LOWELL, Mass. – When 6:30 p.m. rolls around on Wednesday, August 12, the UMass Lowell women’s soccer team will kick off the 2026 season. The River Hawks face Providence on the road to start the year, then welcome Fairfield to their home turf at 7 p.m. on August 16.
“For non-conference, we have a pretty tough start,” said Head Coach Mira Novak. “The first three games on our non-conference schedule are probably the three toughest. The team is really excited to compete in those games.”
Each of the first two opponents were strong in 2025, as Providence finished 6-6-4 and Fairfield went 15-2-2. By the 2025 NCAA RPI standings, the Stags are UMass Lowell’s toughest opponent in 2026. Fairfield ended the season No. 37 in the nation and carried its momentum into a No. 1 Metro Conference preseason ranking.