Great Bend, KS – The No. 1 nationally ranked Indian Hills Men's Soccer squad returns to action for the two-day Barton Classic, hosted by Barton Community College on Wednesday and Thursday.

DETAILS: 2024 Barton Classic

Great Bend, KS  |  Cougar Complex

Wednesday, October 2 – Thursday, October 3

For the first time in program history, the Indian Hills Men's Soccer team will compete as the No. 1 team in the nation after the Warriors jumped to the top spot in Monday's National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) DI Men's Soccer poll. The Warriors are set to take on the Barton Classic for the second consecutive season.

HISTORY IN THE MAKING

The historic season for the Warriors continues with a 466-mile road trek to Great Bend, KS for the Barton Classic.

• After two key road wins over nationally ranked opponents last week, the Warriors soared to No. 1 in the NJCAA polls on Monday for the first time in program history.
• The Warriors are off to a 9-0-1 start, the best stretch to open a season in program history.
• With the two wins last week, the Warriors have now won 10 matches against nationally ranked teams over the past three seasons.
• The Warriors are averaging 3.7 goals per contest this year, currently the second-best mark in school history.

MULERO'S MAGIC

One of the top offensive threats in the nation, sophomore Daniel Mulero has contineud to power the Warriors' scoring attack on the year.

• Mulero is currently tied for the third-most points in the nation this year with 26 (9g, 8a).
• The sophomore is the only player in the nation with at least eight goals and eight assists on the year.
• Mulero has moved into the top-10 in school history in career assists (4th - 13), career points (9th - 37), career goals (T10th - 12)

SCOUTING THE RATTLERS

Otero (4-1-3) will make the trip to Great Bend to take on the Warriors for the second consecutive year.

• In the first all-time meeting between the programs last year, Indian Hills and Otero resulted in a 2-2 draw.
• The Rattlers entered the year ranked No. 16 in the preseason national polls, but have not returned to the NJCAA ratings since.
• After allowing four goals in the season opener, Otero has limited its past seven opponents to just four goals.
• 10 different players have scored a goal on the year for Otero, led by Breno Andreucci and Michael Florian who have tallied three each.

SCOUTING THE COUGARS

Barton (8-3-0) and Indian Hills have met just four times prior to Thursday's match, but all four have come in the last two years, including three times during the 2023 campaign.

• The two sides squared off in Pool Play at last year's national chamionship, with the Warriors scoring a thrilling 2-1 victory to force a first-of-its-kind winner-take-all golden goal match with the Cougars, a result that eventually led to a penalty kick goal victory for Barton. The loss eliminated the Warriors from postseason play.
• In last year's regular season meeting with the Cougars, Indian Hills dropped a 3-1 contest at the Barton Classic. The Warriors went on to score seven consecutive results following its loss.
• Barton, who opened the year at No. 5 in the preseason national rankings, climbed to No. 20 this week after falling out of the polls last week.
• After dropping two consecutive contests midway through Septemeber, the Cougars have won three in a row.
• Maxence Voinier leads the Cougars with 16 points (6g, 4a) on the year while Gabriel Bergamin and Emil Ludemann-Ravit have combined for all eight wins in net.

WHAT'S NEXT

The Warriors will make another trek south on Sunday, October 6 with a neutral site contest against Dodge City Community College (KS). The two sides will meet in Kansas City, MO at Bourke Field on the cmapus of Rockhurst University for a 1:00 PM match.

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