Men's Soccer Set For 2026 Season
June 15, 2026 | Men's Soccer
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Head Coach Jonathan Lagos and the Gardner-Webb men's soccer team have announced its schedule for the upcoming championship season. This year's slate is composed of 16 matches, including seven within the Big South Conference.
The 2026 campaign begins with a trio of preseason exhibitions as Gardner-Webb hosts Spartanburg Methodist on Aug. 8 before traveling to Clemson on Aug. 12. The Runnin' Bulldogs will close exhibition play at home against Cape Fear Community College on Aug. 16.
Gardner-Webb officially opens the regular season on Aug. 20 when Wofford visits Boiling Springs for the season opener. The Runnin' Bulldogs then hit the road for a matchup at James Madison on Aug. 24 before returning home to host Davidson on Aug. 28.
September features several key non-conference tests, beginning with a road trip to Coastal Carolina on Sept. 5 and a visit to Furman on Sept. 9. Big South Conference play begins Sept. 18 at High Point before Gardner-Webb hosts Radford on Sept. 26 in its conference home opener.
The Runnin' Bulldogs continue league action in October, hosting UNC Asheville on Oct. 2 before traveling to Longwood on Oct. 10 and USC Upstate on Oct. 17, and Winthrop on Oct. 24. Gardner-Webb will also face a strong non-conference schedule during the month with road matches at ETSU on Oct. 6, Campbell on Oct. 20, and Virginia on Oct. 13.
The regular season concludes on Oct. 31 when Presbyterian visits Greene-Harbison Stadium for Senior Day.
In addition to conference competition, Gardner-Webb's non-conference schedule includes meetings with programs from the ACC, Sun Belt, Southern Conference, Atlantic 10, and American Athletic Conference, providing the Runnin' Bulldogs with numerous opportunities to test themselves against quality opposition throughout the season.
The 2026 Big South Championship begins Nov. 4 with quarterfinal action, followed by the semifinals on Nov. 5 and championship match on Nov. 8. The NCAA Men's Soccer Championship is scheduled to begin Nov. 19, culminating with the College Cup in Cary, N.C., on Dec. 11 and Dec. 14.
