The 2026 Big Ten Conference men's soccer season is the 35th season of college soccer play for the Big Ten Conference and part of the 2026 NCAA Division I men's soccer season.
Previous season
The 2025 season was played from August until December 2025. The season was won by Maryland, who won their 26th-ever regular season conference championship, and their fifth-ever Big Ten regular season title. UCLA went on to win the 2025 Big Ten Conference men's soccer tournament, making it UCLA's first-ever Big Ten tournament title for men's soccer.
Big Ten regular season runners-up, Washington won the 2025 NCAA Division I men's soccer championship game, giving Washington their first ever men's soccer national title.
At the conclusion of the season, Indiana's Palmer Ault was named Offensive Player of the Year. Richie Aman won the Midfielder of the Year Award, while two Maryland players won the defensive season honors. Specifically Maryland's Lasse Kelp won Defender of the Year and Laurin Mack won Goalkeeper of the Year. Maryland head coach, Sasho Cirovski, won Coach of the Year, making it his third honor. Finally, Michigan State's Peter Soudan was named Freshman of the Year.
In the 2026 MLS SuperDraft, Big Ten Midfielder of the Year, Aman, was the first Big Ten pick, being drafted by D.C. United with the eighth overall pick. Aman was ultimately signed by United to a professional contract.
Teams Stadiums and locations Team Location Stadium Capacity Indiana Bloomington, Indiana Bill Armstrong Stadium 6,500 Maryland College Park, Maryland Ludwig Field 7,000 Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan U-M Soccer Stadium 2,200 Michigan State Lansing, Michigan DeMartin Soccer Complex 2,500 Northwestern Evanston, Illinois Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium 3,000 Ohio State Columbus, Ohio Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium 10,000 Penn State State College, Pennsylvania Jeffrey Field 5,000 Rutgers Piscataway, New Jersey Yurcak Field 5,000 UCLA Los Angeles, California Wallis Annenberg Stadium 2,145 Washington Seattle, Washington Husky Soccer Stadium 3,250 Wisconsin Madison, Wisconsin Don McClimon Stadium 2,000
Head coaches TeamHead coachPrevious jobYears at schoolOverall recordBig Ten recordBig Ten titlesBig Ten tournament titlesNCAA tournamentsNCAA College CupsNCAA ChampionshipsIndianaTodd Yeagley17551741Maryland33433093MichiganChaka DaleyProvidence1510500Michigan StateDamon Rensing1901810NorthwesternRussell Payne600000Ohio StateBrian Maisonneuve911210Penn StateRob DowVermont100000RutgersJim McElderryFordham801100UCLARyan JordenPacific801200WashingtonJamie ClarkCreighton1600211WisconsinNeil Jones500000 Notes:
All records, appearances, titles, etc. are from time with current school only. Year at school includes 2026 season. Overall and Big Ten records are from time at current school only and are through the beginning of the season.
Coaching changes During the 2025–26 offseason, Penn State head coach, Jeff Cook resigned from his position at Penn State to take a job offer within the front office of Major League Soccer. On December 11, 2025, Penn State hired former Vermont head coach, Rob Dow to succeed Cook.
Preseason Recruiting classes + Rankings Team TopDrawer Soccer Prep Soccer SigneesIndiana Maryland Michigan Michigan State Northwestern Ohio State Penn State Rutgers UCLA Washington Wisconsin Note: College Soccer News did not release a recruiting rankings for the 2026 season.
Preseason poll Big Ten preseason poll 1 Washington 2 Maryland 3 Indiana 4 UCLA 5 Michigan 6 Ohio State 7 Rutgers 8 Northwestern 9 Wisconsin 10 Michigan State 11 Penn State
Preseason national polls UnitedSoccer CSN Top DrawerSoccerIndiana 22 17 22Maryland 7 4 7 Michigan RV RV Michigan State Northwestern Ohio State Penn State Rutgers UCLA RV Washington 1 1 1 Wisconsin
Preseason players to watch Defensive Players to Watch Josh Maher DF Jr. Indiana Laurin Mack GK Jr. Maryland Will Baker DF Sr. Michigan Brandon Munson DF Jr. Michigan State Fritz Volmar DF Sr. Northwestern Martin Wurschmidt DF Jr. Ohio State Joe Buckley DF So. Penn State Noah Förster DF Jr. Penn State Daniel Peluffo-Wiese GK Fr. Penn State Nick Collins DF Sr. Rutgers Rafa Ponce de Leon GK Gr. Rutgers Tre Wright DF Sr. UCLA Harrison Bertos DF Sr. Washington Ellis Jones DF Sr. Wisconsin Midfielders to Watch Leon Koehl Sr. Maryland Albi Ndrenika Gr. Maryland Nico Pendleton Gr. Michigan Miles Merritt Sr. Michigan State Peter Soudan So. Michigan State Andrew Millar Gr. Northwestern Andre Roberts Sr. Ohio State Amer Lukovic Gr. Rutgers Philip Naef Sr. UCLA Alex Hall Jr. Washington Zach Ramsey Jr. Washington Matthew Zachemski Jr. Wisconsin Forwards to Watch Stephane Njike Jr. Indiana Collins Oduro Sr. Indiana Grayson Elmquist Sr. Michigan Aaron O'Reilly So. Northwestern Isaiah Chisolm Sr. Ohio State Oliver Roche Sr. UCLA Luke van Heukelum Sr. Wisconsin
Hermann Trophy
The Hermann Trophy preseason watchlist was released on August 19, 2026.
Player Class Position School Jaime Amaro Jr. MF UCLA Harrison Bertos Sr. DF Washington Matthew Fisher Sr. DF Michigan Laurin Mack Jr. GK Maryland Collins Oduro Sr. FW Indiana
Regular season Home team listed second, Big Ten team listed in bold. Index to colors and formattingB1G member wonB1G member lostB1G member tiedB1G teams in bold
Week 1 (Aug. 20–24)
Date Time (ET) Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance August 20 4:00p.m. Reeves Field • Washington, DC T 0–0 5:00p.m. Martin Stadium • Evanston, IL W 3–1 6:00p.m. Michigan U-M Soccer Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI T 0–0 650 7:00p.m. No. 7 Maryland Pittsburgh Armstrong Stadium • Pittsburgh, PA W 2–1 1,074 Michigan State DeMartin Stadium • East Lansing, MI W 6–2 1,205 Jeffrey Field • State College, PA W 3–2 774 UCLA No. 11 Virginia Klöckner Stadium • Charlottesville, VA W 2–1 1,306 8:00p.m. Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium • Columbus, OH W 1–0 1,266 McClimon Stadium • Madison, WI W 5–0 479 10:00p.m. No. 1 Washington Husky Soccer Stadium • Seattle, WA L 0–1 1,801 August 23 2:00p.m. Michigan State DeMartin Stadium • East Lansing, MI W 2–1 1,190 3:00p.m. Wisconsin McClimon Stadium • Madison, WI W 5–0 458 7:30p.m. Northwestern Notre Dame Alumni Stadium • South Bend, IN T 1–1 Rutgers Shaw Field • Washington, DC L 1–2 1,197 8:00p.m. No. 22 Indiana Armstrong Stadium • Bloomington, IN W 3–0 3,430 Penn State Allison South Stadium • Springfield, MO L 1–3 734 10:00p.m. No. 1 Washington Gonzaga Soccer Field • Spokane, WA W 4–0 1,168 August 24 7:00p.m. No. 7 Maryland Ludwig Field • College Park, MD W 3–2 1,258 Ohio State Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium • Columbus, OH W 6–0 769 10:00p.m. UCLA Wallis Annenberg Stadium • Los Angeles, CA T 1–1 476
Week 2 (Aug. 25–31) Date Time (ET) Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance August 27 4:00p.m. Niagara Michigan U-M Soccer Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI W 3–1 661 7:00p.m. No. 23 Wisconsin Western Michigan WMU Soccer Complex • Kalamazoo, MI W 1–0 521 7:30p.m. SIUE No. 24 Michigan State DeMartin Stadium • East Lansing, MI W 4–0 2,927 8:00 p.m. Butler No. 14 Indiana Armstrong Stadium • Bloomington, IN W 1–0 3,080 10:30 p.m. No. 3 Portland No. 11 Washington Husky Soccer Stadium • Seattle, WA W 4–2 1,775 August 28 7:00 p.m. Pittsburgh Penn State Jeffrey Field • State College, PA L 1–2 1,502 Sacred Heart Rutgers Yurcak Field • Piscataway, NJ W 4–1 456 8:00p.m. Northwestern Evansville Arad McCutchan Stadium • Evansville, IN W 2–1 471 Memphis No. 22 Ohio State Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium • Columbus, OH W 2–0 1,266 10:00p.m. Denver No. 17 UCLA Wallis Annenberg Stadium • Los Angeles, CA W 3–0 464 August 29 7:00 p.m. No. 9 High Point No. 4 Maryland Ludwig Field • College Park, MD W 1–0 5,123 August 30 2:00 p.m. SIUE Michigan U-M Soccer Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI W 3–2 1,066 Niagara No. 24 Michigan State DeMartin Stadium • East Lansing, MI W 4–1 2,056 10:00 p.m. No. 11 Washington No. 25 Oregon State Paul Lorenz Field • Corvallis, OR L 3–4 996 August 31 7:00p.m. No. 14 Indiana Louisville Lynn Stadium • Louisville, KY T 1–1 1,520 7:30p.m. Xavier Northwestern Martin Stadium • Evanston, IL L 2–3 226 8:00 p.m. Marquette No. 23 Wisconsin McClimon Stadium • Madison, WI W 3–1 478
Week 3 (Sep. 1–7) Date Time (ET) Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance September 1 2:00p.m. No. 12 UCLA California Edwards Stadium • Berkeley, CA T 2–2 433 7:00p.m. Bucknell Penn State Jeffrey Field • State College, PA Canceled September 3 4:30p.m. Northern Kentucky No. 4 Ohio State Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium • Columbus, OH W 5–0 656 7:00p.m. Pittsburgh No. 8 Michigan State DeMartin Stadium • East Lansing, MI T 0–0 1,532 10:30p.m. Cal State Fullerton Washington Husky Soccer Stadium • Seattle, WA T 2–2 1,435 September 4 7:00p.m. Yale Penn State Jeffrey Field • State College, PA W 1–0 1,458 Seton Hall Rutgers Yurcak Field • Piscataway, NJ L 0–1 594 7:30p.m. Delaware No. 2 Maryland Ludwig Field • College Park, MD W 4–3 2,835 8:00p.m. Cal Poly No. 6 Indiana Armstrong Stadium • Bloomington, IN W 2–0 3,012 September 5 2:00p.m. Northwestern Marquette Valley Fields • Milwaukee, WI L 1–3 276 9:00p.m. No. 17 Wisconsin Portland Merlo Field • Portland, OR W 2–1 2,189 10:30p.m. UC Davis Washington Husky Soccer Stadium • Seattle, WA W 4–0 1,786 September 6 3:30p.m. Michigan Notre Dame Alumni Stadium • South Bend, IN L 1–2 1,004 10:00p.m. Omaha No. 12 UCLA Wallis Annenberg Stadium • Los Angeles, CA W 2–1 307 September 7 7:00p.m. No. 5 Georgetown No. 2 Maryland Ludwig Field • College Park, MD W 3–2 6,110 No. 21 UCSB Rutgers Yurcak Field • Piscataway, NJ L 0–1 231 8:00p.m. Denver No. 6 Indiana Armstrong Stadium • Bloomington, IN W 3–1 2,721
Week 4 (Sep. 8–14) Date Time (ET) Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance September 8 7:30p.m. No. 3 Ohio State Kentucky Bell Soccer Complex • Lexington, KY W 4–1 884 September 11 7:00 p.m. No. 5 Indiana Michigan U-M Soccer Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI IU 1–0 2,382 No. 11 UCLA Rutgers Yurcak Field • Piscataway, NJ RUT 3–1 367 No. 3 Ohio State No. 8 Wisconsin McClimon Stadium • Madison, WI T 1–1 1,329 7:30p.m. No. 2 Maryland Northwestern Martin Stadium • Evanston, IL NU 4–0 462 8:00p.m. No. 10 Michigan State Kansas City Durwood Soccer Stadium • Kansas City, MO L 1–3 675 10:30p.m. Penn State Washington Husky Soccer Stadium • Seattle, WA UW 4–2 2,498
Week 5 (Sep. 15–21) Date Time (ET) Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance September 15 7:00p.m. Northwestern No. 19 Michigan State DeMartin Stadium • East Lansing, MI MSU 2–0 1,087 No. 11 Princeton Rutgers Yurcak Field • Piscataway, NJ (rivalry) W 2–0 508 September 18 6:00 p.m. No. 7 Wisconsin No. 8 Maryland Ludwig Field • College Park, MD 7:00 p.m. Rutgers No. 3 Ohio State Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium • Columbus, OH No. 19 Michigan State Penn State Jeffrey Field • State College, PA 7:30p.m. Washington No. 2 Indiana Armstrong Stadium • Bloomington, IN 10:00p.m. Michigan UCLA Wallis Annenberg Stadium • Los Angeles, CA September 19 8:00p.m. Northwestern UIC Flames Field • Chicago, IL September 21 7:00p.m. Washington No. 3 Ohio State Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium • Columbus, OH
Week 6 (Sep. 22–28) Date Time (ET) Visiting team Home team Site Result Attendance September 22 8:00p.m. Indiana Wisconsin McClimon Stadium • Madison, WI September 25 1:00p.m. Penn State Indiana Armstrong Stadium • Bloomington, IN 6:00 p.m. Wisconsin Michigan State DeMartin Stadium • East Lansing, MI 7:00 p.m. Michigan Northwestern Martin Stadium • Evanston, IL UCLA Maryland Ludwig Field • College Park, MD Ohio State George Mason George Mason Stadium • Fairfax, VA 10:30p.m. Rutgers Washington Husky Soccer Stadium • Seattle, WA September 28 4:00p.m. UCLA Penn State Jeffrey Field • State College, PA
Week 7 (Sep. 29–Oct. 5)