DENVER – The University of Denver women's soccer team has revealed its 2026 match schedule, head coach Julianne Sitch announced on Thursday.
 
Denver will play eight non-conference matches in August and September before making its West Coast Conference debut on September 26 at home. In total, DU will host seven matches – three non-conference games and four West Coast Conference contests – at University of Denver Soccer Stadium in 2026.
 
Denver will face off against all five of its NCAA Division I in-state opponents during its non-conference schedule before entering into conference play. Including its new West Coast Conference foes, DU is scheduled for four matches against top-75 teams from last year's NCAA RPI including NCAA tournament qualifiers No. 9 Colorado and Pepperdine. DU finished the 2025 season at No. 74 in the NCAA RPI.
 
The 2026 season marks Denver's first as a member of the West Coast Conference after the University of Denver makes its official transition into the conference on July 1. DU spent the last 13 seasons in the Summit League, capturing four tournament titles and nine regular-season crowns including last year.
 

2026 DENVER WOMEN'S SOCCER SCHEDULE

Sunday, August 9, at Wyoming (exhibition)
Thursday, August 13, at Northern Colorado
Sunday, August 16, at Colorado State
Thursday, August 20, at DePaul
Sunday, August 23, at Northwestern
Thursday, August 27, vs. Colorado College
Sunday, September 6, vs. Montana
Friday, September 11, at Colorado
Thursday, September 17, vs. Air Force
Saturday, September 26, vs. Saint Mary's*
Saturday, October 3, at Santa Clara*
Wednesday, October 7, vs. Pepperdine*
Sunday, October 11, at San Diego*
Saturday, October 17, vs. Portland*
Saturday, October 24, at San Francisco*
Wednesday, October 28, at LMU*
Saturday, October 31, vs. Pacific*
Saturday, November 7, at Seattle*
November 11-14: West Coast Conference Tournament^
Home Matches in bold | *West Coast Conference Match | ^Upon Qualification | Dates and opponents subject to change
 
NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Denver begins its schedule with a four-match road trip for the second year in a row. As was the case a year ago, season-opening weekend takes DU on the road within the state of Colorado, starting with the opener at Northern Colorado on August 13. Denver holds an 8-0-0 record against UNC, though the teams have only met once in a countable match since 2016 (a 3-1 DU win at home in 2023). DU and UNC did meet in a scoreless draw during an exhibition match in 2025.
 
The first weekend of the season ends with DU returning north with a visit to Colorado State on August 16. Denver extended its head-to-head lead over CSU to 5-3-2 last year with a come-from-behind 2-1 win at home to upset the then-No. 25-ranked Rams. The teams have alternated hosting one another every year since 2021 with DU earning a 1-0 victory in its last visit to Fort Collins, Colorado, in 2024.
 
DU's first trip out of the state sees the Pioneers head to the Chicago area, beginning with an August 20 meeting at DePaul – marking Sitch's return to her alma mater where she still sits atop the record books for career points (90) and is third for career goals (32). This year's meeting will not only be Sitch's first against DePaul as a coach but the first head-to-head meeting between the teams.
 
The four-match season-opening road trip ends with DU visiting Northwestern on August 23, which will also be the first time the two teams have met.
 
The Pioneers finally host their home opener on August 27 as part of back-to-back matches at University of Denver Soccer Stadium. For the fourth year in a row, Denver and Colorado College will meet during the fall season. DU sits on a 7-6-3 record against CC including a 2-0 win in the Tigers' last trip to Denver in 2024.
 
For the first time since 2016, Denver and Montana will meet when DU hosts the Grizzlies on September 6. It will be just the third meeting between the teams with each owning one win thus far – both in matches held in Denver. DU made the trip to Montana last year as part of the Rumble in the Rockies, but Denver did not face the host team during the tournament.
 
Denver will close its non-conference slate with two more matches against in-state foes, beginning with a showdown at Colorado on September 11. DU and CU have faced off at least once in each of the last 23 seasons and have alternated hosting one another over the last eight meetings. In 2025, Denver hosted the eventual NCAA Sweet 16 qualifier in a 2-0 win for the visitors. DU's last trip to Boulder, Colorado, ended in a narrow 1-0 win for the Buffs in 2024.
 
DU returns home for its non-conference finale against Air Force on September 17. It will be the 11^th meeting between the teams and its second in as many years after Denver posted a 2-1 win on opening night in 2025 at the USAFA. The Falcons' last visit to Denver was August 19, 2021, in a dominant 5-0 win for DU.
 
WEST COAST CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
DU enters its first season in the West Coast Conference with a 11-17-4 record against its new conference opponents. Denver's most recent meeting against a West Coast Conference team came a season ago when DU and Seattle faced off in a neutral-site match hosted by Montana with Denver rallying from a one-goal deficit to level things at 1-1 in the 76^th minute and leading to what would be the final score after 90 minutes.
 
Denver's first-ever West Coast Conference match will be held at University of Denver Soccer Stadium on September 26 when Saint Mary's visits. It will be the teams' fifth ever meeting and the fourth in a row held in Denver – though the first since August 30, 2013. Denver is 3-1-0 against SMC entering the season.
 
DU will hit the road for the first time in West Coast Conference play on October 3 with a trip to Santa Clara. It will mark just the second meeting between the teams and the first since September 26, 2004, which SCU won, 1-0.
 
Defending conference champion Pepperdine travels to DU on October 7 in what will be the Waves' first-ever match in Denver. DU and Pepperdine have met three times previously, all three going to the Waves with the most recent meeting coming on September 16, 2007.
 
On October 11, Denver travels to San Diego for the Pioneers' first visit since September 25, 2021. This year's meeting will become the seventh between Denver and San Diego with DU going 2-3-1 in the first six matches. DU and USD last met on August 18, 2022, in Denver in a 1-0 win for the Pioneers.
 
The 10^th meeting between Denver and Portland – but their first as conference foes – is set for October 17 in the Pacific Northwest. Portland leads the head-to-head, 7-2-0, though the last two matches have been decided by a single goal including the most recent contest on September 8, 2019, also held in Portland (2-1 to the host team). The Pilots' last trip to Denver was September 26, 2015, in a 2-1 overtime win for Portland.
 
DU's only two-match road trip in conference play for the season first takes the Pioneers to San Francisco on October 24. It will be the fifth meeting between the two teams, the second at USF and the first meeting of any kind since September 4, 2015. DU holds a 2-1-1 advantage against USF.
 
Denver and LMU enter their 2026 conference match in Los Angeles on October 28 on equal terms at 1-1-1 through their three previous meetings. They have not met since August 27, 2010 (a 2-1 win for LMU at home).
 
DU will host Pacific for its 2026 home finale, scheduled for Halloween. It will be Denver's first-ever meeting with the Tigers.
 
Denver and Seattle will meet on the final day of the regular season on November 7. It will be the third meeting of the two teams and mark Denver's first visit to Seattle since October 28, 2012. DU leads the current head-to-head, 1-0-1.
 
The 2026 season marks the debut of the West Coast Conference Women's Soccer Tournament, which will be held November 11-14. The top four teams based on the final conference standings will qualify for the tournament with the highest seed playing host. The semifinal matches will be played on Wednesday, November 11, while the title match is set for Saturday, November 4.
 
In a change from recent years while a member of the Summit League, the majority of Denver's conference matches as part of the West Coast Conference will be held on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
 
Season tickets for the 2026 campaign are now on sale, starting at $79, and are available for purchase online, by calling 303-871-4625 or by visiting the Ritchie Center Box Office.