Cornell men’s soccer builds on impressive NCAA Tournament run with strong recruiting class

(Photo Credit: Eldon Lindsay / Cornell Athletics)

ITHACA, N.Y. — John Smith, Cornell University’s Dr. Daniel P. Wood Head Coach of Men’s Soccer, announced that nine players — eight freshman and one junior college transfer — will join the Cornell men’s soccer program for the 2023 campaign.

Cornell is coming off a season in which it went 14-4-1 and made a third-round appearance in the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship, ultimately falling to Central New York rival Syracuse, 1-0.

The nine incoming players will join as many as 27 returners from last year’s squad who aided Cornell in recording its fourth consecutive 10-win season.

“It is always an exciting time whenever we get to announce a new class, and today is certainly no exception,” said Smith, who enters his eighth season as the Big Red’s head coach. “As a staff, we are incredibly grateful these nine young men have decided to spend their next four years with us here at Cornell.

“To a person, they all embody the key attributes we are searching for within a recruit — humble, selfless, hard-working, intelligent and brave — and they can all play. It’ll be an adventure filled with highs and lows where moments will be won and lost on and off the field. It will also be a time where lifetime bonds are forged, and essential lessons for life are formed within. August can’t come fast enough!”

Incoming Player Bios

Isaac Delgado
Goalkeeper • 5-10 • 155 lbs. • Miami, Fla. • Orlando City SC

Coach Smith on Delgado: “Isaac is a very talented goalkeeper who recently made the move from Orlando City to Weston. He has extremely good feet, which is so important for modern-day goalkeepers, and is consequently a wonderful attacking weapon. He also possesses the necessary speed, hands, and agility to make him a very good shot stopper. Isaac has a good understanding of the game and he puts his soccer IQ to use when he communicates throughout a game.”

Balazs Feher
Midfielder • 5-7 • 140 lbs. • Budapest, Hungary • Budapest Honvéd II

Coach Smith on Feher: “Balazs is a dynamic attacking threat, who could play wide and down the middle. He combines great pace with excellent feet, and uses these attributes to continually cause problems while running at defenders. Balazs is brave enough to take risks when he attacks and has the ability to finish and deliver with both feet.”

Fernando Garate
Defender • 5-10 • 175 lbs. • Tuscon, Ariz. • Salpointe Catholic HS / Pima CC

Coach Smith on Garate: “Fernando is an extremely technical full back who has a skill set that also lends itself to playing central defence. He is both poised and composed on the ball and has a very wide range of passing. As strong as Fernando is with a ball at his feet, he matches this with a keen interest in locking down his side defensively. His soccer IQ and his leadership qualities are also key features to his game.”

Alex Harris
Forward • 5-11 • 150 lbs. • Vancouver, Wash. • Washington Timbers

Coach Smith on Harris: “Alex is an exciting attacker who has a skillset which could see him play as a forward and also a winger. He is very quick, technically strong and has a wonderful ability to find the back of the net. Alex—more often than not—finds himself in the right positions in front of goal, and he has shown he can score in a number of different ways.”

Liam May
Forward / Midfielder • 5-11 • 165 lbs. • Philadelphia, Pa. • FC Delco

Coach Smith on May: “Liam is a dynamic attacking threat. He has pace and power, and he puts that to great use both with and without the ball. As a winger, Liam quite obviously knows where the goal is, and is just as likely to be seen laying on assists as he is finding the back of the net. Also, equally impressive is his link-up play and range of passing — he can oftentimes cause problems unlocking defenses from deep.”

Connor Miller
Midfielder • 5-8 • 160 lbs. • Centennial, Colo. • Colorado Rapids 2

Coach Smith on Miller: “Connor is a gifted central midfielder. The last two seasons he has been a consistent starter in the middle for Colorado Rapids 2, and the experience he will have gained from that will be invaluable. He moves well, is balanced on the ball, and has a very good range of passing. Connor’s soccer savviness and vision is highly impressive and he puts that to great use both with and without the ball.”

Adam Schaban
Forward • 5-9 • 145 lbs. • Fort Worth, Texas • Solar SC

Coach Smith on Schaban: “Adam is a clever winger who couples good technique with very intelligent and purposeful movement. He knows how to use his talents to upset defenders and be truly dangerous. Like the other wingers in this class, Adam enjoys shooting, and also has an ability to set things up. Excitingly, he also understands how important the defensive side of things are.”

Nate Smith
Defender • 5-10 • 180 lbs. • Laytonsville, Md. • Bethesda SC

Coach Smith on Smith: “Nate is an extremely tough, strong, and brave central defender. He has natural 1v1 defensive instincts and does a great job of recognizing danger. Nate also has good feet and a very strong range of passing. His drive, coupled with an amazing attitude, make him the perfect leader for his Bethesda team, and those are certainly the kind of qualities we are excited for him to bring to us.”

Jon Snider
Forward • 6-3 • 185 lbs. • Reykjavík, Iceland • Víkingur Reykjavík

Coach Smith on Snider: “Jon is a very gifted target forward. For a taller player, he possesses great feet and is extremely agile. He also has a very good knowledge of the game, which is reflected in his intelligent movement off the ball. Jon definitely has an eye for goal, and his desire to score linked in with his competitive nature will make him a real threat going forward.”