The Columbia men’s soccer team is set to begin its Ivy League season on Sunday, hosting Penn at Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium with a 1 p.m. kickoff. The Lions enter the match with a 1-3-2 record from non-conference play.
For those unable to attend, the game will be available for streaming on ESPN+, and live statistics can be accessed through GoColumbiaLions.com. Updates will also be posted on the team’s official social media channels.
During non-conference play, Columbia achieved a three-game unbeaten streak—their longest since 2018—drawing against Villanova and Fairfield and securing a win over Manhattan. Junior midfielder Jack McDaid has been a key contributor, scoring two of the team’s five goals this season and leading in points with five. The Lions have outshot opponents by 81-75 overall and average 13.5 shots per game, ranking fourth in the Ivy League.
Defensively, Columbia has allowed an average of one goal per game and recorded shutouts against Villanova and Manhattan at home. Senior goalkeeper Dean Kelliher has played all minutes in those matches, maintaining a 0.80 goals-against average across five starts.
Penn arrives at Columbia following a three-game unbeaten run that includes wins over Villanova and Air Force. The Quakers are currently undefeated at home but have yet to win away this season. Sophomore Romeo Dahlen leads Penn’s offense with four goals; seniors Patrick Cayelli and Oliver Pratt each have two goals. Penn has scored 12 times this season while conceding only five goals, averaging 1.7 goals per game—the second-highest in the Ivy League—and ranks among national leaders in shots on goal per match.
In their historical series, Penn holds a slight advantage over Columbia with a record of 36-34-8 and is currently on a three-match winning streak against the Lions.
Columbia returns most of its roster from last year, including experienced players like senior goalkeeper Dean Kelliher and defenders Carmine Falco and Joe McDaid—all of whom started significant numbers of matches last season. In attack, returners include Ryan Yang, Joao Lima, Luke Zielinski, and Alessandro Franciosa.
This year’s team captains are senior Carmine Falco—who has played in nearly every match since joining—and junior Jackson ten Oever, who was recognized as an All-Ivy Honorable Mention last season.
Eight new players have joined the squad for the 2025 season across various positions. Head coach Michael Casper commented on the additions: “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.”
Coach Casper is now entering his third year leading Columbia’s program after breaking a multi-year Ivy League winless streak last year by defeating Yale.
The men’s soccer program is marking its 78th varsity season in 2025 after being established in 1906—with periods where it was not active as a varsity sport—and boasts ten Ivy League championships along with thirteen NCAA Tournament appearances historically.
