Munster coach Jim Prasopoulos never really doubted Nolan Kinsella.
Well, maybe for a brief moment after Kinsella announced his commitment to Indiana on May 15.
“I’m so happy because he could’ve easily not put the effort in: ‘Hey, I’m going to college. Everything is set,'” Prasopoulos said. “But Nolan’s not like that. He’s a competitor. He loves the school and his teammates.
“He wanted to finish strong, and, boy, did he finish strong. He tore it up.”
Indeed, Kinsella, the 2023 Post-Tribune Boys Soccer Player of the Year, finished his Munster soccer career by recording a program-record 43 goals and seven assists during his senior season.
The 6-foot-2, 160-pound forward scored in every game for the Northwest Crossroads Conference champion Mustangs (16-2) except their 1-0 win against Evansville North on Sept. 23. In that game, Kinsella was robbed at least once by an all-state goalkeeper, according to Prasopoulos.
“He dominated this year, he really did,” Prasopoulos said. “You never know how good they’re going to get or improve year to year. But, man, in terms of a scoring mentality, you don’t get many kids like him with that super confidence and killer instinct.
“He will work himself to the point of almost passing out. He just will not give up. As a coach, you have to reel him in sometimes.”
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Kinsella, who is also an outstanding basketball player for Munster, had 22 goals and six assists as a junior after posting eight goals and 15 assists as a sophomore.
He played on the junior varsity team as a freshman. He had the technical skill for varsity but, at 5-7 and 115 pounds, not necessarily the physical maturity, especially with a senior-laden team that included his brother Gavin, who headed to IUPUI after graduating from Munster.
“He was very eager as a freshman, hardworking,” Prasopoulos said. “Every year, he just got better and better and better. It was because of his work ethic and dedication in the offseason. He just wants to learn, and he wants to get better.
“He does it the right way. He’s such an outstanding young man, and I’m looking forward to continuing to watch him grow as a player because he can. I know he will at IU.”
With the Mustangs, Kinsella saved his best for last. He cited experience.
“One more year under my belt,” he said. “During the offseason, I worked extremely hard at scoring goals and on my shooting abilities. It was a combination of experience and work during the spring and summer that helped me improve.
“It was an amazing senior season for us. It was great to have one last time playing for my school, great to win conference my first time in soccer. I had a lot of fun with my teammates. I have to give a lot of credit to them for helping me. They helped put me in position to score goals and have a great year.”
Kinsella’s 43 goals eclipsed the 37 that Ryan McMahen scored as a senior in 2000. McMahen was an All-American at Michigan State and an MLS draft pick.
“At the beginning of the year, his record, 37 goals, seemed like a very large number to get to,” Kinsella said. “But it’s amazing to put my name in Munster history. Ryan McMahen is one of the best to ever do it at Munster, and he had an amazing career at Michigan State. It’s amazing to etch my name in Munster history.”
Prasopoulos, who has coached the Mustangs for 26 seasons, said Kinsella “reminds” him of McMahen.
“I haven’t had a player like Nolan in a really long time, since Ryan,” Prasopoulos said.
Chesterton coach Lucas Sabedra also praised Kinsella. Sabedra compared him to Zack Bowser, who led the Trojans to the Class 3A state title in 2020 while scoring a program-record 40 goals.
“He scored 40-plus goals with a target on his back. … He reminded me a lot of Zack Bowser during his senior year,” Sabedra said of Kinsella. “Even if he was double- or triple-teamed, he would drop back into his own half just so he could get the ball and create.”
The Mustangs ended the regular season ranked No. 13 in the Class 3A state coaches poll, and their only loss to a Region team came in a Highland Sectional semifinal against Lake Central. Kinsella accounted for Munster’s goal in that 3-1 loss by converting a penalty kick.
“The kid is class,” Lake Central coach Jereme Rainwater said after that game. “He’s on a different level.”
Prasopoulos also complimented Kinsella for his leadership on a team with 15 seniors. Kinsella never wanted to sub out of games. But when he did exit, he rarely sat down, and he continued to cheer on his teammates, Prasopoulos said. When Kinsella came out during lopsided games, he was a coach and mentor, helping teammates in any way possible.
“As you get older, the job gets harder, not easier,” Prasopoulos said. “People watch how you practice and train. Believe it or not, people look up to you. He was extremely mature about it.”
Kinsella is planning to study biology at Indiana and then attend veterinary school. The national signing period began Wednesday, and he expects to complete his letter of intent in the aftermath of the Big Ten Tournament championship game on Sunday. The Hoosiers (11-4-4), a perennial power, will play Penn State.
“It’s like a dream come true,” Kinsella said. “I always wanted to play for them. When I committed in May, it felt surreal. I’m definitely excited and grateful for the opportunity to play there.”