Indiana women’s soccer made its first NCAA tournament in a decade during the 2023 season. Now, as the 2024 season kicks off against Tennessee on Thursday night, a much different Hoosier team looks to keep up the success.
What’s different?
Every year rosters go through changes, but Indiana graduated multiple key players who were crucial in its NCAA run.
Graduate transfer Paige Webber and senior Anna Bennett scored 16 out of the 31 Hoosier goals in 2023 but have now moved on from program.
“[Paige] did a great job for us last year, and Anna Bennett as well,” associate head coach Tim Verschuren said. “We are just looking for the whole team to step up and replace them on the stat sheet.”
Zoe Tiger was a constant presence on the defensive side of the ball, starting all 20 matches. She graduated, leaving a hole in the back line.
Fortunately for IU, the coaching staff made some potentially key additions to the squad.
Five freshmen joined the roster during the spring camp, giving them ample time to get acclimated to college soccer and the system head coach Erwin Van Bennekom likes to play. That system revolves around grit.
“We want to be the toughest team to play against," Verschuren said. “If you beat one of us you have to beat us a second time a third time a fourth time.”
Outside of the freshmen additions IU brought in graduate transfer Avery Snead from Providence College to make an immediate impact.
Snead will likely fill Tiger’s role defensively. She started all 69 of her career matches for the Friars and was named to the All-BIG East Second Team in 2023.
“She has already demonstrated her leadership and communication skills,” Verschuren said. “She’s gonna be important for our team.”
IU also obtained another Big East addition off the pitch.
IU hired Seve Hirst as an assistant coach during the offseason. Hirst last performed assistant duties at Seton Hall and already had a relationship with the rest of the staff.
“We know each other really well,” Verschuren said. “The personality and the soccer IQ he brings to the table is just gonna make us stronger.”
What to look for right away
IU came into last year without expectations. They were picked to finish last in the Big Ten but managed to have one of the best years in program history. This year it’s a little different. They were picked to finish in the middle of the Big Ten but had important changes to the squad.
The defense is a strong suit. Returning key players such as Piper Coffield and Lauren Costello along with the addition of Snead this team should shut down its opponents. That’s not even mentioning senior goalkeeper Jamie Gerstenberg.
Gerstenberg holds Indiana’s all-time shutout record, single-season shutout record, and was the Big Ten Goalkeeper of The Year in 2023.
“From the moment she started with us she has been very good with saves on the line,” Verschuren said. “She’s made a huge development maturing and getting more experience.”
The defense plus Gerstenberg will be Indiana’s specialty. If the Hoosiers can find offensive weapons early on, they can be successful.
Verschuren and the rest of the staff believe they have those players.
“We have several players we are expecting on the offensive side to make a difference,” Verschuren said. “The three exhibition games gave us a good sense of where we are as a team and what individuals have the potential to step up.”
Indiana had a memorable season in 2023 and hopes to make back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances for the first time in program history.
“We feel really good about our team," Verschuren said. “Our ultimate goal is to go to the NCAA tournament in back-to-back years.”
The Hoosiers open the season with a tough test against Tennessee, another team that made the NCAA tournament in 2023.
The game is Thursday at 8 p.m. ET on Big Ten Plus and gives fans a good chance to see just how successful Indiana can be.
