HIGH POINT, N.C. — Coming off the best season in program history, the High Point University men's soccer team is primed to continue its trajectory under HPU Head Coach Zach Haines.

Fresh off the Panthers' first Sweet Sixteen appearance in school history and first-ever Second Round win in the NCAA Tournament, HPU welcomes 10 teams to Vert Stadium while traveling for 10 away matches during the 2026 regular season.

High Point will face five NCAA Tournament teams from a season ago — with four away and the other on home turf — as one squad made it to the 2025 College Cup Final Four, two were in the Elite Eight, one was in the Sweet Sixteen and the other made it to the NCAA Second Round.

"Last year's schedule gave us an opportunity for a top 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament," Haines said. "We have done our best to replicate that for 2026. It will be a big challenge, but I am confident that our student-athletes and staff are hungry to achieve more, and that we have the right things in place to do so."

The 11-time Big South Conference Champions start the 2026 campaign with a trio of exhibition matches. HPU will open with a trip to Furman, who lost to the eventual national champion in the Final Four, on August 8. The Panthers will then head to Wofford on August 11, before hosting Queens for the final tune-up match during move-in weekend on August 15 at Vert Stadium.

In the official season opener on August 20, the Panthers welcome Long Island University for the first meeting in program history. HPU then hits the road with back-to-back matches against a pair of National Champions and NCAA Tournament teams.

The Panthers will face six-time National Champion Virginia in Charlottesville on August 24, following a 2025 campaign where the Hoos fell to UNC Greensboro in the NCAA Second Round. HPU is vying for their first win against UVA in the team's first matchup since 2023 and fifth since 2012.

HPU then will head to three-time National Champion Maryland, who was an Elite Eight team in 2025, on August 29 for the third time. In the last meeting between the Panthers and Terps, HPU defeated seventh-ranked Maryland to even the series (1-1) in 2022.

For the third straight year, HPU faces VCU – with this matchup being in High Point for the first time since 2011 — as the Panthers look to remain unbeaten against the Rams (2-0-1) to begin a new month on September 2.

Next, the Panthers hit the road for three roads matches before Big South play begins. HPU faces South Carolina on September 7, looking for its first win against the Gamecocks in team's first meeting in a decade and fourth overall meeting since 2011.

HPU then heads to Georgetown, where the Panthers started and ended their 2025 season, on September 11. The Panthers defeated 2019 National Champion Georgetown in the last year's regular-season opener, and then fell shy to the Hoyas in the program's first-ever Sweet Sixteen appearance. All-time, HPU is 1-2-1 against Georgetown and will be competing for its first win in Washington, D.C.

On September 15, the Panthers cap their three-match road trip with a clash at Davidson. HPU is unbeaten against the Wildcats over the past three meetings and 4-3-4 all-time since 2002.

Coming back to Vert Stadium, HPU begins conference play against Gardner-Webb on September 19. The Panthers swept the Bulldogs in 2025 to secure two Big South trophies, perfect 9-0 record and the best goal differential in conference history (30 goals to -1 against).

In consecutive home games, the Panthers welcome Guilford on September 25 for Family Weekend for the first meeting. HPU hits the road again for a mid-week conference matchup at Winthrop on September 29 before hosting Longwood on October 3. The Panthers have defeated the Eagles and Lancers 10 each straight times.

Over the final six-match stretch of the regular-season, the Panthers have two road games compared to four at home. HPU travels to Spartanburg to face USC Upstate, who the Panthers have never lost to, on October 9 before heading home for the first meeting versus George Washington on October 13.

In the last road match, HPU plays Presbyterian in Clinton on October 17 as the Panthers are 7-0-3 over the last 10 matches with three straight wins.

HPU ends the regular-season with three home matches in a row. Firstly, the Panthers face UNC Greensboro in back-to-back years on October 20 in a Triad rivalry match that is knotted at 9-9.

The Panthers will host Radford, who they have beaten 11 straight times, on October 24 for Senior Night. HPU caps the regular-season slate versus  UNC Asheville for Alumni/Goal13 Weekend on October 31, in a matchup the Panthers are unbeaten in since 2006.

High Point begins the postseason with the Big South Conference Tournament November 4 through the 14, which is hosted by the highest seed, aiming to make it to the championship game for the eighth year in a row.