On Wednesday, Indiana women’s soccer head coach Erwin van Bennekom announced seven new players will be joining the 2023 spring roster.
“We are very excited to welcome and start integrating this talented group of student athletes to our returning team,” van Bennekom said. “They will bring quality, athleticism and depth to all of our lines.”
Indiana had five seniors on the roster last season and are replenishing that talent with as many freshmen and two transfers. Sophomore forward Jordyn Levy entered the transfer portal following the 2022 season and announced via social media she will be joining St. John’s University in the spring.
Defender Lauren Costello and goalkeeper Dani Jacobson are the two transfers, from La Salle University and the University of North Texas, respectively.
Costello has recorded two goals and four assists in her two seasons with the Explorers, starting all but one match both years. The Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania native was selected to the A-10 All-Freshman team and has totaled over 3,000 minutes with La Salle. Previously, Costello was a two-time captain for Mechanicsburg Area Senior High School, tallying 16 goals and 14 assists over four seasons, helping her team reach the Mid Penn All-Conference Final twice.
Jacobson won the starting goalkeeper role as a freshman and started in 19 games for the Mean Green, playing over 1700 minutes. Jacobson made the C-USA All-Freshman team after accumulating 12 wins and 49 saves, finishing with a goal against average of one. Jacobson also earned C-USA goalkeeper of the week during the first week of the season and played club soccer for the Colorado Rush.
The five freshmen consist of a goalkeeper, Emma Payton, a defender, Krista Murphy, one midfielder, Elle Britt and two forwards, Ellie Johannes and Mary Kate Sullivan. All five are from different states and each competed with a club team.
Payton is from Austin, Texas and competed for Sting Austin Elite Clubs National League (ECNL). As a member of the Westlake high school team, she was named Second Team All-District and recorded five straight playoff shutouts. She was also a semi-state 6A finalist in 2022.
Murphy played for the South Shore Select club team in her home state of Massachusetts, guiding the team to the Girls Academy Northeast Conference Title in 2021. Murphy is also a three-time National Premier League National Champion and a US National Futsal Regional Champion.
Elle Britt is not the first Hoosier in her family. Her father Kent played football at Indiana from 1990-1993, and her mom Kelly played soccer from 1990-1992. Britt was a semi-finalist in the Girls Academy National Showcase in 2021 while playing for the Cincinnati United Premier Girls Academy.
Johannes played for Northwest Christian High School in Phoenix, Arizona, near her hometown of Glendale. Johannes totaled 107 goals in her career, earning back-to-back State Champion honors, good enough for All-American and Arizona High School Player of the Year accolades from USA Today. Johannes was also a member of the U-20 Salvadoran National Team, once scoring a hat trick against Nicaragua.
Sullivan hails from Cromwell, Connecticut and was a captain for Oakwood Soccer Club in her final two seasons. She helped lead her team to three Northeast Conference Championships and one National Championship in 2022.
All seven will look to immediately contribute as the team prepares for the 2023 fall season, looking to improve on their 3-7-7 record in 2022.
