University of Denver
Pacific
10/22/2026 1:03:00 PM | Men's Soccer
The Pioneers and Tigers will meet for the first time as WCC foes on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. MT
DENVER – The University of Denver men's soccer program returns home on Saturday afternoon when the Pioneers welcome Pacific to the University of Denver Soccer Stadium for the first time as WCC foes. Opening kickoff is set for 3 p.m. MT, and the match will be broadcast on ESPN+.
PROMOTIONS:
This weekend is the University of Denver's homecoming weekend, and it is the soccer program's annual alumni weekend. In addition to those festivities, Denver is hosting an Attend N Win for University of Denver students in attendance at Saturday's game.
LAST TIME OUT:
Freshman Tomi Giwa scored on his collegiate debut, and fellow freshman Ethan Orchard scored the first goal of his career in the Pioneers 3-2 win at Saint Mary's on Wednesday night. FULL RECAP
SERIES HISTORY:Denver and
Pacific will meet for the second time on Saturday, with the previous meeting coming in 2019 at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium. Denver won 2-1 in October seven years ago, when centerback Bailey Heller scored the game-winner in the 80th minute. PREVIOUS MEETING
TOP-10 SINCE 2015
- Denver is 140-53-38 since the start of the 2015 season.
- That record is good for eighth in the country in wins during that span, behind Wake Forest (170), Indiana (165), Clemson (160), Georgetown (159), Stanford (148), Washington (144) and Vermont (143).
- Of the 23 teams that had at least 110 wins in that span entering the year, Denver has the eighth-fewest losses at 53.
- Four of Denver's opponents are among the 23 that began the year with 100 wins since the start of the 2015 season.
GIWA GOAL ON HIS DEBUT
- Freshman Tomi Giwa made his collegiate debut late in the first half on October 21 at Saint Mary's.
- 13 minutes into his NCAA career, the freshman headed home the game-winner off a Denver corner to take the Pios to a 3-2 win.
- Giwa is the first Pioneer to score on his debut since Keegan Kelly scored on his debut in 2024 at Cal.
ORCHARD'S FIRST CAREER GOAL KEY IN PIOS WIN AT SMC
- Freshman Ethan Orchard netted his first career goal, Denver's second in the Pioneers 3-2 win at Saint Mary's on October 21.
RECORD BOOK WATCH
- Career Points: Fifth-year forward Bryce Willoughby is now in 10th in Denver's Division I history in career points with 45
- Career Goals: Bryce Willoughby became the 10th player in the program's DI history to reach 15 career goals when he scored the opener at Stanford on August 23. Willoughby's 17th career goal on October 10 moved him to eighth in Denver's DI era.
- Career Game-Winners: Bryce Willoughby has eight career game-winning goals, tied for the third most in the program's DI era.
- Career Matches Played: Bryce Willoughby is tied with Nat Borchers for 18th in career matches played with 76.
- Single Season Saves: Freshman goalkeeper Alex Hohl is eighth in Denver's DI modern era with 63 stops.
UNIVERSITY OF DENVER SOCCER STADIUM
- Denver is 120-24-20 at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium (2009).
- The Pioneers are 110-15-14 in their home stadium since Franks joined the staff in 2012 and 85-11-10 since he took over as head coach in 2015.
- Denver broke the stadium attendance record twice in the 2024 postseason, playing in-front of 1,875 in its 2024 NCAA Round of 16 game vs. [14] Indiana, before hosting a standing-room only crowd of 2,361 in the Pios 3-0 NCAA Quarterfinal win over UMass.
- Denver is 14-3-1 at home in conference tournament matches.
- Denver is 8-2-0 at home in NCAA Tournament games.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
- Despite just the four wins to its name in 2026, Denver is 64th in the RPI through matches played October 21, and the program's strength of schedule ranks 10th in the country.
- Denver's non-conference strength of schedule ranked third in the country through Denver's non-conference finale on September 22.
- Six of Denver's first nine games are quad one games, with all six currently ranked in the top-25 of the RPI.
UP NEXT:
Denver will return to the road next Saturday when the Pioneers make the trip to Santa Clara. Opening kickoff on Halloween night is set for 8 p.m. MT, and the match will be broadcast on ESPN+.
TICKETS:
Tickets for the final two Denver home matches are on sale now and can be purchased here.
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