“I can’t remember my life without soccer,” says Columbia senior goalkeeper Michael Testa.

There’s a good reason, as the New York state native began playing organized soccer when he was four years old. He continued to play through his childhood and school, and he ultimately garnered the attention of different colleges. Going into his Columbia recruiting trip, Testa had narrowed his choices down to two schools: Columbia and Holy Cross.

He vividly remembered his recruiting trip and how it helped him choose to join the Lions.

“That weekend, Columbia beat Harvard in a great game,” he said. “I really enjoyed my time spent at Columbia that weekend, with both the school and the program. [Coming to Columbia] allows me to play soccer at a Division-I program while still attending an Ivy League institution in New York City.”

Testa’s decision has proved to be crucial for this Lion soccer team. In his sophomore year, he split time with Alex Maffeo, playing in nine games, and was able to achieve a save percentage of .833. In his junior year, he was able to put up another impressive season, playing in 13 games and recording four shutouts in the process.

This season is much of the same for the senior co-captain. With four games left, Testa currently has a save percentage of .726 and has recorded three shutouts.

“I believe that working hard is the only way to progress as an athlete, and the only way to do this is to truly love your sport,” he said.

These statistics only show one side of Testa. While he always tries to do his best on the field, he continually pushes himself to do a little bit better.

“It was also a goal of mine to continue to improve all four years that I was here. I wanted, and I continue to want, to give my best to this program every time I step on the field, leaving everything on the field.”

His desire to always be better has applied to every aspect of his life at Columbia. Balancing athletics and academics as an Ivy League student is not easy. Although this could pose a problem for some, Testa looks at the situation in a positive way.

“It can sometimes be difficult to get your work done during the hectic season, but it’s a situation that I happily deal with. I have been given the opportunity to receive an Ivy League education all while playing the sport I love, so any difficulty with balancing both school and soccer is well worth it.”

With his final season coming to a close, Testa has a lot of different memorable moments from the past four years. The memories that stick with him most, however, are from “the time I spent with all the guys, and what a big part of my life they have all become.”