Soccer Standout Hollinger-Janzen Commits to Indiana

NOMINATE FOR ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Hollinger-Janzen

GOSHEN — Bethany senior Femi Hollinger-Janzen has verbally committed to continue his academic and soccer careers at Indiana University beginning next fall, according to a column published in the Elkhart Truth this morning. Despite not beginning his senior season of high-school soccer for another nine days, Hollinger-Janzen verbally committed to the seven-time-national-champion Big Ten program last week.

Entering his final season of high-school play, the 6'1", 175-pound senior is already tenth on Bethany's all-time goal-scoring list with 38. If Hollinger-Janzen were to replicate his 2010 season, in which he was the leading scorer with 17 goals on a sectional-champion Bruin squad that went 13-5-2, it would put him in third place on the all-time goal list with 55.

Hollinger-Janzen will be the second Bethany athlete to play Division I soccer and the second to play a sport at Indiana; 2010 graduate Jesse Ramer played one soccer season at Western Michigan, while 2009 graduate Chelsea Noble played on the Indiana softball team her freshman year. The Hoosiers had one of several scholarships offered to the center midfielder; among others, Hollinger-Janzen considered a full-ride scholarship from IUPUI before accepting the Indiana offer.

The Hoosiers have amassed 24 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, a streak that dates back to the fall of 1986, and played in that tournament 36 times since gaining varsity status in 1973. Indiana has advanced to the national semifinals in 17 of those tournaments and played for the national championship 12 times. In addition, the Hoosiers have won the Big Ten regular-season championship 14 times since its inception in 1990, including 10 championships in 11 years from 1994 to 2004.

Due to NCAA regulations on signing, Hollinger-Janzen will be unable to physically sign his letter of intent until November 9; Indiana head coach Todd Yeagley will be unable to comment on the recruit until he signs.

Indiana finished 10-8-2 in 2010, the program's 39th consecutive winning season and 38th season with double-digit wins since 1973, and finished first in the Big Ten with a 4-1 record. Bethany opens its season against Elkhart Memorial on Thursday, August 18 after a Saturday morning scrimmage against Concord.

Bethany's Hollinger-Janzen to play soccer at IU (Steve Krah/Elkhart Truth)