Jordan Grey’s presence up top, disciplinary issues mark SU’s start to 2026
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There’s a heightened sense of urgency within the Syracuse men’s soccer program this year. Associate head coach Jukka Masalin said he’s never felt as connected to a team this soon into a season.
Part of that may stem from the Orange reporting to campus abnormally early. Since arriving, the squad has participated in numerous off-field activities, including an evening at Apex Entertainment, and has worked diligently with strength and fitness coach Corey Parker to improve its physical conditioning. The effort shares one goal.
“(The 2022 National Championship) stays within you for the rest of your life,” Masalin said. “(We’ve) got that hunger, just gotta keep going.”
It’s a hefty objective, one that doesn’t tip in SU’s favor, since only Clemson and Stanford have hoisted more than one national trophy since 2010. But if Syracuse takes it match by match — as its coaching staff echoes — anything is possible.
In their season opener last Thursday, the Orange upset then-No. 24 UConn. But three days later, SU showed it’s still experiencing growing pains in a man-down 3-2 loss to New Hampshire.
Here are three takeaways from Syracuse’s (1-1-0, 0-0-0 Atlantic Coast) first two games:
The Orange may have found their next star striker
Among a sea of orange and white jerseys Sunday, one player stood out. At 6-foot-6, Jordan Grey towers over nearly every opponent. That size has helped him look like SU’s next star forward.
Syracuse’s 2025 attack — Michael Acquah, Bright Nutornutsi, Emanuel Cappello, Callum Lugton and Sachiel Ming — combined for just four goal contributions last year, the fewest in head coach Ian McIntyre’s 16 seasons. The Orange gain a significant spark with Grey, who scored nine goals in 11 starts for the University of Toronto last season.
Two games into his Syracuse career, Grey has contributed to three of SU’s four goals. He opened the Orange’s scoring against the Huskies in the first half. Ming attracted three UConn defenders, leaving Grey room to run in the 18-yard box. He received a cross from Ming and slotted a shot between the legs of Huskies’ goalkeeper Kyle Durham.
Grey’s goal put UConn on high alert. Late in the second half, he dribbled down the left side in a breakaway, attracting two defenders. Gabriel Oksanen ran in behind unmarked, and Grey dished a perfect pass to the freshman for the game-winner.
Grey’s move to Syracuse wasn’t supposed to be this easy. When asked about his transition from U Sports to the NCAA this season, SU’s forward said, “The level here is better all in all. More physical.” But it’s appeared like a seamless leap.
“It’s been a privilege,” Grey said Sunday regarding his nascent time at SU. “I’m just trying to get better, trying to fit in with this group. It’s a great group.”
Despite falling to New Hampshire Sunday, Grey kept making noise. He barely left the ground on his second-half goal, a lofted header over Wildcats goalie Aaron Choi. SU suffered its first loss of the season, but with each of Grey’s contributions, the Orange look like an even greater attacking threat.
Kyle Jansen is holding his own in SU’s net
Tomas Hut left big shoes to fill for his replacement in net. And it wasn’t certain that person would be Kyle Jansen until he started against UConn and saved two of three shots against the high-powered Huskies attack.
Jansen didn’t appear in a match in his first two seasons with SU. You can learn plenty by sitting behind someone, though, and it seems Jansen took some lessons from Hut’s success. Following the 2025 season, during which Hut posted a career-high and ACC-leading 76 saves, the New York Red Bulls selected him 21st in the MLS SuperDraft.
The Orange retained sophomore Juan Martinez-Bastidas, who also didn’t appear in a match last season, and acquired Grayson Lamb, a freshman goalie from MLS’ Portland Timbers Academy. Yet in preseason camp, Jansen beat out both.
Kyle Jansen scans the field in SU’s 3-2 loss to New Hampshire Sunday. Jansen didn’t appear in a match in his first two seasons at Syracuse, but he’s started the Orange’s last two games. Eli Schwartz | Asst. Photo Editor
The stat sheet won’t show it, but Jansen looks the part in Syracuse’s goal. He sported SU’s captain armband to begin the UConn game. After registering two saves against the Huskies and surrendering his debut clean sheet in the final minutes, Jansen tallied a stop 30 minutes into Sunday’s match on a New Hampshire header.
The Wildcats didn’t find a real offensive groove until the final 10 minutes. Before then, Jansen had saved three of five shots he’d seen this season.
SU’s late collapse — in which New Hampshire’s Laurin Preuss scored a worldie from beyond the 18-yard box, and a deflected shot found the back of the net — ruined an overall strong start for Syracuse’s keeper. Nonetheless, Jansen’s been a pleasant surprise in a position previously defined by uncertainty.
Discipline dampens Syracuse’s undefeated start
This one’s straightforward. The Orange played undisciplined Sunday, costing them an undefeated record thus far. Syracuse was the superior team, but when Oksanen received a red card less than 10 minutes in, McIntyre admitted SU’s game plan was forsaken.
The Orange switched from a 3-5-2 formation to a 5-3-1, with McIntyre dropping a midfielder back for extra defensive support. The backline held its own, but Syracuse committed six second-half fouls and was shown a yellow card in the 45th minute, halting any momentum from a first half when SU outshot the Wildcats 7-4.
Over two games, Syracuse has committed a modest 14 fouls. It’s not a number to fret over, yet with a player like Oksanen removed as early as he was, SU’s offense was neutralized. And with Syracuse aiming to contend come November, the Orange can’t waste early-season nonconference matches.
“I would have liked to be a man down with five minutes left rather than with 80 minutes left,” McIntyre said Sunday. “We (can’t) put ourselves in that situation.”
