Tuesday, September 22
New York, N.Y.
7:00 p.m.
Columbia
vs
Lehigh
Amir Yahalom
Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Stockton Photo, Inc.
Red-Hot Men’s Soccer Hosts Lehigh Tuesday Night
9/21/2026 3:58:00 PM | Men's Soccer
NEW YORK — Riding a three-game winning streak, the Columbia men's soccer team (3-1-1) hosts its next non-conference match on Tuesday night when it takes on Lehigh (2-2-3). Kickoff from Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium is scheduled for 7 p.m.
GAME COVERAGE:
Fans can watch Tuesday'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.
ON A ROLL
Columbia enters Tuesday's match on a three-game winning streak following back-to-back-to-back road victories over Fordham (1-0), Manhattan (2-0), and Temple (1-0). The current three-game run marks the Lions' first three-game winning streak since the 2018 season. Additionally, it is the first time Columbia has won three straight matches that all came on the road since 2016.
TAKI NAMED IVY LEAGUE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sophomore goalkeeper Aris Taki was named the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week on Monday for matches played the week of Sept. 14-20. A native of Nicosia, Cyprus, Taki had three saves to help preserve a third consecutive shutout performance, as the Lions took down Temple, 1-0 (Sept. 15). He becomes the first Lion to earn the weekly honors since defender Jackson ten Oever in October of 2024.
Through his first three collegiate appearances, Taki has yet to allow a goal across 270 minutes of action. He ranks No. 1 in the NCAA in both Goals Against Average (0.00) and save percentage (1.000) – to qualify for NCAA statistical rankings, keepers must have totaled 50% of their team's total minutes on the season. Taki has nine total saves across three matches.
JACK ON THE ATTACK
Senior midfielder Jack McDaid has a team-leading four goals and 10 total points this season. He ranks No. 6 in the NCAA in points per game (2.00) and No. 13 in the NCAA in goals per game (0.80). His total goals and total points each rank in the top 50 nationally.
McDaid scored the game-winning goal in the 88th minute to lift the Lions over Temple last Tuesday night, 1-0. He has scored in three of Columbia's five 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
- No. 1 in the NCAA in fouls committed per game (5.80).
- No. 10 in shutout percentage (60.0%)
- No. 22 in assists per game (2.40)
- No. 32 in shot accuracy (42.7%)
- No. 36 in shots on goal per game (6.40)
- No. 40 in points per game (6.00)
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Lehigh enters Tuesday's matchup with a 2-2-3 record on the season. The Mountain Hawks are coming off consecutive victories, including a 1-0 win over Army West Point and a 2-0 shutout on the road at Loyola Maryland.
Tuesday's contest marks the first meeting between the Lions and Mountain Hawks since the 2023 season opener, which ended in a 1-1 draw in New York. The Mountain Hawks lead the all-time series, 2-1-1.
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.
TRIBUTE TO COMMISSO
Columbia will honor the memory of Rocco B. Commisso '71SEAS '75BUS throughout the 2026 season with a commemorative patch featuring his initials, "RBC," on its kits. 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, Commisso 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.
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 Tuesday'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.
ON A ROLL
Columbia enters Tuesday's match on a three-game winning streak following back-to-back-to-back road victories over Fordham (1-0), Manhattan (2-0), and Temple (1-0). The current three-game run marks the Lions' first three-game winning streak since the 2018 season. Additionally, it is the first time Columbia has won three straight matches that all came on the road since 2016.
TAKI NAMED IVY LEAGUE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sophomore goalkeeper Aris Taki was named the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week on Monday for matches played the week of Sept. 14-20. A native of Nicosia, Cyprus, Taki had three saves to help preserve a third consecutive shutout performance, as the Lions took down Temple, 1-0 (Sept. 15). He becomes the first Lion to earn the weekly honors since defender Jackson ten Oever in October of 2024.
Through his first three collegiate appearances, Taki has yet to allow a goal across 270 minutes of action. He ranks No. 1 in the NCAA in both Goals Against Average (0.00) and save percentage (1.000) – to qualify for NCAA statistical rankings, keepers must have totaled 50% of their team's total minutes on the season. Taki has nine total saves across three matches.
JACK ON THE ATTACK
Senior midfielder Jack McDaid has a team-leading four goals and 10 total points this season. He ranks No. 6 in the NCAA in points per game (2.00) and No. 13 in the NCAA in goals per game (0.80). His total goals and total points each rank in the top 50 nationally.
McDaid scored the game-winning goal in the 88th minute to lift the Lions over Temple last Tuesday night, 1-0. He has scored in three of Columbia's five 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
- No. 1 in the NCAA in fouls committed per game (5.80).
- No. 10 in shutout percentage (60.0%)
- No. 22 in assists per game (2.40)
- No. 32 in shot accuracy (42.7%)
- No. 36 in shots on goal per game (6.40)
- No. 40 in points per game (6.00)
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Lehigh enters Tuesday's matchup with a 2-2-3 record on the season. The Mountain Hawks are coming off consecutive victories, including a 1-0 win over Army West Point and a 2-0 shutout on the road at Loyola Maryland.
Tuesday's contest marks the first meeting between the Lions and Mountain Hawks since the 2023 season opener, which ended in a 1-1 draw in New York. The Mountain Hawks lead the all-time series, 2-1-1.
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.
TRIBUTE TO COMMISSO
Columbia will honor the memory of Rocco B. Commisso '71SEAS '75BUS throughout the 2026 season with a commemorative patch featuring his initials, "RBC," on its kits. 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, Commisso 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.
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, September 15
Saturday, September 12
Wednesday, September 09
Saturday, September 05
