Futsal Indy - 2022/23 Season Preview
22/23 PREVIEW
Futsal Indy returns to the National Futsal Premier League for the 2022/23 season with teams competing on three fronts in the Men's, Women's and Rising Stars divisions!
MEN
A disappointing regular season saw the Futsal Indy men's side finish second to last. Despite that, a win on the road against Futsal Factory Academy in the opening round of the NFPL playoffs propelled them into the semifinals. A close loss to the eventual runners-up Joy Athletic in the semifinal matchup will give Futsal Indy some confidence going into the 2022/23 season.
Team owner Rana Hoffbauer had this to say about the team's expectations:
We have a great group of new, young players that have a lot of potential, but still need to understand the game. We believe that once our team is playing as a unit, we can be pretty competitive this season.
- Rana Hoffbauer, Owner
WOMEN
After competing in the NFPL Summer Cup, it's clear that the women from Futsal Indy will be eager to compete in the inaugural NFPL Women's Division. They'll face a tough group of teams to compete against in the Midwest. Hoffbauer is looking forward to the season and seeing what the future holds, including the growth of the league and what that means for the men's and women's futsal national teams.
RISING STARS
Futsal Indy has been a foundational piece of the youth futsal movement in Indianapolis for several years, with youth teams competing at high levels both regionally and nationally. There's a great deal of excitement around the club's coaching staff and the team's owners for the Rising Stars division and the opportunity that these young men will get by competing with some of the country's top talent. Owner Rana Hoffbauer says that they are "excited to see where we end up" based on their past results.
TEAM NEWS
MEN
The Men's side have a handful of established returners, including club legend Joao Couto and All-NFPL Honorable Mention ala Diego Lemus.
Second year players like Luis Soriano will be looking to build on his great end to the season, and he'll be backed up by other returners in Alan Aguilar, Ben Diatta, and Garrett Nolan.
The roster will be rounded out with a handful of new faces and players, including three brothers; Denis, Sam, and Ujasiri Sikabwe.
WOMEN
The Futsal Indy team will be led Jana Novaes Miknus and will look to build on a strong showing in the NFPL Summer Cup after past victories in the Mayor's Cup and the Midwest Regionals.
RISING STARS
The Rising Stars roster will continue to shape up as we get closer to the season but will undoubtedly be filled with young players that have a deep background in futsal experience cultivated by the staff at Futsal Indy.
VERDICT
The Futsal Indy men's side will face steep competition in the Western Conference with Joy Athletic, Cadence SFC, and FC Tryzub.
With just two playoff spots to fight for, Indy will need to defend their home court advantage and pick up road points where they can.
The Women's side will have to face up to a dominant Michigan Futsal Factory side that will be coming off a confidence-boosting win in the NFPL Summer Cup, while the Rising Stars division is a completely open court at the moment! It will be exciting to see which teams make their way to the top over the season.