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Mike Freitag has spent a total of 23 years at Indiana as a player, graduate assistant, assistant coach and head coach. In 2004, he took over for long-time head coach and Hall of Famer Jerry Yeagley, winning a national title in his first season. Freitag became only the third first-year head coach, joining Saint Louis coaches Harry Keough (1967) and Bob Guelker (1959), to lead his program to a national title. In his four seasons as head coach, IU has compiled a 60-15-15 (.750) record. Freitag has been involved in five of Indiana's seven national championships.
In 2007, Freitag earned his second-straight Big Ten Coach of the Year honor after leading the Hoosiers to a 4-0-2 conference record and the Big Ten regular season title. He earned the award in 2006 as the Hoosiers won the Big Ten regular season championship and Big Ten Tournament Championship titles.
In his first four seasons as head coach, he has coached eight National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/adidas All-Americans. He has had 11 players sign professional contracts, including nine Major League Soccer (MLS) draft selections.
Last year the Hoosiers had four first-team All-Big Ten selctions, led by unanimous picks Brad Ring and Eric Alexander. Goalkeeper Chay Cain and defender Ofori Sarkodie were also honored for their play. Daniel Kelly and Rich Balchan were unanimous selections to the All-Freshman Team, while Kevin Noschang and Kevin Alston received second-team All-Big Ten recognition.
Freitag's 2006 squad captured the Big Ten regular season and tournament titles and was led by Big Ten Player of the Year Josh Tudela and Big Ten Freshman of the Year Darren Yeagle. John Michael Hayden joined Tudela on the first team, while Yeagle and defender Greg Stevning were second-team honorees.
During his second season in 2005, the Freitag-led Hoosiers went 13-3-6, capturing the third seed in the NCAA Tournament. IU had three first team All-Big Ten selections and a pair of second team honorees and All-Freshman team choices. He also had the first Big Ten Player of the Year and Big Ten Freshman of the Year players during his tenure. Brian Plotkin was the lone unanimous first team All-Big Ten selection on his way to being named the conference player of the year.
In total, six players from the 2005 squad signed professional contracts. Lee Nguyen signed with Holland power PSV Eindhoven. Four Hoosiers were drafted into the MLS with Jed Zayner (13th overall - Columbus Crew), Plotkin (20th overall - Chicago Fire) and Jacob Peterson (21st overall - Colorado Rapids) going in the second round and Mike Ambersley (43rd overall - FC Dallas) going in the fourth round. Jordan Chirico and Ambersley also signed with the Rochester Raging Rhinos of the United Soccer League (USL) First Division.
The 2004 national title was the fifth title Freitag has been associated with as a Hoosier. Freitag was part of three national titles as the head assistant for long-time head coach Jerry Yeagley in 1998, 1999 and 2003. He was also part of the 1983 national title as a graduate assistant.
Indiana compiled a 202-38-14 record in Freitag's tenure as a full-time assistant coach from 1993 to 2003. In 2002, Freitag was recognized by College Soccer News as one of the nation's top assistant coaches. In addition, AFLAC included him in its list of the 500 best assistant coaches, in any sport, across the United States in 2002.
Before returning to Indiana, Freitag spent two-plus years as an assistant coach for the United States Under-17 National Team and also was the full-time Director of Coaching for the Colorado State Youth Soccer Association in Denver. Freitag holds a U.S. Soccer Federation "A" Coaching License and a Scottish Football Association "B" Coaching License. He has coached youth soccer at all levels in Indiana and Colorado, and was a staff coach for the U.S. Soccer Federation.
Freitag was a member of the U.S. Soccer Federation Coaching Committee from 1990-91 and has held a number of key posts in youth soccer coaching in America. He was the head coach of the Region IV Olympic Development Program (1989-90) and head coach of the Colorado State Olympic Development Program (1987).
Freitag played at Indiana from 1976-79, earning All-America honors in '79. He played professionally for the San Diego Sockers of the North American Soccer League and the Denver Avalanche of the Major Indoor Soccer League.
Freitag holds a bachelor's degree in physical education from Indiana and received a master's degree in sports administration from IU in 1986. Freitag and his wife, Renee, and their children, Heather and Hanna, reside in Bloomington.
