Taki ranks No. 3 in the NCAA in both GAA and Save Percentage.
Photo by: Columbia University Athletics
Taki Named Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week for a Second Time
10/12/2026 2:30:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Continues to rank among the top of the NCAA in GAA and save percentage
NEW YORK — Columbia men's soccer sophomore Aris Taki has been named Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week. The league office announced its weekly award winners for matches played Oct. 5-11 on Monday afternoon.
This is Taki's second such selection of the season, earning the honors for the first time in mid-September. He is the first Lion to earn the league's weekly defensive honors twice in the same season since Michael Collodi '23CC during his senior fall of 2023.
Taki helped lead Columbia through two Ivy League draws during the week, tying Brown, 1-1, on Tuesday and reigning champion Princeton, 1-1, on Saturday. He totaled seven saves across the two matches, including a few spectacular diving efforts.
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.
Columbia (3-2-4, 0-1-2 Ivy) returns home to Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium on Tuesday for a non-conference matchup against Holy Cross (1-5-6, 0-2-3 Patriot) at 7 p.m.
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.
This is Taki's second such selection of the season, earning the honors for the first time in mid-September. He is the first Lion to earn the league's weekly defensive honors twice in the same season since Michael Collodi '23CC during his senior fall of 2023.
Taki helped lead Columbia through two Ivy League draws during the week, tying Brown, 1-1, on Tuesday and reigning champion Princeton, 1-1, on Saturday. He totaled seven saves across the two matches, including a few spectacular diving efforts.
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.
Columbia (3-2-4, 0-1-2 Ivy) returns home to Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium on Tuesday for a non-conference matchup against Holy Cross (1-5-6, 0-2-3 Patriot) at 7 p.m.
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
GK
/ Men's SoccerTuesday, October 13
Tuesday, October 13
Tuesday, October 13
Sunday, October 11
