2026 Schedules

[jknezek]

W&L women's soccer team lists Batten for VWU. I had to look at it a few times to figure it out. That's going to take some getting used to. Men's soccer still had it listed as VWU. Could not figure out who Batten was and why it was listed as an ODAC game until I looked at the location.

Yes, I know VWU rebranded, I just wasn't thinking about it and it kind of shocked me.

[Kuiper]

Some NESCAC schedules

Williams

NESCAC teams often start playing conference games early in the season, even from Opening Day, but I don't think I've see a team play three straight NESCAC games to start the season (Bates, Hamilton, and Trinity).  On the other hand, Williams started last season with Wheaton (MA) and then played Tufts (which it beat 3-1!), Hamilton, and Amherst, so this year looks quite a bit less intimidating (especially given how good Wheaton turned out to be last year). In terms of non-conference games, Williams trades Union and Western Connecticut (which it tied 3-3), for Gordon and Hartford.  Starting the season with some of the lower NESCAC teams may come back to bit them in 2026 since they end with Wesleyan, Tufts, and Middlebury.

Middlebury

Middlebury trades out Bridgewater State, St. Lawrence, Thomas, and Vassar for the US Merchant Marine Academy, Endicott, RPI, and Maine Maritime Academy.  I would say that's a downgrade, but St. Lawrence turned out to be a down year and they beat Vassar 4-2, while Endicott is capable of rising to the occasion (including tying Wheaton last season) and USMMA went 12-4-3 last season, while RPI is probably due for a turnaround.  One conference advantage for Middlebury is that they don't have a two NESCAC game weekend.

[Kuiper]

Denison

Denison has had some fun schedules in recent years and this is no exception.  They seem to have made it a tradition to pair with Kenyon and bring in a couple of geographically interesting opponents.  This year is no exception with Occidental and Pomona-Pitzer visiting on the second weekend of the season.  I'm not sure either team is likely to give Denison a serious challenge, but with Oxy coming off games against Trinity (TX) on 9/6 at Claremont, @Kenyon on 9/11, they will either be riding a wave of momentum and playing at mid-season form in physicality and speed of play or they will be battered and bruised by the time they play @Denison on 9/13.  I'm betting the latter.  The toughest non-conference game for Denison might be Otterbein on 9/16, which tied Denison last season 3-3.

Kenyon

Not only does Kenyon play the same Oxy-Pomona-Pitzer swing as Denison, but they also play Hanover right after Denison.  Kenyon's biggest test might be the first game of the season against Ohio Northern, a team that tied Kenyon last season and usually starts out well against tough non-conference opponents.