'Rely on the team': Ryan Wittenbrink evolves with IU men's soccer's shift to more balance
The last time IU men’s soccer was in the College Cup, the world was in the midst of a pandemic. The Hoosiers arrived in Cary, North Carolina long before the final and were sequestered in a hotel for close to a month as the tournament played out. They had to test for COVID frequently. The tournament itself had only 36 teams and took place after the 2020 season in the spring.
IU was different, too. Its scoring was more concentrated among a few players. Of the Hoosiers’ 31 goals in 2020, 21 came from three players. Two years later, the top three scorers have 18 of 40 goals. Nine players found the back of the net in 2020. That figure is 16 this season.
While IU has lost star power over the past two years, it’s made up for it with a more balanced attack and more production from senior forward Ryan Wittenbrink, who leads the team with nine goals and 27 points. The combination has propelled it to the semifinals, where Pittsburgh awaits Friday.
“We were always confident, regardless of whatever the public opinion is,” Wittenbrink said. “It doesn’t really change our opinion, and our goals are the same every year. I was really confident, and I think we have a really good, balanced team across the board and we have a lot of depth. I think compared to other years, our depth this year has definitely helped a ton as one key aspect.
“We have a next-man-up mentality where we’re confident in whoever is needed each game. I think that helps to take away pressure off individuals, and we kind of just rely on the team to get it done.”
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Wittenbrink scored five goals on the 2020 tournament team, whose season ended with a loss to Marshall in the championship, and is among the last of the main contributors still at IU. Victor Bazerra, Joe Schmidt and Roman Celentano are all gone. Wittenbrink, Daniel Munie and Maouloune Goumballe, among others, all remain, bridging the gap between the last group to make a deep run and current contributors like sophomore Tommy Mihalic, Indiana’s second leading scorer.
It also means this weekend could be the end of the line for several players on the roster for the Hoosiers’ most recent championship appearance. Wittenbrink, Munie and midfielder Ben Yeagley are all in their fifth years. Goumballe and defender Brett Bebej are both seniors.
Wittenbrink generally tries to keep it off his mind, but uses it as motivation. He’s been aware that each game he’s played for almost the past three weeks could have been his last if IU had lost.
“I think you can definitely use it in a good way, as fuel,” he said. “I think that’s pretty much the healthiest way to go about it.”
For all that has changed since spring of 2021 — the circumstances around the tournament, Wittenbrink’s increased opportunity, execution and subsequent confidence — the feeling among IU players has stayed the same.
There’s joy and excitement, but it’s combined with the understanding of what the opportunity means. It’s one that doesn’t come around often, and for some, won’t come again.
“I think the main thing is just realizing how important it is to take advantage of the moment just because it’s so hard to get here,” Wittenbrink said. “A lot of us that were at the 2020 College Cup, this is our last season at IU, so I think that, coupled with how hard it is to get here, just kind of take advantage of the opportunity in front of us, and that’s pretty much our main focus.”
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IU men's soccer: Hoosiers to play Pittsburgh in College Cup
