Bloomington, IN - After seven national championships, the Indiana University Men’s Soccer team has earned the right to call itself one of the most successful college soccer programs of all time. A six-year gap between titles might not be noteworthy at most schools, but in Bloomington the hunger for the eighth star grows every year, and the secret to renewing the program’s success might just be found within the friendly confines of its own backyard.

 “This is the highest amount of players that we’ve had from Indiana, which is a real nice trend,” Head Coach Todd Yeagley said. “We’ve had four or five years of great talent come through, and I see it continuing to get better.”

Yeagley enjoyed a successful playing career at the university from 1991-1994 under his father Jerry, and it holds a special place in his heart.

“You grow up around something, living it and breathing it, and you start to form a special attachment,” he said. “The fact that our entire staff played here is a testament to the unique situation we have, one that you can’t find at many other programs, and I think that our players really feel that.”

 Ranked number six in the nation by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA), Indiana has a much greater in-state presence than any of its competitors. Seventeen of its 28 players call the Hoosier State home, more than double the amount of any other team in the top six, which includes Maryland (5), Connecticut (8), Creighton (7), North Carolina (6), and Akron (8).

 Continuing to attract new talent is key for any program, and in freshman Eriq Zavaleta, Yeagley has done just that. The striker from Westfield, who has garnered a Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week award for his performances only a month into his college career, echoed his coach’s sentiments.

 “Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve wanted to be part of the tradition here,” Zavaleta said. “It’s close to home, and after moving away (to the U.S. Soccer Residency Program) when I was younger, it was important for me to be able to have my family and friends come watch me play.”

 Zavaleta can look to strike partner Alec Purdie as an example. The senior from Elkhart is off to the best start of his college career, leading the Big Ten with 12 points from five goals and two assists in eight games, and is enjoying his time in cream and crimson.

 “I’ve known since I was eight or nine years old that I wanted to play here,” Purdie said. “I grew up watching Indiana soccer, and it’s a dream to be playing for such a prestigious program.”

 Players who started their college careers elsewhere have also returned to their home state, such as senior Chris Estridge, who has contributed two goals and two assists from left back. The Indianapolis product played for two years at Wake Forest before deciding to come back to Indiana.

 “I knew the program and the coaches pretty well, and I thought it would be a good fit,” Estridge said. “It’s been really nice being back home, because my parents can come to every game, which has been very special.”

 The amount of in-state players allowed him to integrate into the team right away, and speaks to the cohesion that has now developed.

 “I knew just about all of the players on the roster from club and high school soccer, which definitely factored into my decision,” Estridge said. “I had played with Alec and (senior midfielder) Tyler McCarroll before, which helped ease my transition.”

 Yeagley hopes to compete for the national championship every year, and knows that bringing in local products is key to the program’s success.

 “Our recruiting philosophy is to keep players here, and we want to build around that,” he said. “Anytime you can have success with players from within the state, it’s a different bond, because they grew up around the program, which only adds to their experience.”

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