University of Denver
Cal Poly
Players Mentioned
[RV/20] Denver Men’s Soccer Opens 2026 at Home vs. Cal Poly Thursday
8/18/2026 10:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
The Pioneers begin their quest with an eye on getting back to the College Cup in year 12 under Jack and Sheila Weinberg Head Men’s Soccer Coach Jamie Franks
DENVER – The [RV/20] University of Denver men's soccer program begins its 2026 campaign on Thursday night when the Pioneers welcome Cal Poly back to the University of Denver Soccer Stadium. Opening kickoff is set for 7 p.m. MT, and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
GAME PROMOTIONS: Kick it Back to School Night
Youth wearing a soccer jersey get free admission on Thursday night with the purchase of an adult ticket. This offer can only be redeemed at the box office on the night of the match.
LAST TIME OUT:
Kyle McGowan equalized in the 77th minute, but for the second year in a row, the Pioneers were knocked out of the NCAA Tournament on penalties, this time in the second round of the postseason at No. 8 Portland. FULL RECAP
SERIES HISTORY:
Denver holds a 5-2-2 edge in the all-time series, including a 3-1-0 mark in the Mile High City. The last meeting came last season, a match the Pioneers won 2-1 behind goals from Kyle McGowan and David Biggers. In Denver's early DI stages, the two programs shared membership in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. Denver went 2-0 in those conference matches, outscoring the Mustangs 14-0.
UNIVERSITY OF DENVER SOCCER STADIUM
- Denver is 117-23-19 at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium (2009).
- The Pioneers are 107-14-13 in their home stadium since Franks joined the staff in 2012 and 82-10-10 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.
NEW HOME IN THE WEST COAST CONFERENCE
- On October 31, 2025, the University of Denver announced it has accepted an invitation to join the West Coast Conference in nine sports, beginning in the 2026-27 season.
- The transition was finalized on July 1, 2026, as Denver joined the 10-team league that will expand to 12 next season.
- Denver has joined the West Coast Conference in men's and women's basketball, men's and women's golf, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's tennis and women's volleyball.
- The move provides Denver with a significant enhancement to the overall reputation of the university and brand association, allying DU with highly regarded, mostly private institutions with stronger academic ranking and profiles that will further strengthen the university's position in the western United States.
MCGOWAN AND WILLOUGHBY ON WCC PRESESAON TEAM
- In its first year in the West Coast Conference, the Pioneers were picked third in the preseason coaches poll.
- Bryce Willoughby and Kyle McGowan were named to the WCC Preseason Team.
- McGowan was drafted 68th overall in the 2026 MLS Super Draft by the New England Revolution.
- McGowan has scored 14 goals in 53 career appearances, including 11 in 22 games last season.
- Willoughby has 14 career goals and nine assists in 63 career appearances.
THE FRANKS FOUNDATION
- Jack and Sheila Weinberg Head Men's Soccer Coach Jamie Franks is in his 12th season as the bench boss and his 15th with the program overall in 2026.
- Franks and his staff were named the 2016 National Coaching Staff of the Year after taking Denver to its first College Cup appearance.
- Franks is 136-46-36 in his time as a head coach, 171-63-44 in his time at Denver overall and 270-90-61 in his time as a player and a coach in college soccer.
- Franks is 10-8-3 in the NCAA Tournament at DU (10-7-2 as HC). As a player and coach, Franks is 26-12-5 in the NCAAs.
- In addition to National Coaching Staff of the Year, Franks is a five-time Summit League Coach of the Year (2015-18, 2023).
- Franks was the youngest head coach in Division I soccer when he was hired in 2015, and the second youngest in 2016 when he took the program to the College Cup.
- Franks led the Pioneers to back-to-back unbeaten regular seasons in his first two years in charge, the first program to go unbeaten in back-to-back regular seasons since Clemson in 1977-78.
- In his first 11 seasons, Denver qualified for the NCAA Tournament 10 times and received a bye into the second round four times. Denver has played in the second round eight times.
- Franks won the national championship as a player with Wake Forest in 2007 in Cary, defeating Ohio State 2-1 in the final.
- Franks made his sixth College Cup appearance combined as a player and coach in 2024.
A PROGRAM BUILT ON DEVELOPMENT
- Denver has 21 returners on its 2026 rosters that have spent a combined 49 seasons in the Denver Men's Soccer program.
- The Pioneers have 10 returners with at least three years of experience in the program, including five that have already been here at least four years.
- In a NCAA Athletics culture of teams relying on the transfer portal, Jack and Sheila Weinberg Head Men's Soccer Coach Jamie Franks uses it rarely, using it just once this year to fill a goalkeeper spot with four-year Columbia keeper Dean Kelliher.
- Denver welcomes seven freshmen into the program in 2026.
TOP-10 SINCE 2015
- Denver is 136-46-36 since the start of the 2015 season.
- That record is good for sixth in the country in wins during that span, behind Wake Forest (159), Indiana (153), Clemson (149), Georgetown (147), Stanford (140).
- Of the 23 teams that had at least 110 wins in that span entering the year, Denver has the seventh-fewest losses at 46.
DENVER DOMINANT IN SUMMIT LEAGUE ERA
- Last season, Denver completed its first Summit League double since 2021.
- The Summit League Tournament title was Denver's ninth and the Pioneers' 20th overall trophy since joining the league in 2013.
- Denver went 64-9-10 in regular season Summit League action, including 55-7-9 under Franks.
- Four of Denver's opponents are among the 23 that began the year with 100 wins since the start of the 2015 season.
RECORD BOOK WATCH
- Career Points: Fifth-year forward Bryce Willoughby is 16th in the program's DI history in career points with 37 (14-9). Kyle McGowan is 20th with 32 points (14-4).
- Career Goals: Bryce Willoughby and Kyle McGowan both have scored 14 career goals, good for 10th in Denver's modern DI era.
- Career Game-Winners: Bryce Willoughby has seven career game-winning goals, tied for the fifth most in the program's DI era.
DENVER'S HOME FOR COLLEGE SPORTS
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