Yusef Gueye heads into successful senior season

Three years ago, Yusef Gueye walked onto Ulrich Field for the first time as a Mountain Hawk. Now, he has collected All-Patriot League honors and scored a game-winning goal.

Gueye started his senior season with two goals against Old Dominion University on Sept. 2 — the only two goals of the game — and an assist against Columbia University on Aug. 29.

Coach Dean Koski said Gueye has started the year well and was instrumental in the team’s success last season. 

“I notice his consistency but also his performance,” Koski said. “He is leading more, talking more and being the best teammate that he can be.” 

Koski said Gueye is a special player because of his flexibility and willingness to play different positions, stepping in to play defense and forward when the team needs him. 

“In the past, we’ve really only asked people to play in one position, but because of injuries and opponents, we’ve asked him to adjust and play a different role for some games, and he’s responded with great maturity,” Koski said. “He is putting the team first and his response is ‘whatever is best for the team, I’ll do it.’”

Koski said Gueye has a team-first mentality and is willing to sacrifice individual gains if it helps the team win.  “That’s all we can ask every player, whether they are a starter or whether they’re a development player,” Koski said.

Gueye said his improvement throughout his career is due to consistency. 

“I’ll never do anything halfway, always go 100% no matter what it’s in, whether that’s on the field or in the classroom,” Gueye said. “Trying to strive for that one percent-better-every-day mentality is something that’s really pushed me.”

He said that all-in mindset is why he’s willing to play a variety of positions.

Gueye said another contributing factor to the team’s success is their chemistry, especially his connection with sophomore midfielder Giacomo Zizza. 

“It is important in knowing your teammates’ strengths and weaknesses to play to or avoid them,” Gueye said. “Overall, as a collective, we’re playing super tight-knit. I can understand the way (Zizza) wants to play, and he knows how I want to play, so we always find each other at the right moment.”

Zizza said his close friendship with Gueye helps them collaborate on the field. 

“We clicked pretty instantly,” Zizza said.  “There was a foundation of trust that was built quickly, and we both know what we brought to the table.” 

Koski said he appreciates how close and cooperative Gueye is with his teammates, especially Zizza.

“If we want to be an inclusive team, we have to build a relationship as a trustful one,” Koski said. “The trust that (Gueye) and (Zizza) have is good because (Zizza) is more of a playmaker, and Gueye makes sure the ball gets to the right situations. They have a partnership.”

Gueye also said the mental game of soccer has always been a struggle for him, but it’s one of the reasons he decided to major in psychology. 

He said he tries to not get ahead of himself if he’s doing well on the field.

“I try not to let it get to my head too much so that if I hit a low, it doesn’t affect me that bad,” he said. 

Gueye said he’s worked on his mental approach and prepares for games by sleeping, eating and thinking well. 

In the 2024-25 season, Gueye earned third-team All-Patriot League Honors and scored the game-winning goal in Lehigh’s 3-2 win over Army West Point, which he said was his favorite memory as a Mountain Hawk.

He said in that moment, he was supposed to stay back and play defense, but he instead decided to stay up. After Lehigh won a 50-50 header, he saw the ball in the scoring box and capitalized on it. 

“I took that risk and I ended up scoring, which was really good for us, and started an upward trend, which ultimately put us in the playoffs,” Gueye said. 

Koski said Gueye’s recognition of being selected to the All-Patriot League team shows other coaches view him as a valuable player. 

“It was an important accomplishment for him, and he was rewarded for his commitment and his development and growth as a young player and as a young man,” Koski said. “I was really happy for him.”