CINCINNATI – The Eastern Kentucky University women's soccer team opens the 2026 season on the road against Cincinnati on Wednesday night at Gettler Stadium.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. Admission is free for fans making the trip to the Queen City, while the match will also stream on ESPN+.
EKU enters the season looking to continue one of the best stretches in program history after posting consecutive 10-win campaigns and reaching its conference tournament in five straight seasons.
Last season, the Colonels finished 10-4-5 and were one of 23 NCAA Division I programs to go unbeaten at home, posting a 7-0-3 record. EKU finished No. 66 in the NCAA RPI after climbing as high as No. 31 in mid-September, marking the highest final and in-season rankings in program history.
The Colonels enter 2026 with high expectations after being unanimously picked by the league's head coaches to win the United Athletic Conference in its inaugural season of competition.
EKU also claimed six of the 12 spots on the Preseason All-UAC Team, with
Jordan LeVasseur,
Avery May,
Ana Manning,
Lauren Link,
Rachel Robinson and
Chiara Premoli earning recognition.
LeVasseur was named the UAC Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year and was one of 20 goalkeepers nationally selected to the United Soccer Coaches 2026 Goalkeepers to Watch List.
The Michigan native recorded eight wins and six shutouts in 16 starts last season, making 115 saves with an 89.8 save percentage and 0.83 goals-against average. She earned Second Team All-ASUN, ASUN All-Freshman and United Soccer Coaches All-South Region honors.
Premoli was also named to the United Soccer Coaches 2026 Midfielders to Watch List after earning her second consecutive All-South Region selection last season. The Italy native recorded eight assists in 2025 and enters her senior season holding EKU's career, single-season and single-game assist records.
EKU returns 43 percent (13-of-30) of its goal production from last season, led by May's four goals and Manning's three.
Scouting Cincinnati
Cincinnati finished 5-8-6 overall last season under fourth-year head coach Erica Demers. The Bearcats went 3-6-2 against Big 12 opponents.
Series History
Wednesday marks the fifth all-time meeting between EKU and Cincinnati and the first since 2018. The Bearcats lead the series 4-0.
In the most recent meeting, Cincinnati defeated EKU, 2-1, at Gettler Stadium on Sept. 16, 2018.
