Yeagley Field and Armstrong Stadium
Indiana Soccer Camp’s commitment to excellence is demonstrated by the facilities it provides to its participants. In addition to many fields on campus, Jerry Yeagley Field at Bill Armstrong Stadium is the permanent home of the IU soccer program and is used for matches between the more advanced participants. The complex is one of the finest college facilities in the nation.
There is no tradition in the sport of collegiate soccer like Indiana’s, and there is no head coach that can match the success that Jerry Yeagley had in his 31 years at the helm of the Hoosiers. Yeagley’s career came to a fitting and magical end in 2003 as his Hoosiers went unbeaten over their final 18 games, winning the sixth NCAA Championship for the program. In the process, he became the all-time winningest coach in collegiate soccer history with 544 wins (.828 percentage). He led the Hoosiers to 28 NCAA Tournament berths and 16 trips to the College Cup, including 12 championship game appearances. Every player who played at Indiana for four years under Yeagley competed in at least one College Cup, a claim that no other coach can make. Since the Big Ten began sponsoring men’s soccer in 1991, Yeagley guided Indiana to 10 Big Ten (Tournament) championships, a 68-game unbeaten streak against Big Ten foes from 1983-1991, and regular season championships in his final eight seasons. Yeagley won NSCAA National Coach of the Year honors an unprecedented six times (1976, 1980, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2003) and was named Big Ten Coach of the Year an unmatched eight times (1993, 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003). In 1989 he earned the highest honor a college coach can receive when he was inducted into the United States Soccer Federation Hall of Fame. Yeagley received the prestigious Bill Jeffrey Award (1987) for his unique contributions to intercollegiate soccer, the NSCAA’s highest tribute, the Honor Award (1997), and was inducted into the NSCAA Hall of Fame (2008). Following his retirement the field at Armstrong Stadium was named in his honor.
A 1994 IU Hall of Fame Inductee, Bill Armstrong won a baseball letter in 1940. He served as Executive Director and President of the IU Foundation from 1952-83 and as a fundraiser and Athletic Department consultant. Bill was instrumental in starting the Little 500 Bicycle Race and helped Jerry Yeagley establish men’s soccer as varsity sport.
“Without Bill Armstrong, we wouldn’t have the soccer program we have today,” former Hoosier head coach Jerry Yeagley said. “Bill made it all possible to not only be a varsity sport, but to also be a championship-caliber program. Bill was like my big brother. Whenever I was having a bad day, I would go see Bill and he would always point out the silver lining. ”
IU took home the championship in the first four tournaments that were played at Armstrong Stadium. The facility also played host to the 1992 Men’s Olympic soccer team in a qualifying match against Canada.