Indiana University Athletics
Thursday, August 20
Bloomington, Ind.
8 p.m.
Indiana University
vs
Notre Dame
Hoosiers Host Notre Dame in Thursday Season Opener
8/18/2026 6:30:00 PM | Men's Soccer
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana men's soccer opens its 54th season Thursday (Aug. 18) with a familiar opponent, hosting Notre Dame on Jerry Yeagley Field at Bill Armstrong Stadium.
Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET, and tickets are on sale here. IU staff, faculty and students get in free with a valid Crimson Card ID. Fans unable to attend can watch the match via the B1G+ digital platform.
KICKING OFF
• Indiana hopes to attract a crowd similar to its 2025 opener, as 6,395 attended the top-15 matchup with Clemson, marking the third-largest crowd in program history.
• IU reloaded in the offseason, welcoming the nation's top-ranked transfer class according to Top Drawer Soccer. Indiana brought in eight transfers between the December and May windows, picking up a class with proven production and NCAA Tournament experience.
• Stephane Njike was perhaps the most well-known name of IU's transfer pick-ups after a first-team All-Big Ten season for Maryland last season. The third-year player was one of three forwards featured in the Top Drawer Soccer first-team Preseason Best XI this week.
• Returner and third-year forward Easton Bogard enters the season in fine form. After recording eight goals this summer in USL League Two, Bogard scored four goals in Indiana's two preseason matches.
ABOUT THE FIGHTING IRISH
• Notre Dame made its 25th NCAA Tournament appearance in 2025, closing its season in the second round with a 1-0 defeat to No. 14 national seed Akron. The Fighting Irish finished with a 9-7-4 record, 3-3-2 in ACC play.
• Head coach Chad Riley leads Notre Dame in his eighth season with the program. Riley boasts an 80-51-26 record in South Bend and a 131-77-40 career head coaching record.
• Senior Nolan Spicer earned a place in the ACC Preseason Watch List. The ACC coaches ranked Notre Dame No. 8 in the conference preseason poll.
• Spicer also ranked No. 54 in the Top Drawer Soccer Top 100 player ranking. Goalkeeper Blake Kelly followed at No. 97.
SERIES HISTORY
• Indiana's first-ever varsity match was a 5-1 victory in South Bend. The Hoosiers then won 11 straight matchups to kick off a series set to renew for the 51st time Thursday night.
• More recently, the two teams have met in 24 of the last 25 seasons, only missing the unique 2020-21 campaign due to IU's conference-only schedule. In that span, the programs have met 28 times.
• The Hoosiers boast a dominant 34-10-6 record in the all-time series and have not suffered a straight defeat in their last 10 matches (6-0-4) against the Fighting Irish, each decided by one goal or a draw. It took a penalty shootout for the Fighting Irish to push past IU in the 2023 NCAA Tournament Quarterfinal matchup after the two teams drew 1-1 through 110 minutes.
• IU advanced to the 2018 College Cup with a 1-0 quarterfinal victory against Notre Dame. A crowd of 5,613 – Indiana's sixth-best crowd all-time – watched as Austin Panchot scored a 64th-minute winner to send the Hoosiers through to the final four.
• Indiana and Notre Dame have met six times in season openers, but Thursday's marks just the second in Bloomington and first since 1974. The Hoosiers hold a 4-0-2 mark in such matchups. In 2021, Ben Yeagley delivered a 92nd-minute golden goal to lead IU to the 3-2 victory.
• Collins Oduro represented the difference in last season's 1-0 victory at South Bend. The senior has scored twice in his career against the Irish, having recorded his first-career goal in the 2023 season opener at Notre Dame.
@IndianaMSOC
For all the latest on Indiana University men's soccer, be sure to follow the team at @IndianaMSOC on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
#NeverDaunted
Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET, and tickets are on sale here. IU staff, faculty and students get in free with a valid Crimson Card ID. Fans unable to attend can watch the match via the B1G+ digital platform.
KICKING OFF
• Indiana hopes to attract a crowd similar to its 2025 opener, as 6,395 attended the top-15 matchup with Clemson, marking the third-largest crowd in program history.
• IU reloaded in the offseason, welcoming the nation's top-ranked transfer class according to Top Drawer Soccer. Indiana brought in eight transfers between the December and May windows, picking up a class with proven production and NCAA Tournament experience.
• Stephane Njike was perhaps the most well-known name of IU's transfer pick-ups after a first-team All-Big Ten season for Maryland last season. The third-year player was one of three forwards featured in the Top Drawer Soccer first-team Preseason Best XI this week.
• Returner and third-year forward Easton Bogard enters the season in fine form. After recording eight goals this summer in USL League Two, Bogard scored four goals in Indiana's two preseason matches.
ABOUT THE FIGHTING IRISH
• Notre Dame made its 25th NCAA Tournament appearance in 2025, closing its season in the second round with a 1-0 defeat to No. 14 national seed Akron. The Fighting Irish finished with a 9-7-4 record, 3-3-2 in ACC play.
• Head coach Chad Riley leads Notre Dame in his eighth season with the program. Riley boasts an 80-51-26 record in South Bend and a 131-77-40 career head coaching record.
• Senior Nolan Spicer earned a place in the ACC Preseason Watch List. The ACC coaches ranked Notre Dame No. 8 in the conference preseason poll.
• Spicer also ranked No. 54 in the Top Drawer Soccer Top 100 player ranking. Goalkeeper Blake Kelly followed at No. 97.
SERIES HISTORY
• Indiana's first-ever varsity match was a 5-1 victory in South Bend. The Hoosiers then won 11 straight matchups to kick off a series set to renew for the 51st time Thursday night.
• More recently, the two teams have met in 24 of the last 25 seasons, only missing the unique 2020-21 campaign due to IU's conference-only schedule. In that span, the programs have met 28 times.
• The Hoosiers boast a dominant 34-10-6 record in the all-time series and have not suffered a straight defeat in their last 10 matches (6-0-4) against the Fighting Irish, each decided by one goal or a draw. It took a penalty shootout for the Fighting Irish to push past IU in the 2023 NCAA Tournament Quarterfinal matchup after the two teams drew 1-1 through 110 minutes.
• IU advanced to the 2018 College Cup with a 1-0 quarterfinal victory against Notre Dame. A crowd of 5,613 – Indiana's sixth-best crowd all-time – watched as Austin Panchot scored a 64th-minute winner to send the Hoosiers through to the final four.
• Indiana and Notre Dame have met six times in season openers, but Thursday's marks just the second in Bloomington and first since 1974. The Hoosiers hold a 4-0-2 mark in such matchups. In 2021, Ben Yeagley delivered a 92nd-minute golden goal to lead IU to the 3-2 victory.
• Collins Oduro represented the difference in last season's 1-0 victory at South Bend. The senior has scored twice in his career against the Irish, having recorded his first-career goal in the 2023 season opener at Notre Dame.
@IndianaMSOC
For all the latest on Indiana University men's soccer, be sure to follow the team at @IndianaMSOC on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
#NeverDaunted
Players Mentioned
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