IU's Yeagley starts one last season

After 31 years of coaching excellence, Jerry Yeagley will open the season one last time as the Hoosiers start the 2003 schedule by hosting their 21st annual adidas/IU Credit Union Classic this weekend in Bloomington.\nThis weekend's classic features three nationally ranked programs including No. 17 California, Alabama-Birmingham and No. 12 Notre Dame. No. 7 IU will face California Friday night, followed by Saturday night's tilt with the Blazers from Birmingham.\nSince 1999 the Hoosiers are just 2-4-2 in the Classic and last won the tournament in 1998, but once again Yeagley continues to bring in tough competition for the season's opening weekend.\n"We don't want to bring in easy wins as we want to bring the best teams in," Yeagley said. "We want to showcase soccer at its highest level because we want people to come back and watch more soccer."\nThe California Golden Bears are returning to Bloomington for the Classic for the first time since 1998 and return nine starters and 28 letterwinners to a team that finished second to defending national champion UCLA in the Pacific-10 last season.\nThe Hoosiers and Golden Bears will square off at 7:30 p.m. Friday, following the conclusion of the Notre Dame-UAB match.\nSaturday, Yeagley faces former player and now UAB head coach Mike Getman and his strong Blazers who were a perfect 7-0 in the preseason including games against international competition in Europe. \nUAB finished 9-7-3 last year with a .500 record in conference USA. Its last meeting with the Hoosiers was a 1-1 draw dating back to September 1996. \nThe Hoosiers and Fighting Irish will not meet this weekend in Bloomington, but will see each other on Sept. 18 in South Bend. \nSince 1999, the Hoosiers have piled up 70 victories but have not won both games of the annual classic since 1998. As important as these games are, the Hoosiers are aware that the season is a marathon not a sprint. \n"We want to play well, and our ultimate goal is to win this tourney," said junior forward Ned Grabavoy. "But it is later that you want your team to reach its peak." \nIU is coming off a pair of exhibition matches last weekend at the IPFW Soccer Showcase in Fort Wayne. IU went 0-1-1 in event, losing on a last minute goal to Kentucky and scoring a last minute goal to tie with Rutgers 1-1.\n"At this point, we are far from an efficient offense," Yeagley said. "Hopefully our team and individual defense can keep us in games."\nJunior Jay Nolly returns to goal for the Hoosiers, where last year he finished with an 0.78 goals-against average, a mark that ranked 17th nationally and first among Big Ten goalkeepers. \nNolly believes this Hoosiers team is capable of anything and sees his team ready for an exciting season.\n"This team looks really good, and everyone has been waiting to get going for a while now," Nolly said. "I'm excited to get this season going."\nWinning this weekend's adidas/Credit Union Classic would be a strong sign for success, as 1999 was the last time the Hoosiers won the tournament and the national championship.\n"I'd like to think it's not a tune up but a real test." Yeagley said. "Our Classic has become known as the 'Rose Bowl' for classics all over the country, and we are certainly proud of that."\n-- Contact staff writer Daniel Cohen at djcohen@indiana.edu.