NEW YORK — The Columbia men’s soccer team reported to campus on Wednesday to prepare for its 2022 preseason. The Lions will hold their first team practice Friday morning at Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium.
“Today was a happy and long-awaited day for our program,” Columbia head coach Kevin Anderson stated. “The feeling you get when all of the guys see each other and come together as a team for the first time in months is something that never gets old.
“We’re obviously excited to get to work and use these next two weeks to put ourselves in the best position possible for the upcoming season. The chemistry guys build both on and off the field during this time is vital to the success of the team . I think there is already a strong bond developing and I’m eager to see how our returning talent and the incoming players blend and work together to create a quality product for our fans.”
Columbia returns 17 players from the 2021 season, including 15 with starting lineup experience. Of the 15 starters, six of them started 10 or more matches last year – those players include senior defender Max Gonzalez (14), senior goalkeeper Michael Collodi (14), junior defender Matthew Leong (13), sophomore forward Ryan Kipness (12) , senior defender Keenan Foley (12) and junior defender/midfielder David Walley (11). Collodi is coming off a 2021 season in which he was named Honorable Mention All-Ivy League, averaging 5.33 saves per game to rank No. 1 in the Ivies and no. 9 in the NCAA. This year’s roster consists of five seniors, eight juniors, four sophomores and nine first years.
The 2022 season opener takes place Friday, September 2, as the Lions visit the nation’s capital to take on George Washington. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. ET.
For the latest on Columbia men’s soccer, be sure to follow the team Twitter and Instagram (@CULionsMSOC), on Facebook (ColumbiaMensSoccer), or by visiting GoColumbiaLions.com.