Opening Week Highlights
The 2026 Summit League women’s soccer season opened on Wednesday, August 12, with a slate of home fixtures that set the tone for the campaign.
St. Thomas, Omaha, North Dakota State and South Dakota State each welcomed opponents on their own pitches, while the other programs began their schedules on the road.
Broadcast partners SLN, ESPN+ and B1G+ carried the opening week’s action, delivering live coverage to fans across the country.
Oral Roberts entered the season as a preseason favorite, traveling first to Central Arkansas before hosting Rogers State later in the week.
South Dakota State, ranked second in the preseason poll, began its campaign with a home matchup against Manitoba before welcoming MSU Moorhead a few days later.
Omaha’s season opener featured a clash with Iowa State, a Power Four program, drawing considerable attention.
Klarissa Vega of South Dakota was named among the 48 players selected for the United Soccer Coaches watch list.
The returning All‑League defenders, including goalkeeper Mallorie Benhart and teammates Mia Bosch, Ellie Gusman and Jenna Maloy, are focused on extending the program’s streak of four consecutive tournament titles.
St. Thomas is set to welcome Marquette on Wednesday, continuing the early‑season regional matchups.
Several programs, including North Dakota and Kansas City, will test themselves against out‑of‑conference rivals in the coming days.