Tuesday, October 13
New York, N.Y.
7:00 p.m.
Columbia
vs
Holy Cross
Henning Myrvang has a team-leading 23 shots and 11 shots on goal this season.
Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Stockton Photo, Inc.
Men’s Soccer Hosts Holy Cross Tuesday Night
10/12/2026 4:41:00 PM | Men's Soccer
First meeting between the Lions and Crusaders
NEW YORK — The Columbia men's soccer team (3-2-4, 0-1-2 Ivy) hosts a first all-time matchup against the Holy Cross Crusaders (1-5-6, 0-2-3 Patriot) Tuesday night at Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.
GAME COVERAGE:
Fans can watch Saturday's game live on ESPN+. Fans can also track live stats courtesy of GoColumbiaLions.com. In-game updates will also be provided on the @CULionsMSOC social media accounts.
THE IVY TABLE
Columbia has 2 points through its first three Ivy League matches, earning both points at home last week in 1-1 draws against Brown (Oct. 6) and Princeton (Oct. 10). All eight teams have four Ivy matches left, with a full slate scheduled for this Saturday. The Lions will travel to take on Dartmouth.
TAKI EARNS A SECOND IVY PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTION
Sophomore goalkeeper Aris Taki earned his second Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week, taking home the honors for games played Oct. 5-11. He helped lead the Lions to a pair of home Ivy League draws against Brown, 1-1, and reigning champion Princeton, 1-1. Taki made seven saves across the two matches.
A native of Famagusta, Cyprus, Taki continues to be among the top of the NCAA statistical rankings, sitting at No. 3 in both goals-against average (0.429) and save percentage (87.5%). To qualify for the rankings, goalkeepers must have played in at least 50 percent of their team's total minutes. Through the first nine collegiate matches, he has totaled 21 saves, holds a 3-1-3 record and has posted four shutouts.
After debuting on September 9, Taki put together a streak of 397 consecutive minutes without allowing a goal before surrendering the first of his career at Harvard on October 3. The shutout streak was the longest by a Columbia keeper since Dylan Castanheira '19CC posted five consecutive shutouts in the 2017 season.
Taki's and the Columbia back line's string of shutouts helped the Lions put together a five-match unbeaten streak (Sept. 5-22). It was the longest such streak since the Lions won five straight matches in 2018. The run included a three-game winning streak, all on the road, over Fordham (1-0), Manhattan (2-0), and Temple (1-0). It was the first time Columbia won three straight matches that all came on the road since 2016.
SOSA BREAKS THROUGH
First-year midfielder Joshua Sosa scored his first collegiate goal as part of a 1-1 draw against Princeton (Oct. 10). The goal came in the third minute, initiated from the left side by Henning Myrvang. He found Jack McDaid in the center, who quickly shifted the ball out wide to Stepan Kapranov on the right. Kapranov sent a crisp cross back into the center of the 6-yard box for Sosa to finish from close range.
Sosa is the sixth different goal scorer for the Lions this season and the second to score their first collegiate goal (Ethan Heyward).
ZIELINSKI SCORES A LATE BEAUTY
Trailing 1-0 entering the 84th minute of last Tuesday's match against Brown, the Lions rallied for a late equalizer from junior midfielder Luke Zielinski. Senior defender Joe McDaid sent a long ball over the top with Zielinski sprinting toward the box. Zielinski got in behind the back line and met the shot first time, blasting it across the face of goal to level the score. However, the goal was initially ruled offside by the assistant referee. Upon video review, the head referee determined it was a good goal, marking the second goal of Zielinski's career and his first since last October 28 against Fordham.
JACK ON THE ATTACK
Senior midfielder Jack McDaid has a team-leading four goals and 12 total points this season. Entering Tuesday, he ranks top 50 in the NCAA in points per game (1.33) and top 40 in game-winning goals (2). He is also top 60 in assists per game (0.44), picking up his most recent assist this past Saturday against Princeton. He and Luke Zielinski are each top 100 nationally in total assists (4) and top 60 in assists per game.
McDaid scored the game-winning goal in the 88th minute to lift the Lions over Temple, 1-0, on Sept. 15. He has scored in three of Columbia's nine matches, including a five-point performance back on September 5 in a 3-3 draw against Fairfield. McDaid's five points in a single match are the most by a Lion since John Denis had five in a 6-1 Columbia victory over Harvard on Nov. 10, 2019.
COLUMBIA IN THE NCAA TEAM RANKINGS (TOP 50)
- No. 1 in the NCAA in fouls committed per game (7.11)
- No. 24 in the shutout percentage (44.4%)
- No. 44 in shots per game (14.22)
SCOUTING THE CRUSADERS
Holy Cross fell at Bucknell, 1-0, on Saturday. The lone goal was scored by Bucknell's Drew Roskos in the game's 64th minute. That was the first time the Crusaders had been shut out since September 8 – they had scored 10 goals in the five matches between the two shutouts.
Archie Hatcher is the top goal-scoring threat with six on the season in six separate matches, including a goal in four straight matches from September 12 – October 3. He is also the team-leader in points (14), shots (54) and shots on goal (25). Two other Crusaders, Jack Fedler and Jeb Snead, have netted a pair of goals apiece. Holy Cross ranks top 50 in the NCAA in shots per game (14.00) and yellow cards (29).
Caleb Klepacz has started nine of the team's 12 matches in goal. He has a 2.00 goals-against average, as do backup keepers Mateo Buyu and John W. Smith Jr.
REMEMBERING ROCCO B. COMMISSO
The Columbia men's and women's soccer programs are honoring the memory of Rocco B. Commisso '71SEAS '75BUS throughout the 2026 season. Both programs are featuring his initials, "RBC," on their kits that they have worn throughout the year.
Rocco B. Commisso, who passed away on Jan. 16, 2026, at age 76, was a standout Columbia men's soccer player, longtime supporter of Columbia Athletics and accomplished business leader. A three-year All-Ivy League honoree as both a defensive and offensive player, he helped lead the Lions to winning records in each of his four seasons. As co-captain of the 1970 team, he helped guide Columbia to its first NCAA Tournament appearance.
Commisso went on to become a successful entrepreneur, founding Mediacom Communications in 1995 and building it into one of the nation's largest cable television providers. He remained closely connected to soccer throughout his life, including ownership roles with the New York Cosmos and Italian Serie A club ACF Fiorentina.
2026 SEASON PREVIEW NOTES
THE 2026 CAPTAINS
Columbia men's soccer announced that its team captains for the 2026 season are seniors Jackson ten Oever, Jack McDaid and Joe McDaid. Ten Oever is an All-Ivy League Honorable Mention and two-time CSC Academic All-District selection who has been a mainstay in the starting lineup throughout his career. Joe McDaid and Jack McDaid are in their third year at Columbia after playing together at Maryland as freshmen. Jack earned Second Team All-Ivy League distinction last year, registering three goals and two assists out of his midfield position. The trio brings veteran leadership, defensive toughness, and proven capability in key moments heading into their senior seasons with the Lions.
THE NEWCOMERS
Head coach Michael Casper and his staff welcomed a talented class of newcomers to the 2026 roster. The balanced incoming class includes two goalkeepers, two defenders, two midfielders and two forwards.
Speaking on the incoming class, Casper stated, "We want players that fit the model of what we want Columbia men's soccer to look like – hard-working and technical with the ability to become difference makers."
The new group of Lions includes impactful fresh faces across the pitch, including additions to the defense, midfield, and forward lines, who will push for immediate playing time and elevate the competitive environment.
YEAR FOUR UNDER CASPER
In what is now his fourth season leading the Lions, head coach Michael Casper will look to turn the corner and bring the program back to prominence. With an experienced returning foundation and an energetic incoming class, Columbia looks to start the 2026 campaign strong. In his season preview, Casper talked about the team's competitiveness against the teams that qualified for the 2025 Ivy League Tournament. Columbia earned a convincing 3-1 win over Harvard, a 2-2 draw against Penn, and played highly competitive matches against nationally-ranked Cornell and Princeton.
"To think that you can get a win and a tie off of the top four and be in the games that the other two, you're not far away," he stated. "We need to be better with our finishing this fall, but when I think about the way that we played, there was a lot of improvement.
"I think this group of guys is going to have their hands full in replacing some of that leadership and … ability that
last year's class brought to the field. But I'm excited about the opportunity that they have."
Fans can catch the full interview with Coach Casper ahead of the start of the season on GoColumbiaLions.TV.
ABOUT COLUMBIA MEN'S SOCCER
The 2026 season marks the 79th varsity season of men's soccer at Columbia University. The program was established in 1906 but discontinued as a varsity sport from 1916-57. The program regained its varsity status in 1957 and played 63 straight seasons until the 2020 campaign was canceled due to COVID.
Columbia men's soccer came to prominence in the late '70s, advancing to their first NCAA Tournament in 1978 before going all the way to the Final Four in 1979. After multiple NCAA Tournament appearances and Ivy League championships through the early '80s, the Lions made a run to the NCAA Tournament Championship Game in 1983. Columbia defeated UConn, 4-0, in the Final Four to take on Indiana for the National Championship. The Hoosiers outlasted Columbia, 1-0, in overtime.
Columbia owns 10 Ivy League championships and 13 NCAA Tournament appearances all-time.
FOLLOW THE LIONS:
For the latest on Columbia men's soccer, be sure to follow the team on Twitter and Instagram (@CULionsMSOC), on Facebook (ColumbiaMensSoccer), or by visiting GoColumbiaLions.com.
GAME COVERAGE:
Fans can watch Saturday's game live on ESPN+. Fans can also track live stats courtesy of GoColumbiaLions.com. In-game updates will also be provided on the @CULionsMSOC social media accounts.
THE IVY TABLE
Columbia has 2 points through its first three Ivy League matches, earning both points at home last week in 1-1 draws against Brown (Oct. 6) and Princeton (Oct. 10). All eight teams have four Ivy matches left, with a full slate scheduled for this Saturday. The Lions will travel to take on Dartmouth.
| Team | Overall | Ivy | Points |
| Cornell | 7-2-0 | 3-0-0 | 9 |
| Harvard | 3-5-2 | 2-1-0 | 6 |
| Princeton | 6-2-4 | 1-1-1 | 4 |
| Penn | 4-2-3 | 1-1-1 | 4 |
| Dartmouth | 3-4-3 | 1-1-1 | 4 |
| Columbia | 3-2-4 | 0-1-2 | 2 |
| Yale | 2-6-2 | 0-1-2 | 2 |
| Brown | 4-4-2 | 0-2-1 | 1 |
Sophomore goalkeeper Aris Taki earned his second Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week, taking home the honors for games played Oct. 5-11. He helped lead the Lions to a pair of home Ivy League draws against Brown, 1-1, and reigning champion Princeton, 1-1. Taki made seven saves across the two matches.
A native of Famagusta, Cyprus, Taki continues to be among the top of the NCAA statistical rankings, sitting at No. 3 in both goals-against average (0.429) and save percentage (87.5%). To qualify for the rankings, goalkeepers must have played in at least 50 percent of their team's total minutes. Through the first nine collegiate matches, he has totaled 21 saves, holds a 3-1-3 record and has posted four shutouts.
After debuting on September 9, Taki put together a streak of 397 consecutive minutes without allowing a goal before surrendering the first of his career at Harvard on October 3. The shutout streak was the longest by a Columbia keeper since Dylan Castanheira '19CC posted five consecutive shutouts in the 2017 season.
Taki's and the Columbia back line's string of shutouts helped the Lions put together a five-match unbeaten streak (Sept. 5-22). It was the longest such streak since the Lions won five straight matches in 2018. The run included a three-game winning streak, all on the road, over Fordham (1-0), Manhattan (2-0), and Temple (1-0). It was the first time Columbia won three straight matches that all came on the road since 2016.
SOSA BREAKS THROUGH
First-year midfielder Joshua Sosa scored his first collegiate goal as part of a 1-1 draw against Princeton (Oct. 10). The goal came in the third minute, initiated from the left side by Henning Myrvang. He found Jack McDaid in the center, who quickly shifted the ball out wide to Stepan Kapranov on the right. Kapranov sent a crisp cross back into the center of the 6-yard box for Sosa to finish from close range.
Sosa is the sixth different goal scorer for the Lions this season and the second to score their first collegiate goal (Ethan Heyward).
ZIELINSKI SCORES A LATE BEAUTY
Trailing 1-0 entering the 84th minute of last Tuesday's match against Brown, the Lions rallied for a late equalizer from junior midfielder Luke Zielinski. Senior defender Joe McDaid sent a long ball over the top with Zielinski sprinting toward the box. Zielinski got in behind the back line and met the shot first time, blasting it across the face of goal to level the score. However, the goal was initially ruled offside by the assistant referee. Upon video review, the head referee determined it was a good goal, marking the second goal of Zielinski's career and his first since last October 28 against Fordham.
JACK ON THE ATTACK
Senior midfielder Jack McDaid has a team-leading four goals and 12 total points this season. Entering Tuesday, he ranks top 50 in the NCAA in points per game (1.33) and top 40 in game-winning goals (2). He is also top 60 in assists per game (0.44), picking up his most recent assist this past Saturday against Princeton. He and Luke Zielinski are each top 100 nationally in total assists (4) and top 60 in assists per game.
McDaid scored the game-winning goal in the 88th minute to lift the Lions over Temple, 1-0, on Sept. 15. He has scored in three of Columbia's nine matches, including a five-point performance back on September 5 in a 3-3 draw against Fairfield. McDaid's five points in a single match are the most by a Lion since John Denis had five in a 6-1 Columbia victory over Harvard on Nov. 10, 2019.
COLUMBIA IN THE NCAA TEAM RANKINGS (TOP 50)
- No. 1 in the NCAA in fouls committed per game (7.11)
- No. 24 in the shutout percentage (44.4%)
- No. 44 in shots per game (14.22)
SCOUTING THE CRUSADERS
Holy Cross fell at Bucknell, 1-0, on Saturday. The lone goal was scored by Bucknell's Drew Roskos in the game's 64th minute. That was the first time the Crusaders had been shut out since September 8 – they had scored 10 goals in the five matches between the two shutouts.
Archie Hatcher is the top goal-scoring threat with six on the season in six separate matches, including a goal in four straight matches from September 12 – October 3. He is also the team-leader in points (14), shots (54) and shots on goal (25). Two other Crusaders, Jack Fedler and Jeb Snead, have netted a pair of goals apiece. Holy Cross ranks top 50 in the NCAA in shots per game (14.00) and yellow cards (29).
Caleb Klepacz has started nine of the team's 12 matches in goal. He has a 2.00 goals-against average, as do backup keepers Mateo Buyu and John W. Smith Jr.
REMEMBERING ROCCO B. COMMISSO
The Columbia men's and women's soccer programs are honoring the memory of Rocco B. Commisso '71SEAS '75BUS throughout the 2026 season. Both programs are featuring his initials, "RBC," on their kits that they have worn throughout the year.
Rocco B. Commisso, who passed away on Jan. 16, 2026, at age 76, was a standout Columbia men's soccer player, longtime supporter of Columbia Athletics and accomplished business leader. A three-year All-Ivy League honoree as both a defensive and offensive player, he helped lead the Lions to winning records in each of his four seasons. As co-captain of the 1970 team, he helped guide Columbia to its first NCAA Tournament appearance.
Commisso went on to become a successful entrepreneur, founding Mediacom Communications in 1995 and building it into one of the nation's largest cable television providers. He remained closely connected to soccer throughout his life, including ownership roles with the New York Cosmos and Italian Serie A club ACF Fiorentina.
2026 SEASON PREVIEW NOTES
THE 2026 CAPTAINS
Columbia men's soccer announced that its team captains for the 2026 season are seniors Jackson ten Oever, Jack McDaid and Joe McDaid. Ten Oever is an All-Ivy League Honorable Mention and two-time CSC Academic All-District selection who has been a mainstay in the starting lineup throughout his career. Joe McDaid and Jack McDaid are in their third year at Columbia after playing together at Maryland as freshmen. Jack earned Second Team All-Ivy League distinction last year, registering three goals and two assists out of his midfield position. The trio brings veteran leadership, defensive toughness, and proven capability in key moments heading into their senior seasons with the Lions.
THE NEWCOMERS
Head coach Michael Casper and his staff welcomed a talented class of newcomers to the 2026 roster. The balanced incoming class includes two goalkeepers, two defenders, two midfielders and two forwards.
Speaking on the incoming class, Casper stated, "We want players that fit the model of what we want Columbia men's soccer to look like – hard-working and technical with the ability to become difference makers."
The new group of Lions includes impactful fresh faces across the pitch, including additions to the defense, midfield, and forward lines, who will push for immediate playing time and elevate the competitive environment.
YEAR FOUR UNDER CASPER
In what is now his fourth season leading the Lions, head coach Michael Casper will look to turn the corner and bring the program back to prominence. With an experienced returning foundation and an energetic incoming class, Columbia looks to start the 2026 campaign strong. In his season preview, Casper talked about the team's competitiveness against the teams that qualified for the 2025 Ivy League Tournament. Columbia earned a convincing 3-1 win over Harvard, a 2-2 draw against Penn, and played highly competitive matches against nationally-ranked Cornell and Princeton.
"To think that you can get a win and a tie off of the top four and be in the games that the other two, you're not far away," he stated. "We need to be better with our finishing this fall, but when I think about the way that we played, there was a lot of improvement.
"I think this group of guys is going to have their hands full in replacing some of that leadership and … ability that
last year's class brought to the field. But I'm excited about the opportunity that they have."
Fans can catch the full interview with Coach Casper ahead of the start of the season on GoColumbiaLions.TV.
ABOUT COLUMBIA MEN'S SOCCER
The 2026 season marks the 79th varsity season of men's soccer at Columbia University. The program was established in 1906 but discontinued as a varsity sport from 1916-57. The program regained its varsity status in 1957 and played 63 straight seasons until the 2020 campaign was canceled due to COVID.
Columbia men's soccer came to prominence in the late '70s, advancing to their first NCAA Tournament in 1978 before going all the way to the Final Four in 1979. After multiple NCAA Tournament appearances and Ivy League championships through the early '80s, the Lions made a run to the NCAA Tournament Championship Game in 1983. Columbia defeated UConn, 4-0, in the Final Four to take on Indiana for the National Championship. The Hoosiers outlasted Columbia, 1-0, in overtime.
Columbia owns 10 Ivy League championships and 13 NCAA Tournament appearances all-time.
FOLLOW THE LIONS:
For the latest on Columbia men's soccer, be sure to follow the team on Twitter and Instagram (@CULionsMSOC), on Facebook (ColumbiaMensSoccer), or by visiting GoColumbiaLions.com.
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's SoccerTuesday, October 13
Tuesday, October 13
Tuesday, October 13
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