Indiana University Athletics
DiPrimio: From Dream Debut to ‘Golden Hammer,’ Hoosiers Make Season-Opening Statement
8/21/2026 10:30:00 AM | Men's Soccer
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Rain fell, but didn't distract, didn't deter, didn't dull at Bill Armstrong Stadium. Not for Indiana, not in a season-opening 3-1 victory over Notre Dame, a soccer performance in which the Hoosiers excelled in shots (18-13), shots on goal (9-4) and basically everything else.
"That wasn't our 'A' night as far as what this team can do," coach Todd Yeagley says. "To do that against a good Notre Dame team, that's a good sign."
It wasn't the only sign on Thursday night. Consider the crowd of 7,078, the third largest in stadium history and the largest season opener.
"It was unreal," said fourth-year forward Oliver Moller-Jensen, a Florida Atlantic transfer. "It was by far the biggest crowd I've ever played in front of.
"Being here is something special. Hoosier Nation is not something you find everywhere."
Yeagley, whose cream and crimson roots reach deep into the 20th Century, is well aware.
"The environment was amazing. The students can make this place special. Our transfers were shocked … in a good way.
"They knew it; they've heard it; they've seen pictures. It was cool to see their reaction."
Yeagley paused to consider a rebuilt roster that includes 13 newcomers with eight transfers, significant for a program that boasts eight national titles and nine runner-up finishes. Nine players made their Hoosier debuts.
"That was the win outside the white lines," Yeagley said. "In the white lines, we have some new elite attackers who will add a lot to make it difficult for teams to take one to two things away. We have some guys who can finish from distance; some guys who can get in the box and finish plays."
Take, for instance, Easton Bogard, a third-year forward poised for a breakout season with a nickname rich in potential:
"Golden Hammer."
"I got that sophomore year in high school," Bogard said. "It's my blonde hair. I think it started with some baseball guys. I scored a lot of goals (he set Chicago area Oak Park and River Forest High School records with 33 goals in a season, 91 for his career, plus 45 assists), so it's a good chant. It brings me back. I love it."
Love on Thursday night brought one goal, and nearly a second off a header. It also brings energy.
"Absolutely," Bogard said. "It feeds into a little mantra or something. It gives me a little extra confidence."
Still, Bogard understands that, for the best players, the most impactful players, the players who elevate their teammates' performances to produce victories, scoring alone isn't enough.
"It's nice to score goals," he said, "but it's just most important to be building the connections with my teammates."
Those teammates include Moller-Jensen, who scored IU's first goal 14 minutes into the game off a Notre Dame defensive mistake. He added a second-half goal. He also assisted on Bogard's goal as did third-year defender Nolan Kinsella. Fourth-year defender Alex Barger assisted on Moller-Jensen's second goal.
"Some of our new players were fantastic," Yeagley said. "Oliver was class. It was one of the best outings I've seen from a new player since I've been here."
For the record, Yeagley has been IU's head coach since 2010, was a Hoosier assistant coach before that and was a Hoosier player in the 1990s.
"I wanted to get off on a strong foot and to get two goals means a lot," Moller-Jensen said. "It's something I've dreamt of since I decided to transfer here."
Bogard's dream came without transferring. His scoring prowess was showcased with four goals in exhibitions against Bowling Green and Loyola of Chicago (it could have been more, but against Loyola he missed a header and his penalty kick attempt was blocked by the goalkeeper), as well as eight over the summer while playing in USL League Two.
"I was in the right spots, and did my job with the finishing aspect," he said. "There were a couple more I wish I had back -- the penalty and the early header (against Loyola) -- but soccer is a long season. I don't think about it much. You have to have a short memory at times."
All this scoring is a big jump from the three goals -- including a pair of match winners -- Bogard recorded last season and suggests a bigger scoring role is coming.
"I could see him having a really nice year with production," Yeagley said.
And then …
"His jump from last fall to now is considerable. One, his aerobic capacity is better. He worked really hard on his conditioning and his ability to be more impactful for longer minutes. So, his fitness is there.
"Then, his confidence is better. There's a little bit more pop to him. His ability to get into (position), his timing, his desire to do all that is better.
"He's had some fantastic combinations that have led to great opportunities."
Opportunity includes take-charge pressure Bogard embraces.
"The mindset doesn't really change. I'm trying to maximize my contribution for the team. If Coach thinks I'm ready to take up a bigger role … I think I am, but it's his decision at the end of the day, and you know that excites me. I just take it day by day because things change."
As far as Thursday's win, the Hoosiers overcame a slow start.
"I thought after the first 15 minutes," Yeagley said, "we settled in. Before that, we missed some easy passes. It was a lot of anxious energy. I've seen that before. I wasn't worried, but was like, let's get this under control. I thought we did."
Notre Dame's goal came late on a penalty kick.
"The penalty was unfortunate," Yeagley says. "We have to make better decisions. It was a good learning. I'm glad it was 3-0. It changes the game if it was 2-0 and came earlier."
Now comes home games against Evansville on Sunday and Butler on Thursday before a Sept. 31 trip to Louisville.
"Notre Dame was a very tough team, a very difficult team," Moller-Jensen said. "We played with confidence. Now, we have to keep doing what we're doing. We're flying high with confidence right now. We have to keep standards high and lock into every game."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Rain fell, but didn't distract, didn't deter, didn't dull at Bill Armstrong Stadium. Not for Indiana, not in a season-opening 3-1 victory over Notre Dame, a soccer performance in which the Hoosiers excelled in shots (18-13), shots on goal (9-4) and basically everything else.
"That wasn't our 'A' night as far as what this team can do," coach Todd Yeagley says. "To do that against a good Notre Dame team, that's a good sign."
It wasn't the only sign on Thursday night. Consider the crowd of 7,078, the third largest in stadium history and the largest season opener.
"It was unreal," said fourth-year forward Oliver Moller-Jensen, a Florida Atlantic transfer. "It was by far the biggest crowd I've ever played in front of.
"Being here is something special. Hoosier Nation is not something you find everywhere."
Yeagley, whose cream and crimson roots reach deep into the 20th Century, is well aware.
"The environment was amazing. The students can make this place special. Our transfers were shocked … in a good way.
"They knew it; they've heard it; they've seen pictures. It was cool to see their reaction."
Yeagley paused to consider a rebuilt roster that includes 13 newcomers with eight transfers, significant for a program that boasts eight national titles and nine runner-up finishes. Nine players made their Hoosier debuts.
"That was the win outside the white lines," Yeagley said. "In the white lines, we have some new elite attackers who will add a lot to make it difficult for teams to take one to two things away. We have some guys who can finish from distance; some guys who can get in the box and finish plays."
Take, for instance, Easton Bogard, a third-year forward poised for a breakout season with a nickname rich in potential:
"Golden Hammer."
"I got that sophomore year in high school," Bogard said. "It's my blonde hair. I think it started with some baseball guys. I scored a lot of goals (he set Chicago area Oak Park and River Forest High School records with 33 goals in a season, 91 for his career, plus 45 assists), so it's a good chant. It brings me back. I love it."
Love on Thursday night brought one goal, and nearly a second off a header. It also brings energy.
"Absolutely," Bogard said. "It feeds into a little mantra or something. It gives me a little extra confidence."
Still, Bogard understands that, for the best players, the most impactful players, the players who elevate their teammates' performances to produce victories, scoring alone isn't enough.
"It's nice to score goals," he said, "but it's just most important to be building the connections with my teammates."
Those teammates include Moller-Jensen, who scored IU's first goal 14 minutes into the game off a Notre Dame defensive mistake. He added a second-half goal. He also assisted on Bogard's goal as did third-year defender Nolan Kinsella. Fourth-year defender Alex Barger assisted on Moller-Jensen's second goal.
"Some of our new players were fantastic," Yeagley said. "Oliver was class. It was one of the best outings I've seen from a new player since I've been here."
For the record, Yeagley has been IU's head coach since 2010, was a Hoosier assistant coach before that and was a Hoosier player in the 1990s.
"I wanted to get off on a strong foot and to get two goals means a lot," Moller-Jensen said. "It's something I've dreamt of since I decided to transfer here."
Bogard's dream came without transferring. His scoring prowess was showcased with four goals in exhibitions against Bowling Green and Loyola of Chicago (it could have been more, but against Loyola he missed a header and his penalty kick attempt was blocked by the goalkeeper), as well as eight over the summer while playing in USL League Two.
"I was in the right spots, and did my job with the finishing aspect," he said. "There were a couple more I wish I had back -- the penalty and the early header (against Loyola) -- but soccer is a long season. I don't think about it much. You have to have a short memory at times."
All this scoring is a big jump from the three goals -- including a pair of match winners -- Bogard recorded last season and suggests a bigger scoring role is coming.
"I could see him having a really nice year with production," Yeagley said.
And then …
"His jump from last fall to now is considerable. One, his aerobic capacity is better. He worked really hard on his conditioning and his ability to be more impactful for longer minutes. So, his fitness is there.
"Then, his confidence is better. There's a little bit more pop to him. His ability to get into (position), his timing, his desire to do all that is better.
"He's had some fantastic combinations that have led to great opportunities."
Opportunity includes take-charge pressure Bogard embraces.
"The mindset doesn't really change. I'm trying to maximize my contribution for the team. If Coach thinks I'm ready to take up a bigger role … I think I am, but it's his decision at the end of the day, and you know that excites me. I just take it day by day because things change."
As far as Thursday's win, the Hoosiers overcame a slow start.
"I thought after the first 15 minutes," Yeagley said, "we settled in. Before that, we missed some easy passes. It was a lot of anxious energy. I've seen that before. I wasn't worried, but was like, let's get this under control. I thought we did."
Notre Dame's goal came late on a penalty kick.
"The penalty was unfortunate," Yeagley says. "We have to make better decisions. It was a good learning. I'm glad it was 3-0. It changes the game if it was 2-0 and came earlier."
Now comes home games against Evansville on Sunday and Butler on Thursday before a Sept. 31 trip to Louisville.
"Notre Dame was a very tough team, a very difficult team," Moller-Jensen said. "We played with confidence. Now, we have to keep doing what we're doing. We're flying high with confidence right now. We have to keep standards high and lock into every game."
Players Mentioned
Defender
/ Men's Soccer
Forward
/ Men's Soccer
Defender
/ Men's Soccer
Forward
/ Men's SoccerWednesday, August 19
Wednesday, August 19
Wednesday, August 19
Wednesday, August 19