The captain is the first to step foot on the field. He walks slowly across the light green grass, listening to the Indiana fight song as he looks around Bill Armstrong Stadium.
A neat line of players with black shirts or red jerseys follow him. Nearing the bench, he claps along with the Hoosier faithful briefly, then turns to welcome the line.
One Hoosier, two Hoosiers — down the line he goes, dishing out high fives and delivering hugs. Some are crisp and short; some are long and thoughtful. Not every player receives one, but the effort is visible.
Jack Wagoner doesn’t do it every game, but he tries to. The senior midfielder knew that Friday night — senior night for No. 14 Indiana men’s soccer against Hanover College — was a moment every player needed to be prepared and excited for.
That sentiment meant just as much to Wagoner's teammates as it did to himself.
“As we’re getting close to the end of the season, you start to think about it a little more and more — about, you know, this is one of the last few home games you might have,” Wagoner said to the Indiana Daily Student. “It’s a special place here.”
Wagoner is a standout player in the Indiana ranks. He started as a freshman in the 2022 NCAA National Championship, culminating a run of 12 consecutive starts to end the season. Head coach Todd Yeagley noted Wagoner’s positive impact that season was an impressive feat given not many freshmen are capable of doing so.
Yet the moment Wagoner knew he made it as an Indiana Hoosier was far before the national championship. Indiana drew Portland University 3-3 on Aug. 30, 2022. After not playing a minute in the opening game on the road against then-No. 1 Clemson University, Wagoner featured in 25 minutes.
No goals, no assists and not even a full half of competition — but it was Wagoner’s moment.
Nothing could take it away from him.
“It’s a special feeling,” Wagoner said. “Understanding how much it all matters, every single game, every single play, playing in front of these fans. It’s super special.”
Wagoner’s sophomore campaign featured more turbulence. He began the season with 10 consecutive starts, but his minutes diminished with the emergence of Hugo Bacharach in the midfield.
In Indiana’s final 14 matches, Wagoner saw the field 10 times and started twice. Seven of his 10 appearances featured playing time of fewer than 35 minutes.
But that didn’t stop Wagoner from returning to form his junior season, earning the starting role once more as the Hoosiers won a second straight Big Ten regular season title and reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
Through it all, there remained one constant — Patrick McDonald.
Whenever Wagoner took the pitch over his first three seasons at Indiana, McDonald was likely there in the midfield. The bond between the two extended off the field, as they established a close relationship with all the time they spent together.
Wagoner viewed the older McDonald as a role model, someone who completed his job and kept his head high, even through the dirty work. After McDonald’s graduation from the program following the 2024 season, Wagoner cherishes the moments he spent with his partner in the midfield that much more.
“It was an honor to play with him,” Wagoner said. “I still miss it.”
With McDonald’s departure, along with goalkeeper JT Harms, the captain’s armband was up for grabs. Wagoner’s four years in the program didn’t mean it was guaranteed he would secure the honor, but Yeagley knew it was his.
“He’s earned it,” Yeagley said. “He’s been a good young leader for years now. It was just his time.”
Wagoner drew on the wisdom of McDonald and Harms. The role of captain expanded beyond himself, holding other players accountable and making sure that he was “driving the culture” of the team.
His first appearance in the Cream and Crimson accompanied by the armband came in a preseason match against Western Michigan University. It was something he dreamed of, he said after the match, but his focus was on the team's results rather than himself.
The 2025 season marks Wagoner’s first and only without McDonald. After sharing the role with an Indiana stalwart, the midfield became his to command alongside either sophomore Charlie Heuer or senior Cristiano Bruletti.
A new partnership meant a learning curve. Wagoner appreciates that aspect, and as the season continues, he enjoys developing that bond within his midfield and learning to play well alongside them.
But Wagoner’s role as captain isn’t contained to the field. Sure, he holds players accountable in-game to the standard of Indiana soccer, but his approach off the field is just as important.
As a freshman, Wagoner felt included. He was friends with everyone, including the seniors, and as a senior now, he aims to keep the same fact true.
“It just creates a better culture around, and that’s something we’ve always had at IU,” Wagoner said. “But I think, just enforcing that, and being able to get along with all the guys off the field is just going to help on the field.”
Wagoner’s leadership extends beyond his voice — Yeagley cited his training habits and attention to detail as key qualities. Wagoner’s “glue guy” ability on the pitch is a key to his success. It establishes an expectation for every performance, but his impact doesn’t stop there.
Yeagley noted Wagoner’s play in Friday night’s 8-0 win as one of the only highlights of an otherwise lackluster first 20 minutes against Hanover. Everyone else was sluggish, but not Wagoner.
“That’s kind of an epitome of Jack,” Yeagley said.
The end of Wagoner’s collegiate career is approaching. He knows that.
But Indiana still has important goals to worry about. A third successive Big Ten regular season title. A Big Ten Tournament title. A ninth national championship.
That won't stop him from thinking about the end.
Which means a slow jaunt across the field, soaking in the Hoosier faithful cheers and welcoming his teammates is what Wagoner plans to do with the time he has left.
Follow reporters Elakai Anela (@elakai_anela and eanela@iu.edu) and Mateo Fuentes-Rohwer (@mateo_frohwer and matfuent@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana men's soccer season.
