CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The 2026 Atlantic Coast Conference women’s soccer season gets underway Wednesday, August 12, with 13 league programs in action. Wednesday's matches mark the first contests of the ACC’s 2026-27 athletics calendar.
The ACC opens the campaign with a nation-best eight teams in the Preseason United Soccer Coaches/IWSOC NCAA Division I Women's Coaches Poll. ACC teams hold the first four spots in the poll, with Stanford claiming the top spot, followed by No. 2 Notre Dame, No. 3 Duke and No. 4 Florida State. North Carolina is No. 8, Virginia is No. 11, Wake Forest is No. 18 and Clemson is No. 25, while Louisville is receiving votes.
Earlier this month, Notre Dame was selected as the preseason favorite in the annual ACC Preseason Women’s Soccer Poll, earning seven first-place votes. Stanford, Duke and Florida State finished second, third and fourth, respectively, with each team garnering three first-place votes, while North Carolina earned the final first-place vote and finished fifth. The Fighting Irish and Seminoles led the way on the Preseason All-ACC Team with three honorees each.
A total of 24 matches will be featured on ACC Network throughout the 2026 season, with the network’s coverage concluding with the first round and semifinals of the 2026 ACC Women’s Soccer Championship beginning November 12. The championship match, which is set for Sunday, November 15, from First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina, will be on ESPNU at noon ET.
Upcoming Schedule (All Times ET)
Wednesday, August 12
Siena at Boston College | 4 p.m. | ACCNX
Samford at #2 Notre Dame | 7 p.m. | ACCNX
Miami at Jacksonville | 7 p.m. | ACCNX
Northwestern at #11 Virginia | 7 p.m. | ACCNX
#25 Clemson at Auburn | 7 p.m. | SECN+
Fairfield at #8 North Carolina | 7 p.m. | ACCNX
Youngstown State at Pitt | 7 p.m. | ACCNX
NC State at James Madison | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Nebraska at Louisville | 7:30 p.m. | ACCNX
#16 LSU at #18 Wake Forest | 8 p.m. | ACCN
SMU at #5 Vanderbilt | 8 p.m. | SECN+
#3 Duke at USC | 9 p.m. | BTN
Cal Baptist at California | 10 p.m. | ACCNX
Thursday, August 13
Old Dominion at Virginia Tech | 6 p.m. | ACCNX
Villanova at Syracuse | 7 p.m. | ACCNX
#4 Florida State at Stetson | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Sunday, August 16
#17 Ohio State at #25 Clemson | Noon | ACCNX
Penn State at #2 Notre Dame | Noon | ACCNX
Texas at Pitt | Noon | ACCNX
NC State at VCU | 1 p.m. | FloFC
Quinnipiac at #8 North Carolina | 1 p.m. | ACCNX
Holy Cross at Syracuse | 1 p.m. | ACCNX
#1 Stanford at Cal Poly | 4 p.m. | ESPN+
Liberty at #11 Virginia | 5 p.m. | ACCNX
South Carolina at #18 Wake Forest | 5 p.m. | ACCNX
VMI at Virginia Tech | 6 p.m. | ACCNX
#4 Florida State at FIU | 6 p.m. | ESPN+
Miami at FAU | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
IU Indy at Louisville | 7 p.m. | ACCNX
California at Santa Clara | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
North Texas at SMU | 8 p.m. | ACCNX
#3 Duke at #9 UCLA | 9 p.m. | BTN+
Monday, August 17
St. John's at Boston College | 4 p.m. | ACCNX
Noting ACC Women’s Soccer
• The 40th season of ACC Women's Soccer gets underway on Wednesday, August 12.
• The ACC begins the 2026 season with a nation-best eight teams ranked in the Preseason United Soccer Coaches/IWSOC NCAA Division I Women's Coaches Poll, announced on Tuesday, August 4.
• The Preseason Poll includes No. 1 Stanford, No. 2 Notre Dame, No. 3 Duke, No. 4 Florida State, No. 8 North Carolina, No. 11 Virginia, No. 18 Wake Forest and No. 25 Clemson. Louisville is currently receiving votes.
• The 2026 Preseason ACC Coaches Poll and All-ACC Team were announced on Monday, August 3, with Notre Dame selected as the preseason favorite.
• A total of 13 players were named to the Preseason All-ACC Team, including 2025 first-team selections Mia Minestrella (Duke), Izzy Engle (Notre Dame), Annabelle Chukwu (Notre Dame) and Caroline Birkel (Stanford).
• Florida State earned the ACC's 27th national championship (24th since the ACC began sponsoring women's soccer) a season ago, bringing the total to 33 national championships among current ACC institutions. No school outside the ACC has won more than two championships.
• The Seminoles defeated Stanford, 1-0, in the 2025 national championship match, marking the second straight year that two ACC teams met for the national title and the third consecutive championship match featuring current ACC members.
• Valentina Amaral (Wake Forest), Caroline Birkel (Stanford) and Victoria Safradin (Virginia) were named to the United Soccer Coaches Goalkeepers Watch List.
• Cameron Roller (Duke), Morgan Roy (Notre Dame) and Izzi Stratton (North Carolina) were named to the United Soccer Coaches Defenders Watch List.
• Sam Courtwright (Duke), Summer Denigan (North Carolina), Samantha Erbach (Florida State), Charlotte Kohler (Stanford), Y-Lan Nguyen (Stanford), Grace Restovich (Notre Dame) and Amelia Swinarski (Louisville) were named to the United Soccer Coaches Midfielders Watch List.
• Jade Bordeleau (NC State), Annabelle Chukwu (Notre Dame), Katie Shea Collins (Duke), Izzy Engle (Notre Dame), Juju Harris (Clemson), Ashley Henderson (Florida State), Wrianna Hudson (Florida State), Kylie Maxwell (Wake Forest), Mia Minestrella (Duke), Nyanya Touray (Florida State) and Bella Winn (Stanford) were named to the United Soccer Coaches Forwards Watch List.