ESPN Release | Ivy League Release

NEW YORK – A pair of Columbia soccer matches this fall can be seen live on ESPNU, announced Wednesday by the Worldwide Leader in Sports and the Ivy League.
 
The Columbia women's match on Sunday, Oct. 14 at 3:00 p.m. versus Princeton will be first on The U, followed by the Columbia men's match on Friday, Oct. 19 at 5:00 p.m. against Dartmouth. Additionally, with the agreement between the Ivy League and ESPN which was finalized this past spring, all six men's home matches and seven women's home matches will be broadcasted live on ESPN+.
 
"Having the exposure of our games on ESPNU gives added value and additional credibility to the quality of our product," said Columbia men's soccer head coach Kevin Anderson. "Our teams, our players, and our conference will benefit as a whole. This is a great addition not only for our soccer programs, but also to Columbia University."
 
"We are extremely excited that ESPNU is going to highlight the level of play in the Ivy League and for Columbia women's soccer," said Columbia women's soccer head coach Tracey Bartholomew. "The league offers an outstanding brand of soccer with talented student-athletes that strive for excellence both on and off the field. Our program embraces the opportunity to showcase itself on a national platform."
 
MEN'S SCHEDULE
Coming off of a 12-3-3 season that included a win in the NCAA Tournament last year, the Columbia men return a bevy of talent, including two all-regional players, and five All-Ivy League honorees.
 
The Lions will have a tough road stretch start the season, with eight of the first nine games away from home. On Friday, Aug. 31, the 2018 campaign gets under way at Kentucky, before matches at Butler (Sept. 3) and Army (Sept. 7). The first home match and ESPN+ contest takes place at Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium on Monday, Sept. 10 in a 7:00 p.m. bout with Binghamton.
 
A three-match homestand begins on Oct. 13 against Princeton, before the ESPNU match with Dartmouth on Friday, Oct. 19. Columbia battles Rutgers (Oct. 23) and Hofstra (Oct. 30) at home, before closing out the season with Cornell in a home match on Nov. 10.
 
WOMEN'S SCHEDULE
After a 9-5-2 season which included a 5-1-1 mark in Ivy League play, the Columbia women return three of their four top goal-scorers, the top goalkeeper, and six All-Ivy League players from the 2017 season.
 
Columbia opens up the 2018 calendar at Drexel on Friday, Aug. 24 in a 5:00 p.m. match, before hosting Fordham in the home opener at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 26. After a trip out west to battle Colorado College (Aug. 31) and Denver (Sept. 2), and another road match at Sacred Heart, the Lions take on Rider at home on Sept. 9, before hosting Hofstra on Sept. 13.
 
Ivy League play opens up on Saturday, Sept. 22 with Cornell visiting Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium, and Lafayette also stopping by on Oct. 8, before the showdown with Princeton on Oct. 14. The final home match for the women takes place on Saturday, Oct. 20 against Dartmouth, with trips to Yale and Harvard concluding the 2018 slate.