Women’s Soccer Kicks Off 2024 Season at Hofstra

Friday, August 23

Hempstead, N.Y.

2:00 PM

Columbia

Hofstra

Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Stockton Photo, Inc.

Women’s Soccer Kicks Off 2024 Season at Hofstra

8/22/2024 1:32:00 PM | Women's Soccer

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Columbia faces Hofstra in the season opener at 2 p.m. Friday

By: Garret Sulak

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – The Columbia women's soccer team kicks off the 2024 season against Hofstra at 2 p.m. on Friday inside the Hofstra Soccer Stadium. Fans can watch the game live on FloFC or follow live stats HERE.

BUILDING ON SUCCESS
The Lions enter the 2024 season after finishing off one of the best seasons in program history in 2023 with a first-round NCAA Tournament victory. Columbia scored twice in the final 12 minutes to come back and defeat Rutgers for the first NCAA Tournament victory in program history. The Lions finished with 11 wins in 2023, which is the first 11-win season for the squad since 2008. Columbia garnered national attention by appearing in the Top Drawer Soccer National poll four times in 2023, reaching as high as No. 22. It was Columbia's first recognition in a national poll since 2008 when the team received votes in the NSCAA national poll.

THE TEAM
Returners Ania Prussak and Nata Ramirez earned Second Team All-Ivy recognition last season and will look to make a big impact for Columbia again this season. Courtney Ruedt earned honorable mention status last season and will be another key returner for the Lions.

Columbia loaded up talent during the offseason by signing a class of 12 newcomers for the 2024 season. The recruiting class received ranking votes by Top Drawer Soccer and includes Isabel Ackerman, Angel Akanyirige, Akshaya Bahugudumbi, Gabby Chan, Dema Elder, Annie Faraone, Sevrin Kaese, Samantha Mahoney, Sammie Moncion, Nosa Omorogbe, Ani Safaryan and Aoife Turner.

THE OPPONENT
Hofstra enters Friday's contest with an 0-0-1 record after playing to a 1-1 draw against Quinnipiac in the season opener last Thursday. Hofstra's Millie Davies scored the equalizer with just under six minutes to play to salvage the draw.

IVY LEAGUE PRESEASON POLL
Columbia was picked to finish fourth in the Ivy League Preseason Poll announced earlier this week. The Lions were picked behind Harvard, Brown and Princeton. Columbia kicks off the Ivy League slate on the road against Penn on September 28.

THE SCHEDULE
Columbia's 2024 schedule features games against six teams that played in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. North Carolina and Penn State both made a run to the 2023 NCAA Quarterfinals before falling. Ivy League foes Harvard, Brown and Princeton each reached the second round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament.

The schedule begins with three straight road contests as Columbia will visit Vanderbilt and Tennessee Tech after playing at Hofstra. The Lions will then come back to New York for the home opener against FDU on Thursday, September 5. Columbia also hosts Fordham (September 12), Providence (September 20), Cornell (October 9), Dartmouth (October 13) and Princeton (November 2) in home contests.

Columbia rounds out the non-conference slate with a pair of tough road games against North Carolina on September 8 and Penn State on September 15. The Lions open the Ivy League slate on September 28 at Penn. Columbia will also travel to Harvard, Brown and Yale to complete the conference schedule.

FOLLOWING THE LIONS
For the latest on the Columbia women's soccer program, follow @CULionsWSOC on X, Instagram, Facebook at Facebook.com/ColumbiaWSoccer and on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.