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Columbia Men's Soccer Announces 2025 Incoming Class

Story Links 2025 Roster NEW YORK — Head coach Michael Casper officially introduced eight newcomers to the 2025 Columbia men’s soccer roster on Tuesday. All eight incoming players enter Columbia as first-year students. “I am excited about this group and welcome them to NYC and Morningside Heights,” Casper said. “Tobias Esche, Kevin Valdovinos, and Andrew Fishman have […]

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Columbia Men's Soccer Announces 2025 Incoming Class

NEW YORK — Head coach Michael Casper officially introduced eight newcomers to the 2025 Columbia men’s soccer roster on Tuesday. All eight incoming players enter Columbia as first-year students.
 
“I am excited about this group and welcome them to NYC and Morningside Heights,” Casper said. “Tobias Esche, Kevin Valdovinos, and Andrew Fishman have worked hard to help identify 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 for us. With this being our second recruiting class, we are looking forward to seeing how this group of players will impact our program on the field, in the locker room and in the community.”
 
Details on this season’s incoming class are below. Fans can access the complete 2025 Columbia men’s soccer roster by clicking this link.
 
Yianni Goulandris – Fy. – M/F – 5-10 – 155 – CC – London, England / St. Paul’s School / Watford FC Academy
Prior to Columbia: An attacking midfielder from London … Played for St Paul’s School A Team every year he attended the school (13-16 years old) … Captained St. Paul’s in his final year with the team … Came up through Watford FC Academy … Played for Watford FC U16 in 2021-22, then U18 in 22-23 and 23-24 … Played for Cockfosters FC First Team in 2024-25 … Internationally, competed for Greece U19, making his debut as a 17-year-old in August 2023.
 
Personal: Member of St. Paul’s student council … Enjoys chess, reading, water sports, including surfing and kitesurfing … Favorite sports memories are making his international debut for Greece and signing his contract with Watford FC … Has co-authored a book on financial literacy, which will be published by Hodder and Stoughton at the end of 2025.
 
Stepan Kapranov – Fy. – M – 5-9 – 165 – CC – Holmdel, N.J. / Holmdel / Players Development Academy
Prior to Columbia: A center midfielder from Holmdel, New Jersey … Three-year member of Holmdel High School boys soccer team … Won back-to-back soccer sectional state championships with Holmdel his sophomore and junior years … Named a regional All-American as a junior … 2023 Shore Sports Network Player of the Year … 2024 All-Monmouth County First Team selection … Played for Cedar Starts Monmouth (2021-22) and Players Development Academy (2022-25) at the club level.
 
Personal: Mother played professional soccer in Russia … Father played in the second tier of professional Russian hockey … Enjoys spike ball, hockey, gym, and coaching … Favorite sports memory is winning back-to-back Central Jersey Group 2 Sectional Titles.
 
Sage Kinner – Fy. – D – 6-2 – 190 – CC – Franklin, Mass. / US Performance Academy / New England Revolution Academy
Prior to Columbia: A center back from Franklin, Massachusetts … Attended Franklin High School as a freshman, then US Performance Academy as a sophomore, junior, and senior … Came up through the New England Revolution Academy system … Made his debut for New England Revolution 2 in July of 2024.
 
Personal: Uncle, Rick, played basketball at Cal Poly (1996-98) … Enjoys grilling, golfing, pickle ball, basketball and traveling … Favorite sports memory is making his debut with New England Revolution 2 in July of 2024.
 
Henning Myrvang – Fy. – F – 5-11 – 170 – CC – Lier, Norway / Akademiet Drammen AS / Strømsgodset TF Academy
Prior to Columbia: A striker from Lier, Norway … Came up in the sport through Strømsgodset Toppfotball club system (2015-24) … Won the national championship with Strømsgodset TF U20 in 2023 … Played for FK Ørn Horten in 2025 … Averaged 0.5 goals per game through his club career … Also played in the UEFA youth league.
 
Personal: Father competed in bandy for the Norwegian National Team and earned bronze in the World Cup … Enjoys playing tennis and golf … Volunteer coach for a special needs team … Lived in Boston from 2009-11.
 
Connor Owen – Fy. – D – 5-8 – 150 – CC – Hillsborough, Calif. / ASU Prep Digital / San Jose Earthquakes Academy
Prior to Columbia: A defender from Hillsborough, California … Four-star recruit by Top Drawer Soccer, ranking as high as fourth in Northern California and 80th nationally … Played in U16 MLS Next Best of Game as a U15 … Called to a 36-player camp for the U15 US National Team at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista … Participated at youth professional trials at Spanish academy CF Damm … Played at the club level for Breakers FC and Woodside Crush (U12-U16) and San Jose Earthquakes Academy (U17-U18).
 
Personal: Grandfather, Ken Sitzberger, won a gold medal for USA in diving at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and was inducted into the Indiana University Athletics Hall of Fame. Grandmother, Jeanne Collier, won a silver medal for USA at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics … Great Grandfather, Robert Collier, ran track at Indiana University … Invented the Bookie Cushion … Enjoys playing the guitar, skiing, golf, pickleball, hiking and cycling.
 
Oli Sacks – Fy. – M – 5-10 – 165 – CC – Sydney, Australia / Raddam House / Sydney FC Academy
Prior to Columbia: A midfielder from Sydney, Australia … Came up through Sydney FC Academy from ages 11-17, playing in the U13–U20 divisions … Represented Sydney FC starting at age 11 in the U13 division against Ajax, Feyenoord and Utrecht amongst other club academies … Represented the Australian Schoolboys U16, starting six of seven games … NSW All Rounder … 99.05 ATAR score
 
Personal: Born and lived in Australia … Father’s side is from South Africa … Late grandfather, Jeffrey Sacks, was a professional tennis player who won the U18 and Open Men’s South Africa National Championship … Enjoys listening to music, going to the gym, watching movies and training ,,, Favorite sports memory is representing his nation.
 
Aris Taki – Fy. – GK – 6-4 – 205 – CC – Nicosia, Cyprus / The English School / PAC Omonia 29M
Prior to Columbia: A goalkeeper from Nicosia, Cyprus … Seven-year member of The English School boys soccer team … Also played volleyball for three years and competed in javelin one year … Captained both his soccer team and his volleyball team … Competed at the club level for Anorthosis Famagusta FC (2022-23) and PAC Omonoia 29M (2023-25) … Represented his country on the U19 Cyprus National Team … Received The English School Founder Award for Excellent Performance in Geography (2021) and Physical Education (2021, 2022).
 
Personal: Red Cross Cyprus volunteer … Served the infantry unit of the Cyprus military for 14 months … Played percussion for five years … Enjoys learning Spanish and listening to music … Favorite sports memory is making his First Division men’s team debut for PAC Omonia 29M.
 
Amir Yahalom – Fy. – M – 6-2 – 170 – CC – Brookline, Mass. / Brookline / Boston Bolts
Prior to Columbia: A midfielder from Brookline, Massachusetts … Played at the club level for Valeo Futbol Academy until 2018, Resolution Academy (2018-19) and Boston Bolts (2019-25) … Competed for Maccabi USA U17 and captained his team … National Honor Society.
 
Personal: Brother, Ohad, played soccer for four years at Dartmouth and was captain his senior year … Also enjoys playing basketball, spike ball and tennis.
 
FOLLOW THE LIONS:
For the latest on Columbia men’s soccer, be sure to follow the team on Twitter and Instagram (@CULionsMSOC), on Facebook (ColumbiaMensSoccer), or by visiting GoColumbiaLions.com.
 

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College Sports

President Trump issues college sports executive order addressing NIL, pay-for-play

President Donald Trump issued an executive order on July 24 that attempts to create a national standard for NCAA name, image and likeness programs. The order is Trump’s latest entry into a debate that has embroiled the NCAA since NIL rules went into effect in 2021, ushering in a wild-west era of college sports that […]

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President Donald Trump issued an executive order on July 24 that attempts to create a national standard for NCAA name, image and likeness programs.

The order is Trump’s latest entry into a debate that has embroiled the NCAA since NIL rules went into effect in 2021, ushering in a wild-west era of college sports that has come under increasing scrutiny by local and national legislators.

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Broadly focused on efforts to “save college athletics,” the order also seeks to preserve and support “expansion of opportunities for scholarships and collegiate athletic competition in women’s and non-revenue sports.” Most of the NIL money is given to athletes in football and men’s and women’s basketball.

The settlement in the long-running House v. NCAA case went into effect July 1 and allowed schools to directly pay college athletes through a revenue-sharing model.

In May, Trump appeared poised to create a commission co-chaired by former Alabama coach Nick Saban and influential Texas Tech booster Cody Campbell with a directive to explore and address major issues facing college sports. But there have been no announcements regarding that directive.

This week, a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives aimed at restructuring rules around the administration of college athletics passed two committees and is expected to move to the House floor when the summer recess is over in September.

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Speaking at a National Press Club event in Washington earlier in the day, before the order was signed, NCAA President Charlie Baker was asked about possible executive order on college sports. He said he was open to ideas, but “our focus needs to be on the legislative process.”

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, who along with many in college sports has been advocating for federal intervention, told USA TODAY Sports last week, “The President is going to do what he wants to do.”

“I’ve read things on social media, but I also read that there would be a presidential commission,” Sankey added. “So the question with an executive order is if (Trump) does, and then what it is, and then we’ll go from there.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Donald Trump issues college sports executive order for NIL



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Howe Tabbed for U.S. Under-18 Men’s Select Team Staff

Story Links COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Yale men’s hockey assistant coach Joe Howe has been selected to serve as an assistant coach for the U.S. Under-18 Men’s Select Team. The team will hold training camp from July 28-August 3 at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan. Following camp, 23 players will […]

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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Yale men’s hockey assistant coach Joe Howe has been selected to serve as an assistant coach for the U.S. Under-18 Men’s Select Team.

The team will hold training camp from July 28-August 3 at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan. Following camp, 23 players will be chosen to compete in the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, held August 11–16 in Brno, Czechia and Trencín, Slovakia.

This marks Howe’s second consecutive summer with USA Hockey. In 2024, he served as an assistant coach for the U.S. Under-17 team at the Five Nations Tournament in Pieštany, Slovakia.

Howe joined the Yale staff in July 2021 after three seasons at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks. He previously spent three years at the University of Denver as a volunteer assistant coach and director of hockey operations. During his tenure, the Pioneers captured the 2017 NCAA Division I National Championship and an NCHC regular-season title, while making two Frozen Four appearances and qualifying for three NCAA Tournaments.

A native of Plymouth, Mass., Howe was a four-year standout at Colorado College, where he appeared in 119 games and posted a 54-50-10 record, a 2.97 goals-against average, and a .905 save percentage. He ranked third all-time in career saves. After college, Howe played professionally in the ECHL, CHL, and AHL.

Read the full announcement from USA Hockey here.



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N.J. boys ice hockey final rankings, All-State & top honors, 1990-2000: HS historical project

Hudson Catholic’s Benett Shelly (#57) goes down after being hit by Bayonne’s Dave Bodson (#13 left) in the NJSIAA/New Jersey Devils Tournament of Champions final hockey game at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford.SL NJ Advance Media’s HS sports department is using some of its time over the summer to republish semi-recent postseason honors […]

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Bayonne's Dave Bodson, 2000
Hudson Catholic’s Benett Shelly (#57) goes down after being hit by Bayonne’s Dave Bodson (#13 left) in the NJSIAA/New Jersey Devils Tournament of Champions final hockey game at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford.SL

NJ Advance Media’s HS sports department is using some of its time over the summer to republish semi-recent postseason honors that, for a variety of reasons, had become largely inaccessible, even to us.

Please enjoy a look back at all the Star-Ledger’s boys ice hockey postseason honors as well as final rankings from 1990-2000.

Brian Bobal may be reached at bbobal@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X at @BrianBobal.

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Italy’s Lorenzo Bonicelli reportedly in medically-induced coma after fall on rings at World University Games

Photo courtesy of the Italian Gymnastics Federation. Italy’s Lorenzo Bonicelli was seriously injured after a fall on his rings dismount while competing at the 2025 FISU World University Games on Wednesday. As of publishing, he is reportedly in a medically-induced coma and the rest of the Italian team withdrew from the competition. The Italian Gymnastics […]

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Lorenzo Bonicelli on rings via the Italian Gymnastics Federation.Lorenzo Bonicelli on rings via the Italian Gymnastics Federation.

Photo courtesy of the Italian Gymnastics Federation.

Italy’s Lorenzo Bonicelli was seriously injured after a fall on his rings dismount while competing at the 2025 FISU World University Games on Wednesday. As of publishing, he is reportedly in a medically-induced coma and the rest of the Italian team withdrew from the competition.

The Italian Gymnastics Federation published a statement Wednesday. The translated version reads, “During the men’s artistic gymnastics team competition at the 32nd Summer Universiadiade in Essen, the blue Lorenzo Bonicelli came out badly from his exercise at the rings, in the third rotation, incurring an injury on the extent of which investigations are still underway. Immediately rescued by the medical team of the German organization and by the health managers of FISU and CUSI, the twenty-three-year-old from Lecco of the Ghislanzoni GAL was transported to the nearby university polyclinic. The technical staff following the GAM mission in Germany, given the understandable emotional involvement of the rest of the team, preferred to withdraw the team from the competition. While waiting for the official medical bulletins, the FGI is all tight to Lorenzo, wishing him a speedy recovery. Come on Bonni!”

Steve Butcher, a member of the International Gymnastics Federation’s Men’s Technical Committee, shared an additional update on Facebook on Thursday, stating, “Please keep Italian gymnast Lorenzo Bonicelli (age 23) in your thoughts and prayers as he recovers from a significant neck injury suffered on his Rings dismount at the World University Games. Several of you have asked me about his condition after seeing me judging as the Apparatus Supervisor on the Rings. Sorry I could not respond sooner without confirmation. Lorenzo is in a medically induced coma after surgery last night. It will take 10 or more days to know his condition. The entire gymnastics family is pulling for Lorenzo’s full recovery!” (via Kensley Behel/Neutral Deductions)

Bonicelli reportedly fell on his neck when attempting his triple back dismount off rings. He was carried off the field of play on a stretcher and transported to a nearby hospital.

Please join us in sending Lorenzo, his family, and the Italian Gymnastics Federation our thoughts and prayers during this time. We will update this story with any further details as they are released.



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Judge finds five former players not guilty of sexual assault in Hockey Canada trial

By Frank Pingue (Reuters) -Five former members of Canada’s 2018 world junior ice hockey team have been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in a hotel room that year, a judge said on Thursday. The charges against Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube, Carter Hart and Cal Foote stemmed from an encounter in […]

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By Frank Pingue

(Reuters) -Five former members of Canada’s 2018 world junior ice hockey team have been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in a hotel room that year, a judge said on Thursday.

The charges against Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube, Carter Hart and Cal Foote stemmed from an encounter in a hotel room in the Canadian city of London after a Hockey Canada gala to celebrate their world junior championship victory.

All five former National Hockey League players faced one count of sexual assault while McLeod faced an additional count of being a party to an offence. They all pleaded not guilty.

McLeod was also found not guilty of the additional charge.

According to CBC News, Justice Maria Carroccia told the courtroom that she did not find the complainant’s evidence to be “credible or reliable” and that the Crown failed to prove she did not consent to the sexual activity.

“Justice Carroccia’s carefully reasoned decision represents a resounding vindication for Mr. McLeod and for his co-defendants,” said McLeod’s lawyer, David Humphrey.

“Justice Carroccia found that the complainant’s testimony was uncredible and was unreliable.”

Crown attorney Meaghan Cunningham told reporters they would “carefully review” Carroccia’s decision but did not have further comments as the case is still within the appeal period.

Hockey Canada did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the verdict.

When the charges were announced in January 2024, McLeod and Foote were with the New Jersey Devils, Dube was with the Calgary Flames, Hart was with the Philadelphia Flyers while Formenton was playing in Switzerland.

The trial, which began in April and garnered national attention, faced many disruptions including a mistrial and two dismissed juries before Carroccia and the lawyers decided to proceed with a judge-alone trial.

A police investigation into the alleged incident was closed without charges in February 2019, but investigators reopened it in July 2022 in response to public outrage over reports that Hockey Canada used players’ registration fees to pay an undisclosed settlement to the woman who made the accusations.

The scandal prompted the Canadian federal government to freeze Hockey Canada’s funding for 10 months while a number of major companies either paused or canceled their sponsorships with the national governing body.

Amid the scandal, Hockey Canada said it would no longer use the fund financed by player registration fees to settle sexual assault claims, and the organization’s CEO and board of directors stepped down.

(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Nia Williams and Caroline Stauffer)



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WBRE/WYOU names ‘Here’s to You Kid’ winners

The 2025 Here’s to You Kid winners have been announced, meaning that two young people in our region will be receiving monetary support in recognition of their commitment to their community. In the past year, both students have been featured in a “Here’s to You Kid” segment on WBRE/WYOU, a media partner of the […]

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The 2025 Here’s to You Kid winners have been announced, meaning that two young people in our region will be receiving monetary support in recognition of their commitment to their community. In the past year, both students have been featured in a “Here’s to You Kid” segment on WBRE/WYOU, a media partner of the Times Leader.

This year’s winners are:

• Aaron Girvan, an 18-year-old student at Wyoming Valley West High School, will receive a scholarship of $1,000 to a higher education or trade school.

• Nolan Wurster, a 13-year-old student at C.E. McCall Middle School in Montoursville, will receive a $500 gift card for the purchase of books.

Mapping the ‘Old Yard’

In 2021, Aaron Girvan set out to become an Eagle Scout by properly mapping out the oldest section of Forty Fort Cemetery, aptly called the “Old Yard.” In old mapping records of the cemetery, the 1,096 gravesites that make up the Old Yard were indistinguishable from one another, making it a particularly difficult section to navigate.

Three years after beginning his project, Girvan’s work was completed. From the oldest graves — some dating back to the late 18th century — Girvan was able to salvage a clearer picture of Forty Forty Cemetery’s abundant history.

“I think it’s better that the cemetery get this type of attention,” Girvan said of the Here’s to You Kid recognition. “It’s a very interesting, very historic place in the area, and it really deserves community support and the respect that it should have as a historic site and an interesting place all around.”

Girvan can look back now on his role in mapping the Old Yard and see its future utility.

“My part was acting as a preserver of history, making sure that as much information about that cemetery is recorded in the now and can be used later on,” he said.

Aiding the firefighters

Nolan Wurster has been interested in firefighting since he was three years old. His parents initially thought the interest was a passing phase, but Nolan stayed intrigued by the intricacies of being a firefighter. As he got older, he began hanging out at the Montoursville Fire Department station and learning more.

In 2020, Nolan decided he wanted to donate his allowance and birthday money to the fire department. That began a tradition that continues to this day, in which Nolan and his family do a yearly fundraiser to help out those at the station.

“He doesn’t do this for [the attention],” Erica Wurster, Nolan’s mother, said of her son. “He had an idea and ran with it, and it stuck. It’s something that he loves to do.”

Over the years, Nolan has raised thousands of dollars for the Montoursville Fire Department through dinners, raffles and even an Easter egg hunt.

“He’s a very humble kid. He does good genuinely,” said Erica. “That is what he’s passionate about in life. He wants to be a firefighter.”



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