Mountaineers Journey to Charlotte to Open 2026 Season

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The No. 23 West Virginia University males’s soccer crew opens its 66^th season on Thursday, Aug. 20, because it hits the street to tackle Charlotte. Kickoff from Jen Gaber Field is about for 7 p.m.

The recreation will air on ESPN+ with reside stats out there at WVUSports.com.

The Mountaineers are coming off 13-5-3 season and their third straight NCAA Tournament look. In the Sun Belt Preseason Coaches Poll, WVU was picked to win the league, the primary time the Mountaineers are preseason favorites since 2022.
 
Senior Pablo Pozos was named the 2026 Sun Belt Preseason Offensive Player of the Year after tallying 11 targets and three assists in his first season with the Mountaineers. Junior midfielders Isaac Scheer and Nacho Martinez joined Pozos on the Preseason All-Conference Team.
 
Overall, the Mountaineers return 15 gamers from final 12 months’s squad whereas including 15 newcomers. Six gamers be a part of WVU out of the switch portal whereas there are 9 first-year faculty gamers suiting up for the Gold and Blue.
 
Charlotte is the defending regular-season co-champions within the American Conference and have been picked to win the league as soon as once more, its third straight 12 months because the preseason favourite.
 
Natsuki Ogata was named the Preseason Co-Offensive Player of the Year whereas Samuel Manufor earned Preseason Defensive Player of the Year honors. Manufor, Ogata, and James Nyandjo have been all named to the Preseason All-Conference Team.
 
For extra info on the Mountaineers, comply with @WVUMensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.