Palmer Ault was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, the conference announced Thursday. The No. 24 Indiana men’s soccer senior forward also secured a unanimous first-team All-Big Ten selection.
Ault leads the nation in goals with 16, and his 10 assists rank fourth.
The Noblesville, Indiana, native is the first Division I NCAA men’s soccer player to reach at least 15 goals and 10 assists in a season since Wake Forest University’s Jon Bakero in 2017. Ault became the second Big Ten player to achieve the feat in the 21st century, joining fellow Hoosier Pat Noonan, who contributed 16 goals and 12 assists in 2001.
Ault is the second consecutive Hoosier to win the award, as forward Tommy Mihalic earned the honor in 2024.
Along with Ault, junior forward Collins Oduro, junior defender Alex Barger and freshman forward Colton Swan received honors from the conference.
Oduro received a selection to the All-Big Ten second team after a season in which he scored four goals and provided six assists. Swan earned a Big Ten All-Freshman selection, contributing three goals and three assists in 2025.
Barger was named IU’s Sportsmanship Award honoree, which recognizes athletes who have “distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior.” The Naperville, Illinois, native has had a career year in which he started 17 of 18 games while scoring three goals and adding two assists.
Indiana awaits its future in the NCAA Tournament, with the selection committee set to release the bracket Nov. 17.
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.
