The Harvard Crimson men's soccer team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of Harvard University. The team is a member of the Ivy League of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
Harvard is one of the most successful teams of the Ivy League, having won 13 championships. In the pre-NCAA era, Harvard also won 4 Intercollegiate Soccer Football Association (ISFA) championship titles.
The Crimson fielded their first varsity soccer team in 1905, making the team one of the oldest college soccer programs in the United States, and one of the oldest continuously operating soccer programs in the United States. Most of the Crimson's success came in the mid-1910s, where they won two ISFL (the college soccer predecessor to the NCAA) championships, and again in the late 1920s to the early 1930s.
Since their 1930 ISFL title, the Crimson have failed to win a national title, although in the late 1960s and early 1970s the Crimson reached the College Cup twice. Also, in both 1986 and 1987 the Crimson reached the NCAA Division I Final Four. Their most recent appearance in the NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship came in 2009, when the Crimson reached the round of 16.
From 2013 through 2019, the Crimson were coached by Pieter Lehrer, a former assistant coach for the California Golden Bears men's soccer program. In 2014, Ross Friedman attained two all-time Harvard records with 12 season assists and 17 career assists, also ranking 6th in the NCAA in assists and 5th in assists per game.
In November 2016, the team were suspended by the university after the student newspaper The Harvard Crimson published an article which indicated that team members had shared a yearly document in which they ranked new members of Harvard Crimson women's soccer team by their sex appeal and described them using sexually explicit terms. The suspension meant that they could no longer participate in any further games in the 2016 Ivy League men's soccer season (which they had been leading at the time of the suspension) or the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
Several professional soccer players, including Shep Messing, Ross Friedman, Andre Akpan, Michael Fucito and John Catliff played for the Crimson, as well as several notable professionals outside of the soccer world. This includes Theodore Roosevelt III, Daniel Needham and John Johansen.
Historically, the Harvard soccer teams have worn white kits as their primary colors, while alternate kits have been crimson or black.
Harvard has used different venues through its history, with the current location being the Jordan Field, formerly called "Soldiers Field Soccer Stadium") located on the Harvard's Allston campus.
The stadium was opened in 2010, serving as home venue not only for the men's and women's soccer, but the men's and women's lacrosse teams.
Ohiri Field was Harvard's home from 1983 until 2009. The stadium still operated as second home to soccer teams. The stadium was named after Christian Ohiri, a prominent soccer player and triple jump athlete for Harvard in the 1960s, and regarded as one of Harvard's most talented athletes. Ohiri set a record of 47 goals with Harvard, also winning three Ivy League titles.
Harvard Stadium was the first stadium for the soccer team, from 1905 to 1982. Although it serves primarily for football games, Harvard Stadium has hosted several sporting events such as ice hockey (during World War I), track and field, and lacrosse, hosting professional team Boston Cannons' games since 2007.
Harvard has fielded 38 first-team All-Americans. Several players including Andre Akpan, John Catliff and Will Kohler had professional careers following college. Other notable All-Americans include John Johansen, who was part of the Harvard Five and Daniel Needham, who was a future politician and commanding general for the 26th Infantry Division.
Harvard has fielded 16-second-team All-Americans.
Harvard has fielded three third-team All-Americans.
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Harvard has won 13 Ivy League championships. The Ivy League began sponsoring men's varsity soccer in 1955. Prior to 1955, Harvard competed as an Independent.
Harvard athletics have a longstanding rivalry with Yale across all sports since 1875, and it also translates to the men's soccer programs.
Both programs have faced each other on an annual basis since 1907. As of Nov 2023, the Crimson lead the series against the Bulldogs 54âÂÂ42âÂÂ13.