Indy Eleven

Indy Eleven
Full name Indy Eleven
Founded 2013
Stadium Michael Carroll Stadium
Indianapolis, Indiana
Ground Capacity 12,111
Owner Ersal Ozdemir
President Jeff Belskus[1]
Head Coach Tim Hankinson
League North American Soccer League
2015 Spring: 5th
Fall: 9th
Combined: 9th
Playoffs: DNQ
Website Club home page

Indy Eleven is an American professional soccer team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 2013, the team made its debut in the North American Soccer League in 2014.[2] The franchise plays its home games at the Michael Carroll Stadium located on the campus of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, with long term plans of a new stadium in the city's downtown district.[3]

History

Indy Eleven players during a 2014 fall season league game

Thanks in part to efforts from a grassroots soccer organization, better known as the supporters group Brickyard Battalion, on January 16, 2013, the NASL announced that an Indianapolis expansion team owned by Ersal Ozdemir, CEO of Keystone Group LLC, would join the league in 2014. Ozdemir named Peter Wilt as the team's first President and General Manager, this after the veteran American soccer executive had served in a consulting role to explore the viability of professional soccer in Indianapolis in the three months leading up to the January 2013 announcement.

Indy Eleven's vision is to create a team that is representative of Indiana and creates strong emotional connections with its fans. Those connections will be made with Indiana’s youth and adult soccer community and the active young adult urban and ethnic populations. The makeup of the team will reflect the community, so that it can live up to its slogan of "The World's Game, Indiana's Team". The club sold over 7,000 season tickets for its inaugural 2014 campaign.[4]

The name and club colors were officially revealed to the public on April 25, 2013 during a ceremony held at Indianapolis' Soldiers and Sailors Monument.[5] The team was named after the 11th Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment, an infantry regiment that served with notoriety in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Colonel Lew Wallace commanded the regiment, which was mustered on April 25, 1861. The team name reflects both the culture of the game and pays homage to the history of the state. [6]

Indy Eleven named former Indiana University standout, U.S. international and English Premier League and Major League Soccer veteran Juergen Sommer as its first Head Coach/Director of Soccer Operations on June 11, 2013.

On October 1, 2013 the team announced Kristian Nicht as their first signing.[7]

Even though the team did not begin play until the spring 2014 season, the team announced in November 2013 that it had already sold over 7,000 season tickets, and in capping season ticket sales, became the first NASL team to have a wait list for season tickets.[8][9]

The team made its NASL regular-season debut on April 12, 2014, in a 1–1 draw against the Carolina Railhawks, at home in front of 11,048 fans at Carroll Stadium.[10]

Year-by-year

Season Division League Regular season Playoffs U.S. Open Cup Avg. attendance
2014 2 NASL Spring: 10th
Fall: 7th		 Did not qualify 4th Round 10,465 (1st in NASL)
2015 2 NASL Spring: 5th
Fall: 9th		 Did not qualify 3rd Round 9,809 (1st in NASL)

Crest

The name "Eleven" references the eleven men who will take to the field representing Indiana and also pays homage to Indiana's 11th Regiment Indiana Infantry in the American Civil War, while the navy colored checkered background is a nod to both Indianapolis' auto-racing culture and the Brickyard Battalion supporters group which is often credited to bringing pro soccer back in Indianapolis. Lady Victory from the Soldiers' and Sailors' monument is the focal point of the crest. The color scheme is the same as that of the civic flag of Indianapolis.[11]

Stadium

In early 2014, Indy Eleven sought to build a new $87 million stadium with a capacity of 18,500 seats, but were not able to build the political support to finance their plan.[9] On January 13, 2015, House Bill 1273 was submitted to the Indiana General Assembly, proposing to pay for the stadium by expanding ticket taxes through 2045 instead of ending in 2023 at a projected $5 million per year[12]

Jerseys

Since its foundation, the team's jerseys were manufactured by Diadora.

Predominantly red, white and blue, the jerseys unveiled on October 1, 2013,[13] also feature a sublimated checker board pattern paying homage to Indianapolis' rich auto racing heritage centered around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The jerseys will be manufactured by Diadora[14] and Honda is the shirt sponsor.

Players

Current roster


Where a player has not declared an international allegiance, nation is determined by place of birth. Squad correct as of May 3, 2016.[15][16][17][18][19][20][21]

No. Position Player Nation
1 Goalkeeper Cardona, KeithKeith Cardona      United States
2 Midfielder Shaffer, NeilNeil Shaffer      United States
4 Midfielder Ring, BradBrad Ring      United States
5 Defender Palmer, LovelLovel Palmer      Jamaica
6 Midfielder Mares, DylanDylan Mares      United States
7 Midfielder Smart, DonDon Smart      Jamaica
8 Midfielder Paterson, NickiNicki Paterson      Scotland
9 Forward Zayed, ÉamonÉamon Zayed      Libya
10 Midfielder Ubiparipović, SinišaSiniša Ubiparipović      Bosnia and Herzegovina
12 Defender Janicki, GregGreg Janicki      United States
14 Forward Lacroix, DukeDuke Lacroix      United States
15 Midfielder Keller, DanielDaniel Keller      United States
16 Defender Miller, CoryCory Miller      United States
18 Goalkeeper Busch, JonJon Busch      United States
19 Forward Wojcik, WojciechWojciech Wojcik      Poland
20 Forward Braun, JustinJustin Braun      United States
23 Defender Franco, MarcoMarco Franco      United States
24 Forward Reinoso, JairJair Reinoso      Colombia
32 Defender Falvey, ColinColin Falvey      Ireland
33 Midfielder Larrea, GorkaGorka Larrea      Spain
82 Midfielder Vuković, NemanjaNemanja Vuković      Montenegro
91 Forward Gordon, OmarOmar Gordon (loan from Montego Bay United)     Jamaica

Staff

Management

Coaches

Records

Top goalscorers

# Pos. Name Nation Career NASL Playoffs USOC Total
1 Midfielder KlebersonJosé Kléberson  Brazil 2014– 8 8
2 Forward Ambersley, MikeMike Ambersley  United States 2014-2015 6 1 7
3 Midfielder Smith, BlakeBlake Smith  United States 2014-2015 2 4 6
4 Midfielder Pineda, VictorVictor Pineda  United States 2014– 3 3
Forward Smart, DonDon Smart  Jamaica 2014– 5 3
Defender Norales, ErickErick Norales  Honduras 2014– 3 3
7 Forward Spencer, BenBen Spencer  United States 2014-2015 2 2
Forward Jhulliam, Jhulliam  Brazil 2014-2015 2 2
Midfielder Johnson, JermaineJermaine Johnson  Jamaica 2014-2015 2 2
Midfielder Mares, DylanDylan Mares  United States 2014– 2 2
Midfielder Sergio Peña, Sergio Peña  Honduras 2014 2 2

Last Updated: June 3, 2015.
USOC = US Open Cup;
Bolded players are currently on the Indy Eleven roster.

References

  1. ↑ "Former Speedway honcho become new Indy Eleven president - 2016-01-11 - Indianapolis Business Journal - IBJ.com".
  2. ↑ "NASL Awards Team To Indianapolis". North American Soccer League. January 16, 2013. Retrieved January 16, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Indy officially lands 12th North American Soccer League Franchise". Indianapolis Star. January 16, 2013. Retrieved January 16, 2013.
  4. ↑ Hawley, Larry. "Indy Eleven’s support grows as first player, jersey are introduced". fox59.com. Retrieved October 3, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Indy Eleven Taking Soccer to the Next Level | North American Soccer League". Nasl.com. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
  6. ↑ "About Indy Eleven".
  7. ↑ "Indy Eleven’s First Player Is A ‘Keeper – Indy Eleven". Indyeleven.com. May 3, 1970. Retrieved October 2, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Indy Eleven ticket sales far exceeding projections", Indianapolis Business Journal, November 11, 2013
  9. 1 2 "Indy Eleven soccer stadium proposal shelved", Indy Star, March 6, 2014.
  10. ↑ NASL match center. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Indy Eleven Identity". Indy Eleven. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
  12. ↑ Indiana General Assembly. "House Bill 1273". Indiana General Assembly. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Twitter / IndyEleven: Here's a pic of today's special". Twitter.com. Retrieved October 2, 2013.
  14. ↑ Townsend, Rebecca. "Indy Eleven's new goalie, new jerseys | Sports + Recreation | NUVO News | Indianapolis, IN". Nuvo.net. Retrieved October 2, 2013.
  15. ↑ "Indy Eleven Roster". indyeleven.com. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Eleven adds Frias, Corrado". indyeleven.com. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  17. ↑ "Indy Eleven Add Midfielder Sergio Peña". indyeleven.com. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  18. ↑ ""JJ" Joins Eleven". indyeleven.com. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
  19. ↑ "Indy Eleven Signs Forward Jhulliam to Roster". indyeleven.com. Retrieved August 26, 2014.
  20. ↑ "Eleven Inks Defender Cory Miller". indyeleven.com. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
  21. ↑ "Eleven Add Charlie Rugg at Deadline". indyeleven.com. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  22. ↑ "News".
  23. ↑ "Indy Eleven Management". Retrieved April 12, 2014.

External links

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