Cornell men’s soccer hunting for silverware under Smith

In his decade at the helm of the Cornell men's soccer team, John Smith has turned the Big Red into perennial Ivy League contenders and a near-constant presence in the national Top 25.

But one thing is still missing: a trophy.

While Cornell has won at least 10 games in six of the last seven seasons, the lack of silverware is a driving force for Smith and his players entering the 2026 season, which opens Aug. 29 when the Big Red travels to Poughkeepsie, New York, to take on Marist University.

"A goal this year is to actually win something physical," said Smith, the Dr. Daniel P. Wood Head Coach of Men's Soccer. "While it's never been all about trophies, it remains a firm goal for the season."

That goal is clear to his players.

"The last couple of seasons we've been a very successful team," said midfielder and team captain Connor Miller '27, a computer science major in the Cornell Duffield College of Engineering. "But it's been too long not to have something tangible to show for it."

Building a national contender

In 2016, Smith's first season, the Big Red managed only one win; within two years, that number jumped to 11. The program has now won 89 games in nine full seasons under Smith, who's led the Big Red to three appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including the past two seasons.

"It's been an incredible journey," he said. "It was very difficult initially. I left Stanford [as an assistant coach], which had just won the national championship, to come here, and we were a long ways away.

"But we recruited very talented players, and we had a major win off the field: We began establishing a proper soccer culture."

That culture is centered on work ethic, humility and courage, Smith said. And Cornell has recruited accordingly, bringing in players who fit that mold. The result has been a high-performance environment where players push their boundaries.

"I think the great cultures have a group of guys that, in moments of imperfection, respond the right way, and that's what we spent a lot of time working on," Smith said.

Expectations are set with every player before they even step foot on campus.

"Coach Smith really emphasizes the mental part of the game," said defender Aidan Martin '28, a business major in the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business. "He knows the hardest part is showing up every single day and giving your best."

Those expectations will be clear to the program's nine newcomers. Smith has developed a reputation for playing freshmen as soon as they arrive on campus, and not letting them languish on the bench if they buy into his mindset and fit into his system.

"So much of what I center my recruiting around is who the players are as human beings," Smith said. "So I think they'll acclimate well. In my nine seasons, we've had the Ivy League Rookie of the Year five times because we play our freshmen."

A path to MLS

Along with successful recruiting, another measure of Cornell's improved standing in the soccer world is the number of players who have gone professional during Smith's tenure.

Seven players in the past decade have moved on to play in either Major League Soccer (MLS) or at lower professional levels in the United States. Emeka Eneli '22 became the first Cornell player drafted into MLS in 2023. As captain, he helped lead Cornell to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in nearly 30 years.

In 2025, Alex Harris '27 was taken fourth in the MLS Superdraft by the Colorado Rapids. Drafted as a sophomore, Harris was a walk-on player at Cornell but quickly established himself as one of the best forwards in the country. As a freshman, Harris was named Ivy League Rookie of the Year and set school records for goals and points by a freshman. As a sophomore, he was named second team All-America.

"We've become that team in the Ivy League that is producing professionals rather regularly," Smith said.

Miller and Martin are hoping to follow that trend.

Miller has been named a third-team All-American each of the last two seasons. On Aug. 20, he was named to the United Soccer Coaches' Hermann Trophy Watch List for national player of the year.

"He's the best center midfielder in the country," Smith said.

Smith's encouragement makes Miller confident that he can achieve his goals.

"When you see guys like Alex Harris and Emeka Eneli doing really well at the MLS level, it's proof that Cornell is producing professional-level talent," Miller said.

Martin, a left fullback who tied Miller for the team lead in assists last season, feels encouraged by all the MLS jerseys hanging in his coach's office. "It gives you a great sense of belief that you're in the right spot to fulfill your dreams," he said.

The Big Red's first home game is Sept. 4 against the University of California, Santa Barbara. Kickoff is 7 p.m. at Berman Field.