The Francis Marion University women's soccer team is set to open the 2026 season at Hartzler Field against USC Aiken in a non-conference matchup on Thursday, Aug. 27 at 1 p.m.

Francis Marion will play a 17-match regular season schedule that includes nine home contests on Hartzler Field, where the Patriots have secured a win/tie in 24 of the last 28 games.

Individual home game tickets for soccer matches are $10 for adults and $5 for students. FMU faculty, staff, students, and kids under the age of five are admitted for free.

The Patriots enter the 2026 campaign as the preseason favorite yet again following the voting by the league coaches in the Conference Carolinas Women's Soccer Preseason Poll. FMU received 10 of the possible 15 first-place votes after making consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament. Additionally, the Patriots are receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division II preseason top 25 rankings.

Fourth-year Francis Marion head coach Sam Holmes welcomes back 24 returners, including 10 starters, from last year's historic 17-3-0 squad. The Patriots also secured the Conference Carolinas East Division for a second-straight year.

Holmes emphasized how exciting it is to have several familiar faces back on the pitch. With a strong foundation established over the past few years, the Patriots are positioned to build on that success and continue competing at a high level. He spoke highly about the leaders on the team, including senior goalkeeper Erin Grabeel, graduate student forward Tehya Dave', and junior defender Alana Hunt, who all garnered All-American honors in 2025.

"With the three All-Americans, they're right down the spine of the team. I think they're good communicators. They're people that players look up to, so having that back is tremendous. Having them in a few different lines to be able to talk to people and shape us up is really fortunate for me too. They're all game-winners in their own right," Holmes claimed. "Erin can make fantastic saves. Alana has been a rock at the back of a very good defensive season, and then Tehya scores goals. I was quite lucky to have players like that returning this year."

Dave' was the 2025 Conference Carolinas Offensive Player of the Year and ranked 12th in NCAA Division II with 34 total points (13 goals, 8 assists). Hunt is the reigning 2025 Conference Carolinas Defensive Player of the Year and anchored an FMU defense that led the country with a .750 shutout percentage. Grabeel finished third in the country with 14 shutouts, while leading the conference with 1786:04 goalie minutes played and a .403 goals-against average. 

According to Holmes, the newcomers of this FMU squad have had an impressive showing in the preseason since the beginning; their eagerness to learn and fitness levels have all been fantastic. The Patriots will face nationally ranked opponents and challenging teams throughout the region, providing a demanding schedule designed to test the team and prepare FMU for a deeper run in the NCAA Tournament.

Francis Marion welcomes eight newcomers, including five freshmen and three Division I transfers.

"You've got to go out and test yourself a little bit more and then make sure that you're putting yourself in a spot where you can get an at-large bid. Going against harder opponents and getting points that way through RPI is important. I wanted to push the boat out a little bit," expressed Holmes.

The 2026 Conference Carolinas Women's Soccer Championship is scheduled to start with preliminary rounds on October 28 and 31 before the semifinals and final will be played at Truist Soccer Complex at Bryan Park in Browns Summit, N.C., on November 5 and 7.