A fresh start on the West Coast
The Minot State women’s soccer squad begins its 2026 campaign with a pair of road tests in California, marking the first time the team opens a season outside the Northern Plains.
The opening match is set for August 27 at 7:30 p.m. local time on the campus of California Polytechnic State University, Pomona, where the Beavers will meet the Broncos in a non‑conference showdown.
Two days later, on August 29 at 6 p.m. Central Standard Time, the team travels to Los Angeles to face Cal State Los Angeles, another opponent outside the regular conference slate.
The games are part of the preseason preparations and give the team a chance to test new tactics and build chemistry before the official conference schedule begins.
The coaching staff emphasizes that the early schedule is designed to expose the roster to varied playing styles and to sharpen the team’s chemistry before conference play begins in September.
Both matches serve as a measuring stick for a squad that returns only a handful of starters but brings a deep group of underclassmen eager to prove themselves at the national level.
Building momentum early
Early results could boost confidence and help the team gel quickly, a factor that may prove decisive when the regular season ramps up.
Fans traveling to Pomona and Los Angeles will get their first glimpse of the new‑look Beavers, who have been training intensively throughout the summer under a revamped strength and conditioning program.
The matches also provide an opportunity for the university’s athletic department to showcase the program to new recruits and to generate excitement among alumni ahead of the home opener later in the fall.