Mares leaves IU soccer program

After just one season playing for IU’s men’s soccer team, Dylan Mares is leaving the program.

The redshirt junior midfielder has signed with an agent and will enter the 2014 Major League Soccer SuperDraft, he confirmed Monday. NCAA guidelines dictate that once an athlete has signed with an agent, he is ineligible to compete again at the collegiate level.

Mares said the decision to turn professional after this season was one he made long ago.

“It’s always been a goal of mine to do it,” he said. “I have wanted to do it for the past couple years even more than in the past. It was my plan to leave after this year regardless of how the year went.”

The Zionsville, Ind., native transferred to IU in the spring of 2013 after three years at the University of Louisville.

Despite missing the 2011 season with a knee injury, Mares scored 15 goals and recorded 10 assists in his two seasons with the Cardinals.

IU Coach Todd Yeagley announced his transfer to IU on Jan. 3, 2013, saying,
“Dylan is a special attacking player who will make an immediate impact within our team. Our program is excited to have Dylan Mares wear the IU jersey.”

In his lone season with the Hoosiers, the midfielder appeared in all 22 matches, making 15 starts. He tallied three goals and assisted on another, linking up with fellow Zionsville natives Harrison Petts and A.J. Corrado in the IU midfield.

Mares said he did not consult Yeagley before making his decision to leave the program and that he “had no inclination” on Yeagley’s knowledge of the situation prior to the 2013 season.

He has signed with New York-based agent Ron Waxman and entered his name into the selection pool for the SuperDraft, which will take place Thursday at noon in Philadelphia.

Mares joins fellow former IU players Corrado, Jacob Bushue and Nikita Kotlov in the pool of draft-eligible players.

Because he was not offered a Generation Adidas contract and is an underclassman, Mares was not invited to the MLS Player Combine, though he said he has received interest from MLS clubs.

“There’s various ways of going about what I’m doing now,” he said. “I am having interest from some MLS teams and right now I’m just talking with my agent and trying to decide the best thing for me.”

Follow reporter Alden Woods on Twitter @acw9293.