JOLIET, Ill. -- After setting the school record for wins in a season with 13 one year ago, the University of St. Francis women's soccer team will embark on setting even higher standards in 2026 when the Fighting Saints kick off their 32nd campaign on August 20 in Indianapolis, Ind. against No. 2-nationally ranked Marian University followed by an August 26 date against Indiana counterpart University of Saint Francis (Ind.).

Led by head coach Al Palar, USF will split its 18 regular-season games evenly between the turf of Busey Bank Field at Joliet Memorial Stadium and the road.

The Saints' home opener will take place on August 29 against recently departed league member St. Ambrose University (Iowa) with a road matchup against up Goshen College (Ind.) to follow four days later (Sept. 5) in Indiana.  Along with the first four aforementioned universities, USF's other three non-conference matches will take place between Sept. 8-19 with the Saints facing off against Concordia University Chicago at home on Sept. 8, Indiana University Columbus on the road on Sept. 12 and No. nationally 8-ranked Indiana Wesleyan University back at home on Sept. 19.

The first league affair will be a matchup against Saint Xavier University at Deaton Field in Chicago.  Other away conference matchups consist of Holy Cross College (ind.) (Oct. 3), Mount Mary University (Wis.) (Oct. 17), Indiana University South Bend (Oct. 24) and Indiana University Northwest (Oct. 27).

Included among the CCAC home contests will be back-to-back battles with Judson University (Sept. 26) and Viterbo University (Wis.) (Sept. 29) to close out the month of September.  The rest of the home slate has the Saints hosting Olivet Nazarene University (Oct. 10), Calumet College of St. Joseph (Ind.) (Oct. 13) and Governors State University (Oct. 21).

The CCAC Tournament takes place during the first two weeks of November (Nov. 4-11) followed by the NAIA National Tournament Opening Round (Nov. 19-21) and the NAIA National Tournament Final Site Nov. 30-Dec. 7 in Decatur, Ala.

The Saints finished 13-4-3 overall one year ago to break the school record for wins in a season set in 2022.  USF's .725 winning percentage also was a record-breaking mark in the history of the program.  In conference play, St. Francis went 8-2-2 to place in a tie for fourth among 13 teams.

For the complete St. Francis women's soccer schedule, go to Schedule.

You can keep up with everything happening around USF Athletics on X @USFSaints.