FARMINGTON, Utah (Aug. 12, 2026) – The 2026 Big Sky soccer season officially opens on Wednesday, with six teams kicking things off on opening day ahead of another exciting year on the pitch.
Below are news & notes from around the league for Big Sky Soccer.
More Than Half the League Set to Host Home Matches This Weekend
This weekend will feature six Big Sky teams hosting home matches, as Eastern Washington, Idaho, Montana, Northern Colorado, Portland State, and Weber State will play in front of their home fans. Eastern Washington will host the first official home contest for the Big Sky, as the Eagles welcome Mount Royal to Cheney on Wednesday.
Weber State Picked as Preseason Favorites by League Coaches
Weber State was named preseason favorites by the league's head coaches after a runner-up finish a season ago. The Wildcats look to make a run behind their league-leading four preseason All-Conference team selections Isabella Sackett, Lily Blum, Oakley Anderson and reigning Freshman of the Year, Lauren Butorac.
Weber State earned the top spot in the poll after collecting five first-place votes and a league-leading 74 points, edging out Idaho, who compiled four first-place votes. In their first season in the Big Sky, Utah Tech received the final first-place vote in the poll, rounding out the top three.
NAU's Micala Boex Tabbed as Preseason MVP by League Coaches
Northern Arizona's Micala Boex headlines the Preseason All-Conference Team, earning Preseason MVP honors. Last season, Boex ranked top-five in the league in several offensive categories including goals, assists, points and shots. The Co-Offensive MVP from a season ago recorded eight multi-point games through the 2025 campaign.
Southern Utah and Utah Tech Join the Big Sky in 2026
Southern Utah and Utah Tech were officially welcomed as members of the Big Sky Conference this past summer, as the addition of the Thunderbirds and Trailblazers give the Big Sky 10 soccer squads for the 2026 season. The 2026 season will mark SUU’s return to the Big Sky after being a soccer member from 2012-21, while the year will be UTU’s inaugural season in the league.
2026 Big Sky Soccer Tournament Hosted in Missoula
The 2026 Big Sky Soccer Championship, hosted by University of Montana, will be held in Missoula, Montana on Nov. 11, 13 and 15. The Grizzlies earned the right to host the 2026 championship tournament by winning last fall's regular-season title.
The Grizzlies also won the tournament title in 2025, becoming the first Big Sky team to sweep the regular season and tournament titles since Northern Arizona in 2022.
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2026 Big Sky Soccer Schedule (Week 1)
Wednesday, Aug. 12
Southern Utah at College of Charleston // 5:00 p.m. MT (FloSports)
Mount Royal at Eastern Washington // 6:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Weber State at Utah // 7:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Utah Tech at UC Irvine // 7:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Idaho at Washington State // 8:00 p.m. MT (YouTube)
Northern Arizona at UC Riverside // 8:30 p.m. MT
Thursday, Aug. 13
Bucknell at Montana // 5:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Denver at Northern Colorado // 7:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Oregon at Portland State // 8:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Friday, Aug. 14
Southern Utah at South Carolina State // 5:00 p.m. MT
Saturday, Aug. 15
Bucknell at Eastern Washington // 2:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
CSUN at Idaho // 7:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Utah Tech at UC San Diego // 8:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Sunday, Aug. 16
Portland State at UNLV // 12:00 p.m. MT (MW+)
Boise State at Weber State // 6:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Wyoming at Northern Colorado // 6:00 p.m. MT (ESPN+)
Monday, Aug. 17
Southern Utah at The Citadel // 10:00 a.m. MT
Tuesday, Aug. 18
Idaho at Western Michigan // 8:00 p.m. MT