Soccer star Henning Sauerbier wins Ivy League Rookie of the Year

Columbia men’s soccer player Henning Sauerbier has been named Ivy League Rookie of the Week three times this season. It’s almost no surprise that after earning repeated recognition for his achievements, he was named Ivy League Rookie of the Year on Tuesday. Sauerbier became the first men’s soccer player since 2001 to earn the honor.

The freshman from Düren, Germany, led the Lions in scoring this season, becoming the first freshman since 1980 to so do. One of Sauerbier’s main highlights from the season was his performance in the Mayor’s Cup championship. In the tournament, he helped the Light Blue to a 2-0 win over Syracuse and continued to impress as he scored the deciding goal in a nail-biter against Dartmouth. The win over the Big Green was Columbia’s first Ivy League victory of the season. By the end of November, Sauerbier had the team-high four goals, including two game-winners. The consistency of his success also earned him the honor of second team All-Ivy League.

“I think it’s a great honor for Henning and the rest of the players on the team,” head coach Kevin Anderson said. “We’ve talked about how one person’s accolades is the work of many—and that holds true here. Many players contributed to his success throughout the season, and they contributed to his being named the Ivy League Freshman of the Year. That being said I believe Henning has many traits and qualities that he brings to the table and makes him accented and deserving of the award.”