After securing the first perfect 8-0 conference record, the No. 2 Hoosiers dominated the Big Ten yearly awards on Friday afternoon.
The 12 honorees and four first-team players were the most in the conference.
Senior defender Andrew Gutman was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year after helping IU lead the conference with 11 shutouts. Gutman also was second in the conference with nine goals and third with seven assists. He leads the Big Ten and ranks second in the nation with six game-winning goals. With the Defensive Player of the Year title, Gutman was a unanimous choice for First-Team All-Big Ten.
Another reason why IU posted the 11 shutouts was due to the performance of sophomore goalkeeper Trey Muse, who was another unanimous selection on the First-Team All-Big Ten and as the Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year. Muse is the first Hoosier to be named Goalkeeper of the Year after a league-leading eight solo shutouts and a 0.54 goals against average. He had five shutouts in conference play while only giving up three goals total through the eight matches.
Defender Jack Maher was another unanimous selection for the Hoosiers as the Freshman of the Year. Maher was a major player this season stepping in for Grant Lillard as part of the Hoosier backline. He’s the 15th Hoosier to receive that honor.
For the first time since 2010, IU Coach Todd Yeagley was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year. Yeagley helped guide IU to the perfect 8-0 conference record and the programs 15th regular season title. The Hoosiers are 23-0-13 in their last 36 Big Ten matches.
Senior midfielder Frankie Moore and sophomore midfielder Griffin Dorsey joined Gutman and Muse on the All-Big Ten First-Team. Moore was another unanimous selection after dominating as a defensive midfielder. He also had three assists on the season. Dorsey had four goals and three assists this season including the game-winner against Northwestern.
Four Hoosiers were also named to the Second-Team All-Big Ten. Seniors Trevor Swartz, Rece Buckmaster, Timmy Mehl and sophomore Justin Rennicks picked up the honors.
Swartz leads the Big Ten and fourth in the nation with 10 assists. He also had the game-winner against Rutgers. Rennicks is fifth in the conference with six goals and is tied for ninth in points with 12. He had three game winners this season against No. 8 Notre Dame, No. 12 Michigan State and Butler. Buckmaster and Mehl were two other important pieces for IU’s defense this season. Buckmaster had three goals and two assists while Mehl had one goal and one assist.
Senior midfielder Jeremiah Gutjahr was named IU’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree. He’s started 16 out of the 17 matches this season after suffering a season-ending injury in 2017.
The Hoosiers will face either Ohio State or Northwestern on Sunday afternoon in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals.
