Season Opener Preview: Spartans vs. Hawkeyes
The UNC Greensboro women's soccer team will open its 2026 campaign at home against a nationally ranked Iowa squad on August 23 at noon, a matchup that pits two programs with contrasting recent histories against each other.
Iowa arrives in Greensboro carrying a No. 19 ranking in TopDrawerSoccer's preseason poll and a reputation built on a strong 2025 season that saw the Hawkeyes climb as high as No. 5 in the national charts and secure a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
The Spartans, meanwhile, are looking to rebound from a 4‑12‑3 record a year ago and to capitalize on the return of senior midfielder Rina Ogimoto, who earned a spot on the 2026 SoCon Preseason All‑Conference Team after a 2025 campaign that produced six goals and 14 points.
Adding depth to the lineup, sophomore forward Laney Smith has already registered three points in the early going, while freshman goalkeeper Blythe Clark has turned in six saves with only two goals conceded in her first 180 minutes of collegiate play.
Iowa's attacking threat will be anchored by Berit Parten, who leads the team with six points from two goals and two assists, and Elle Wildman, who contributed to a shutout victory earlier in the season.
Both teams will also meet later in the week for a home game against Coastal Carolina on Thursday and a matchup with Radford on Sunday at UNCG Soccer Stadium, where admission remains free for all regular‑season contests.
The upcoming contest represents the second meeting in program history, the first of which ended in a 3‑0 victory for Iowa back in September 2019, a result that still looms over the Spartans as they seek to rewrite the narrative.