NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Jake Schaffer, who has played a key role on defense throughout his career, has been elected captain of the 2023-24 Yale men's soccer team.
"It is an honor to have been elected captain by my teammates," said Schaffer of Orchard Park, N.Y. "I appreciate the trust they have put into me, and I plan to return it throughout the next year. I am, by no means, the only leader on the team, and I expect everyone to lead in their own way. I will rely on my fellow seniors to help me lead the team in pursuit of another Ivy League championship and NCAA tournament berth. I have always, and will continue, to bring positive energy and a competitive edge to every practice, lift, and game. I hate losing more than I like winning, and I hope to instill this mindset within the team. We already have an amazing team culture, and I hope to see this breed success on and off the field."
In three seasons, Schaffer has appeared in 33 games and made 25 starts. As a junior this fall, he was limited to six games due to injury. In his sophomore season he played 1,378 minutes, which was third on the team, and assisted on the game-winning goal against Fairfield. As a first year in 2019, he started nine games and was a significant contributor as the Bulldogs captured the Ivy League title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
"I am thrilled to have Jake in this role," said
Kylie Stannard, The 5K Corral Head Coach of the Bulldogs. "I am confident he will do a great job after learning from many excellent leaders before him. He has grown a lot as a young man and is a great example of the backbone of the program with his passion, commitment and pride in representing the jersey and leaving it in a better place. As always, we have a great group of other leaders that will do a great job supporting Jake in this role."
The Bulldogs are coming off another strong season that saw them finish with a 7-4-5 overall record against a challenging schedule that included four games against teams that finished in the national RPI top 21. Seven seniors will graduate, but Schaffer is confident that the success will continue in 2023.
"This past senior class was hugely important to the success of our program in recent years," he said. "It is going to be difficult to replace their presence on and off the field. However, I know our group is beyond capable of stepping up to fill these roles. This spring and summer will be massive for our development as a team. I want us to enjoy every early morning training, every early morning lift, and every opportunity we get to play together."
