Defending HBCUAC Champion Men's Soccer unveils Challenging 2026 Campaign
MARSHALL, Texas – The defending Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) champion Wiley University men's soccer will face a daunting non-conference schedule as it prepares to defend its title and make a deeper postseason run in 2026. The schedule was revealed on Monday featuring multiple NAIA national championship qualifiers and six matches at Pemberton Field.
PRESEASON MATCHES
The Wildcats will kick off their preparations at Pemberton Field with a pair of scrimmages against National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) opponents:
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Aug. 7: Ranger College
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Aug. 15: Jacksonville College
Testing Non-Conference Slate
The regular season opens with a heavyweight road matchup on August 23 against defending Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) Tournament champion Xavier University of Louisiana. The Gold Rush made a splash last season, advancing to the second round of the NAIA National Championship.
Other non-conference highlights include:
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Aug. 27: At NCAA opponent University of St. Thomas-Houston, the teams competed against each other in the Red River Athletic Conference from 2014-18.
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Sept. 4: Home Opener vs. East Texas rival Texas College
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Sept. 10: Home vs. LSU-Alexandria (RRAC regular-season runner-up and NAIA qualifier)
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Oct. 13: At Cumberland University (Lebanon, Tenn.) made the NAIA Championship Round of 16
HBCUAC Title Defense
Conference play shifts away from last year's divisional format, meaning every team will face each other this season. Wiley University kicks off its title defense on October 2 at home against Talladega College in a blockbuster clash of last year's division champions. This marks the third overall meeting between the programs, but their first as HBCUAC rivals.
The Wildcats' home conference slate includes:
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Oct. 2: Talladega College
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Oct. 4: Oakwood University
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Oct. 21: Jarvis Christian University
The top four teams in the standings will earn a berth to the 2026 HBCUAC Soccer Championship, held at Lee Hedges Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Season Outlook
The Wildcats enter 2026 riding the momentum of a stellar 9-4-2 campaign last year, which tied for the second-highest win total in program history. With the core of their championship roster returning, Wiley University is primed to defend its conference title and make noise on the national stage.
For more coverage on the Wildcats, visit https://wileyathletics.com/sports/msoc/index
About Wiley University Athletics
Wiley University sponsors 13 varsity sports, women's volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's indoor track and field, men's and women's outdoor track and field, softball and baseball. It competes in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC).
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