IU has won a regular season Big Ten Championship fourteen times. After missing out on both a regular season and tournament title last season, IU begins its quest for a 15th when it travels to Penn State on Sunday.
IU was picked to finish second by the Big Ten coaches this season one season after finishing fifth in the conference and second in the Big Ten Tournament. For the second year in a row, junior midfielder Tanner Thompson and senior midfielder Femi Hollinger-Janzen were picked as players to watch.
Sophomore defender Grant Lillard, who was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year last season, was also named a player to watch for IU.
Here is a study guide for the eight Big Ten teams IU will play this season, starting with its first opponent, Penn State.
Penn State
1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13, at Penn State
2014 record: 13-6-1
Postseason: 2-1 loss in the Sweet 16 at Syracuse
2015 record: 2-1-1
Coaches Poll Projection: 3
Formation: 3-5-2
Key player:
Connor Maloney, junior, forward
Maloney is coming off a season in which he was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. He led the Nittany Lions and the Big Ten in goals with 10, five of which were game winners, as a sophomore. While he is still listed as forward, he has played the first four games of the season as a midfielder and has only scored once off a penalty kick. In high school, he set records for goals with 110 and assists with 68 during his three-year career. He also played for the Philadelphia Union Academy team before attending Penn State.
Rutgers
3 p.m. Sept. 20 at IU
2014 record: 6-12-1
Postseason: None
2015 record: 2-1-0
Coaches Poll Projection: 8
Formation: 4-3-3
Key Player:
Jason Wright, sophomore, forward
As a freshman, Wright was one of the top strikers in the Big Ten. He was tied for the conference lead in goals with 10 and led the Big Ten in points with 25. Those stats made him a unanimous selection to the Freshman All-Big Ten team, but he lost out to IU defender Grant Lillard for the Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors. Wright has two goals and an assist to his name so far this season. Before attending Rutgers, Wright was a member of the Jamaica U17 and U20 national teams and was the Golden Boot winner at the 2011 U17 CONCACAF Championships.
Northwestern
4 p.m. Sept. 27 at Northwestern
2014 record: 11-4-7
Postseason: 1-0 loss in first round at home vs. SIU-Edwardsville
2015 record: 0-2-1
Coaches Poll Projection: 6
Formation: 4-4-2
Key player:
Joey Calistri, senior, forward
Calistri is one of the few key members remaining for a Northwestern team that lost eight seniors after last season to graduation. Last year, Calistri struggled in comparison to his sophomore campaign. His goals dipped from 12 to six and his points fell from 28 to 14. Calistri has yet to score or assist on a goal for a team that has only scored one goal in its first three matches. The former Big Ten Freshman of the Year played for the Chicago Fire Academy before attending Northwestern.
Ohio State
7:30 p.m. Oct. 10 at IU
2014 record: 9-8-5
Postseason: 2-1 second round loss at Notre Dame
2015 record: 1-3-0
Coaches Poll Projection: 5
Formation: 3-5-2
Key player:
Danny Jensen, junior, forward
Last season, Jensen led the Buckeyes in goals on a team that surprised with a second place finish after being picked to finish last in 2014. This season, Jensen has failed to find the back of the net but did assist on one of the two Ohio State goals this season. Jensen also leads Ohio State in total shots this season with seven and in shots on goal with four.
Maryland
7:30 p.m. Oct. 16 at IU
2014 record: 13-6-3
Postseason: 1-0 loss in second round at home vs. UMBC
2015 record: 2-1-1
Coaches Poll Projection: 1
Formation: 4-4-2
Key player:
Mael Corboz, senior, midfielder
Last season, Corboz led the Terrapin attack with a Big Ten-high 10 goals, after transferring from Rutgers. It was Corboz’ free kick late in the Big Ten Championship game that won the Terrapins the tournament title against IU. This season, Corboz has already tallied a goal off a penalty and leads Maryalnd with three assists after three games.
Michigan
7 p.m. Oct. 24 at IU
2014 record: 6-9-3
Postseason: None
2015 record: 2-1
Coaches Poll Projection: 7
Formation: 4-5-1
Key player:
Francis Atuahene, freshman, midfielder
In his first three college games, Atuahene has scored three goals for the Wolverines. The highly-touted freshman has lived up to the hype so far, creating offensive chances for a team that struggled to do so last season, as the Wolverines finished seventh in the conference. Before attending Michigan, Atuahene was a two-time NSCAA All-American and was the MVP of the NSCAA All-Star Game in 2014. The Ghanian was also ranked as the No. 13 player out of high school by College Soccer News.
Wisconsin
7 p.m. Oct. 31 at IU
2014 record: 3-12-3
Postseason: None
2015 record: 0-4
Coaches Poll Projection: 9
Formation: 4-4-2
Key player:
Drew Conner, senior, midfielder
For the past four years, Conner has been one of the top players on Wisconsin teams that have routinely finished at the bottom of the conference. Last season, however, was one of his least productive years. Conner scored just twice, both off penalties, and recorded only one assist after recording seven as a sophomore. Last season, he led the Badgers in minutes played. Before Wisconsin, Conner was a member of the Chicago Fire Academy.
Michigan State
3 p.m. Nov. 4 at IU
2014 record: 12-5-6
Postseason: 3-2 loss in Elite Eight at home vs. Providence
2015 record: 3-1
Coaches Poll Projection: 4
Formation: 3-6-1
Key player:
Zach Bennett, senior, goalkeeper
Bennett, one of the top goalkeepers in the Big Ten since he was named a starter as a freshman, is picking up where he left off. In the Spartans’ first four games, Bennett has posted three shutouts. The one game he allowed a goal was a 1-0 loss at Oregon State. Bennett led the Big Ten in shutouts with 12 and finished second in the conference in saves, save percentage and goals allowed average last season.
