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Columbia University Athletics

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2023 Men's Soccer Roster

Columbia University Athletics / Stockton Photo, Inc.
Columbia University Athletics / Stockton Photo, Inc.
Columbia University Athletics/Mike McLaughlin
Columbia University Athletics/Mike McLaughlin
Columbia University Athletics/Mike McLaughlin
Columbia University Athletics/Mike McLaughlin
Columbia University Athletics/Mike McLaughlin

4 Matthew Leong

  • Position Defender
  • Height 6-2
  • Class Senior
  • Weight 185
  • Hometown Hoboken, N.J.
  • High School St. Benedict's Prep
  • Previous Club Pateadores Soccer Club
  • College Columbia College

Biography

Honors & Awards:
- 2022 Second Team All-Ivy League

2023: Played and started all 14 matches on Columbia's back line ... Played the full 90 in all 14 matches, totaling a team-high 1,260 minutes ... Led the back line to three shutouts, including a 3-0 win over Manhattan (Sept. 5), a 2-0 win against Quinnipiac (Sept. 19) and a 0-0 draw to end the season against Cornell (Nov. 4) ... Took six shots, including two in the finale against the Big Red.

2022: Named Second Team All-Ivy League ... Played a pivotal role in the defensive half and as part of Columbia's back line ... Played and started 15 games of the team's 16 games ... Amassed 1,279 minutes (85.27 per game) ... Helped the Lions to four shutouts ... Led the defense to a 1-0 victory over perennial powerhouse St. John's (Sept. 12) ... Played all 90 minutes of back-to-back shutouts against Iona (Sept. 24) and Brown (Oct. 1) ... Played all 90 minutes in each of the final seven matches of the season, including a 0-0 shutout against Yale (Oct. 29).

2021: Became a fixture on Columbia's back line, playing in 14 of the 16 games and earning 13 starts in his first competition season ... Totaled 1,231 minutes of game action, ranking third on the team in minutes played ... Played 90 or more minutes nine times, including each of his last five starts ... Started and played 69 minutes in his collegiate debut, helping the Lions to a 2-0 season-opening shutout over George Washington (Sept. 3) ... Played all 90 minutes and registered his first shot of the season against Drexel (Sept. 21) ... Started, took a shot and played all 90 minutes in his Ivy League debut against Brown (Oct. 2) ... Attempted a season-high two shots against La Salle (Oct. 26).

2020: Season canceled to due COVID-19 pandemic.

Prior to Columbia: Played at St. Benedict’s Prep in nearby Newark, where he was an integral part of The Gray Bees 2019 Prep A National Championship team, defeating Pennington, 7-0, in the title game ... Played for PDA Academy in New Jersey for three years, as well as Pateadores in California for one season ... Brings a bit of experience from Spain, where he played for two years.

Personal: Born Nov. 30, 2000 in Plainfield, N.J. ... Son of Grace and Todd Leong ... Has three siblings, Anderson, Erin and Sara ... Brother, Anderson, played college soccer at UCLA and was drafted in the first round of the 2019 MLS Draft by Atlanta United ... Fluent in Spanish.

Statistics

Season Statistics

Season Statistics

No statistics available for this season.

Career Statistics

There are no statistics available for this player.

Historical Player Information

  • 4

    2020First Year

    Defender
    6'2" 185 lbs
    4
  • 4

    2021Sophomore

    Defender
    6'2" 185 lbs
    4
  • 4

    2022Junior

    Defender
    6'2" 185 lbs
    4
  • 4

    2023Senior

    Defender
    6'2" 185 lbs
    4