angeles FCMichigan (Sr.)251DFReal Salt LakeIndiana (Sr.)353MFFC CincinnatiIndiana (Sr.)365GKD.C. UnitedMichigan (Sr.)374GKNew York City FCOhio State (RS-Sr.)
Homegrown players
The Homegrown Player Rule is a Major League Soccer program that allows MLS teams to sign local players from their own development academies directly to MLS first team rosters. Before the creation of the rule in 2008, every player entering Major League Soccer had to be assigned through one of the existing MLS player allocation processes, such as the MLS SuperDraft.
To place a player on its homegrown player list, making him eligible to sign as a homegrown player, players must have resided in that club's home territory and participated in the club's youth development system for at least one year. Players can play college soccer and still be eligible to sign a homegrown contract.
Original MLS team Player SchoolRef. Columbus Crew Indiana (Fr.)
References
External links Big Ten Men's Soccer