Ten Hoosiers collect individual postseason awards

The season is over and a national champion has been crowned which means that it’s awards season. When a team had the success that Indiana had there are bound to be several honorees in the mix and that has certainly been the case recently, including on Monday when Top Drawer Soccer released its 2018 postseason awards.

The headliner of those awards was Top Drawer Soccer’s Player of the Year—Andrew Gutman. After breaking out as a junior the Hinsdale, Illinois native proved his quality in 2018. As IU’s main man he scored 11 goals and assisted on nine others despite being a defender. This is the biggest honor Gutman has received thus far—he’s also been named a first-team All-American (or first team Best XI) by United Soccer Coaches, College Soccer News, and Top Drawer Soccer as well as the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, first-team All-Big Ten, and first-team All-North Region—but the biggest individual honor in college soccer could still be on the way. On January 4 he’ll be in St. Louis as a finalist for the MAC (Missouri Athletic Club) Hermann Trophy, college soccer’s Heisman Trophy equivalent.

Joining Gutman on Top Drawer Soccer’s first-team Best XI is sophomore goalkeeper Trey Muse. In 24 games Muse allowed just 13 goals. He made 47 saves and finished the season with 12 solo shutouts. If you add in the three shutouts that Muse combined with backup Sean Caulfield on, his 15 shutouts were the most in the nation. Muse has also been named first-team All-America by United Soccer Coaches and College Soccer News. He was also first-team All-Big Ten, a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy, and Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year.

On Top Drawer Soccer’s third-team Best XI was another IU sophomore—Griffin Dorsey. The forward scored five goals and assisted on five others despite missing time during the season to play with the United States U-20 National Team. Dorsey was also named a second-team All-American by United Soccer Coaches and College Soccer News. He was also named first-team All-Big Ten and first-team All-North Region.

The final Top Drawer Soccer honoree was center back Jack Maher. Maher was named first-team Freshman Best XI after being an important part of the defense that recorded 15 shutouts and was one of just three players to start every match for the Hoosiers. He was also named Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

Other Hoosiers to receive postseason recognition are as follows:

Rece Buckmaster: Second-Team All-Big Ten

Timmy Mehl: Second-Team All-Big Ten

Francesco Moore: First-Team All-Big Ten, First-Team All-North Region, Big Ten All-Tournament Team

Justin Rennicks: Second-Team All-Big Ten, First-Team All-North Region, College Cup All-Tournament Team

Trevor Swartz: Second-Team All-Big Ten

Cory Thomas: Most Outstanding Offensive Player of the Big Ten Tournament, Big Ten All-Tournament Team

The Hoosier coaching staff was named the Men’s North Region Staff of the Year by United Soccer Coaches last month following the team’s 20-3-1 season, Big Ten Championship, and Big Ten Tournament Championship.