SPRINGFIELD - Ian Jones recently completed his second strong men's soccer season at Missouri State University in Springfield, Mo.
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The 2019 MSU campaign was a historic one for Jones and the MSU Bears men’s soccer program…a season in which the Bears occupied a place in the top-10 in D1 Men’s Soccer for much of the year. Playing as a forward/midfielder, Jones was part of one of the most potent frontlines in the nation, ranking in the top-15 in every offensive category in the country.
Jones and the MSU Bears men’s soccer team went 16-0-0, recording the nation’s only perfect regular-season record in D1 men’s soccer and the first perfect season in MSU program's history.
Along the way in ‘18, the Bears established a 17-game winning streak, the longest winning streak in men’s D1 soccer this year and the longest winning streak in MSU men’s Soccer history. The Bears finished the season as the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season champions, going 10-0-0 for the year in conference play. The Bears went on to host an NCAA tournament game at MSU for the first time, securing the first NCAA tournament win in the program’s history with a 1-0 victory over the University of Denver.
The MSU Bears finished the season with a record of 18-1-1, with a national ranking of 12th.
It was a banner year for Jones, an Alton High grad, as well, as he scored three goals on the season and tallied two assists. His senior year culminated in a selection as a Missouri Valley Conference All-Conference, 2nd team award recipient.
Ian Jones began his soccer career in the Alton Parks/Recreation youth soccer program at the age of 7 as a member of the Blue Dolphins, coached by Bob McCluskey.
Jones continued his youth soccer career as a member of the Metro East chapter of the St. Louis Scott Gallagher (SLSG Metro) soccer club. In 2011, while playing for the SLSG Metro U14 Pre-Academy team, Jones and his teammates won the US Club Soccer National Championship in Boise, ID. The SLSG Metro U14 national championship was the first national title won by a Southern Illinois club soccer team and the first national championship for the SLSG Metro program.
Jones wrapped up his club soccer career as a member of the SLSG Metro Academy program through all four years of high school, starting for the SLSG Metro U18 Academy team during his senior year at Alton High School.
Jones was recruited to play college soccer at Missouri State University, in Springfield, MO., an NCAA Division 1 program in the Missouri Valley Conference. In both 2018 and 2019, Jones played in every game for the MSU Bears, netting his first career goal in 2018 against UMKC, adding 11 shots during the season, 5 of which were on goal.
During his junior and senior years, Jones also served as the Vice president of the Missouri State University’s chapter of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). Jones graduated from Missouri State University on December 13, 2018, with a degree in Cell and Molecular Biology.
Jones plans to pursue a degree/career in healthcare.
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