Know before you go: Your guide to Mary Washington’s 2026 fall athletics

by COURTNEY WERHAN

Staff Writer

As classes kick off at the University of Mary Washington this fall, so does a sports season full of rivalries, traditions, new faces and teams with something to prove. Whether you are a new student, have not been able to catch a game yet, or a Mary Wash super fan, here is what you need to know heading into the fall 2026 season. 

After an impressive 14-4-5 season record and a top-eight finish in the NCAA Division III Tournament, the UMW women’s soccer team is the Coast to Coast Athletic Conference preseason favorite. 

“It reflects all the work that we put in last season,” said senior marketing major and forward Emily Box. “The rankings don’t guarantee us anything and the expectation that we will go far is just motivation for us to work harder.”

With 14 new team members, the team is aiming for a conference title and a trip to the NCAA tournament. 

The road to a conference title starts early, with 14 games scheduled ahead of homecoming weekend.

The homecoming game brings high energy, as UMW takes on rival Christopher Newport University. 

“The atmosphere that homecoming brings will give us an immense amount of excitement and encouragement to beat them for the second year in a row,” said Box.

This season is not short on rivalries, with men’s soccer facing two of its strongest opponents. 

“CNU is our biggest rivalry game. It is always two great teams battling it out,” said Jack Sturman, a senior business administration major and midfielder. 

However, CNU is not the only team that brings tension. 

“CNU and Salisbury are our two rivals,” said junior business administration major and goalkeeper Zaine Asim. “Those games are always very intense and competitive.”

After a hard-fought loss last season against Salisbury in the C2C semifinals, the Eagles look to come back stronger this year.

While ranked second in the C2C preseason poll, the team isn’t satisfied. 

“We have the mentality of striving to be number one,” said Sturman. “So being ranked second is more fuel to the fire and gives us more hunger to be better.” 

That drive carries into the offseason, as the team has worked to return to a standard they are proud of.

“I am most excited for students to see how hard we have worked during the offseason. Last season was not at our standard and we have worked hard to get back to a standard we are satisfied with,” said Asim.

Now, the team hopes students will see that hard work on the field.

“We want the students to see all the passion we play with. We play super hard all the time and we hope the fans and students appreciate that,” Sturman said. “Our games are always exciting. Students can expect a loud atmosphere with lots of passion.”

While the soccer teams battle against rivals, they are not the only fall team chasing titles this season.

Field hockey is coming off another championship season and the team has no plans to slow down.

They enter this season as two-time defending Collegiate Field Hockey Conference (CFHC) champions, being picked as the preseason favorite to win the conference.

“Every preseason, we go in with one goal in mind: winning that CFHC title,” said Dyanela Rivarola, a senior psychology and Spanish double major and forward.

Senior communication and digital studies major and midfielder Katie Royle is prepared to work for it. 

“We feel we have earned that spot, but we must work harder than ever to keep that spot,” she said. 

Royle joins fellow UMW students, Mackenzie Proffitt, Grayson Scott and Tori Winans on the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division III preseason watch list. Due to the CFHC being a newly formed conference, the Eagles have not yet been eligible for the NCAA tournament. However, a third conference title would secure them an automatic bid.

The season is about more than what happens on the field, with traditions and game day activities bringing the team together.

“Before every game, we meet up in the locker room and blast our pregame playlist,” said Rivarola. “We also love doing each other’s hair, so if you walk into our locker room beforehand, that’s probably what you’ll catch us doing.”

The traditions do not stop when the game ends. 

“Tailgates are one of the most memorable parts of the UMW game day experience,” said Rivarola. “After home games, family, friends and fans all come together to enjoy food, share stories and celebrate as one community.”

Field hockey isn’t the only team with traditions this year; women’s rugby brought one back from the past. 

The team has revived a historic slogan, “I am and always will be,” which is now printed on the back of every player’s warmup shirt. 

The motto comes from the father of a former player, who attended every match for over a decade.

“He’s the one who said, ‘I am and always will be a Mary Wash rugger,'” said Greta Giese, a junior and conservation biology major and flyhalf. “Now the motto not only honors our supporters who will always be a part of the Mary Wash rugby family, but it is also a representation of the team’s commitment to each other and the sport.”

The team is coming off its best finish since 2017, with a 25-8-1 record. Assistant coach Emily Rees promises newcomers won’t be disappointed.

“There’s no difference between the laws of women’s rugby and men’s rugby. Be prepared to see breakaways from our backs, hard drives from our forwards and heads-up plays,” she said. 

Whether you know the rules to every sport or not, UMW’s fall season has something for everyone, from longtime rivalries and new players to teams chasing championships and exciting traditions. So pick a game, grab a friend and experience it firsthand.