Northwestern University has released its 2026 women's soccer schedule, a 19‑game slate that blends a demanding non‑conference stretch with a full Big Ten campaign. The team will play 10 home matches at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium.
The Wildcats open the season with a seven‑game non‑conference schedule before stepping into conference play, which will consist of 12 games.
A challenging non‑conference slate
The schedule features six opponents that earned NCAA Tournament berths a year ago, including two teams that finished the 2025 season ranked No. 1 in the United Soccer Coaches poll — Tennessee and Virginia.
The first home games will be against Syracuse, Denver and Illinois State, setting the tone for a home‑field advantage that will be tested on the road when the team travels to Knoxville to meet Tennessee.
Big Ten battle begins in September
Conference play opens on September 10 with a home matchup against Michigan, and the Wildcats will later host USC on October 17 in a rematch of the 2025 Big Ten Tournament first round.
The regular season will close with a two‑game home stretch against Purdue and Michigan State, giving the team a chance to finish strong in front of its fans.
Returning firepower and experience
Northwestern returns 76.9 % of its goalscoring production from 2025, anchored by second‑team All‑American Kennedy Roesch, who tallied 10 goals and 23 points as a sophomore.
Midfielder Liz Cardwell, the 2025 assist leader with four helpers, looks to build on her second‑year growth, while goalkeeper Nyamma Nelson, who posted a program‑record 10 clean sheets as a freshman, returns for another season.
Head coach Michael Moynihan will continue to lean on a roster that retains 84.4 % of the minutes from last season, highlighted by Audrey Alberts, the 2025 minutes leader who logged 1,901 minutes across 21 appearances.
With a blend of seasoned veterans and fresh talent, the Wildcats enter the campaign poised to compete for a deep run in both the Big Ten and national tournaments.