ITHACA. N.Y. - The no. 22-ranked Cornell men's soccer team earned a first-place vote and was tabbed second in the 2025 Ivy League preseason poll. The Big Red concluded last season with a 5-2 record in league play, taking second in the regular season standings, and was the lone Ivy League program to earn an NCAA College Cup victory.

The Ivy League has proven to be a tough conference year in and year out. During the 2024 season, Cornell, Penn, and Princeton earned bids to the NCAA College Cup. John Smith, the Dr. Daniel P. Wood Head Coach of Men's Soccer, spoke about the competitiveness of the Ivy League.

"I am just about to start my ninth season here, and this league has gone from strength to strength each year. It is filled with both talented coaches and talented players. It made sense to me that three Ivy teams garnered post season berths last year, and with the high level recruiting being done conference wide, I don't see that changing any time soon.", Smith said.

The Big Red earned its first trip to the Ivy League Tournament last season, but ultimately fell in a heart-breaker to the eventual champion Princeton Tigers in the opening round. The Big Red will aim to build on the momentum from last season to claim its first Ivy League title since 2012.

Ivy League Preseason Poll:
1. Penn - 120 (10 first place votes)
2. Princeton - 107 (5 first place votes)
2. Cornell - 107 (1 first place vote)
4. Brown - 66
5. Dartmouth - 59
6. Harvard - 58
7. Yale - 33
8. Columbia - 26