University of Memphis Athletics
Wednesday, August 12
Memphis, Tenn.
7 p.m.
University of Memphis
vs
Kennesaw State
Women’s Soccer Opens 2026 Memphis Athletics Season with Home Matches Against Kennesaw State, Alabama
Aug 11, 2026 | Women's Soccer
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The 16-time conference champion Memphis women's soccer program kicks off its 2026 campaign this week with a pair of home matches at the Track and Soccer Complex.
The Tigers open the season Wednesday at 7 p.m. against Kennesaw State, with Memphis set to celebrate Senior Day and honor its lone senior and captain Finley Lavin. The opening week continues Saturday when the Tigers welcome SEC foe Alabama to Memphis for a 7 p.m. showdown.
Head coach Brooks Monaghan enters his 27th season at the helm with an experienced group returning from last year's squad. The Tigers bring back 16 players while welcoming three transfers and seven freshmen to the roster. Memphis returns more than 60 percent of its production from last season in goals, assists, points, minutes played, starts and saves.
The Tigers have already received plenty of national recognition ahead of the new campaign. TopDrawerSoccer released its Women's College Preseason Top 100 Players on Tuesday, with three Memphis players earning spots on the list. Lavin leads the way at No. 9, followed by junior midfielder Ai Kitagawa at No. 16 and goalkeeper Abby Kudla at No. 97. Lavin becomes the first Tiger to crack the top 10 since the rankings debuted in 2011.
Those honors add to an already lengthy list of preseason accolades for Memphis. On Monday, Lavin, Kitagawa and Kudla were each selected to the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Players to Watch List. The Tigers were also the unanimous choice to finish first in the American Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll and will begin the year ranked No. 21 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll and No. 16 in TopDrawerSoccer's preseason rankings.
Memphis will have to be ready from the opening whistle, with a challenging nonconference schedule awaiting the Tigers. The slate features five power conference opponents representing three of the four power conferences.
Game One: Kennesaw State
Monaghan's 27th season as head coach officially gets underway Wednesday when Kennesaw State visits the Track and Soccer Complex.
The two programs will meet for just the third time, with Memphis owning a 2-0 advantage in the series. The Tigers won the inaugural meeting 4-0 in 2014 before cruising to a 7-0 road victory over the Owls last season.
Kennesaw State is led by head coach Chris Cahill, who enters his third season at the helm with a 5-21-8 career record.
The Owls return 15 of their 50 points from last season, accounting for 30 percent of their offensive production. Among the notable returners are Anabel Orozco, who recorded two goals and an assist, and Ava Bradford, who contributed one goal and two assists. Kennesaw State also returns both of its goalkeepers from a season ago in Charlee Bernal and Sara Hill.
Wednesday's match will also serve as Senior Day for the Tigers, who will honor Lavin prior to kickoff. The Jarrettsville, Maryland native enters her final season as one of the most decorated players in program history and will once again captain the Tigers in 2026.
Game Two: Alabama
The opening week concludes with a primetime matchup Saturday night as Memphis welcomes Alabama to the Track and Soccer Complex.
Saturday's contest will mark the 11th meeting between the two programs, with Memphis holding an 8-1-1 advantage in the all-time series. The Crimson Tide snapped the Tigers' seven-match winning streak in the series when the programs last met in 2023, earning a 2-1 victory in Tuscaloosa. Alabama entered that contest ranked No. 7 nationally.
Memphis owns a 44-42-8 all-time record against current SEC programs and is 41-28-5 against the conference since Monaghan took over the program in 2000.
Alabama is led by Wes Hart, who enters his 12th season at the helm with a 118-84-27 career record. The Crimson Tide will open their season on the road against Saint Louis before traveling to Memphis for Saturday's matchup.
Among Alabama's key returners is senior forward Larkin Thomason, who finished second on the team with nine goals and 24 points last season. Melina Rebimbas also returns after recording three goals and seven assists in 2025, while Isabel Smith was just recently announced to return for her fifth season of collegiate soccer and fourth with the Crimson Tide.
Tiger Tidbits
For the Tigers' most recent and up-to-date schedule, click HERE.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE TIGERS: For complete information on Memphis Tigers Soccer, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
The Tigers open the season Wednesday at 7 p.m. against Kennesaw State, with Memphis set to celebrate Senior Day and honor its lone senior and captain Finley Lavin. The opening week continues Saturday when the Tigers welcome SEC foe Alabama to Memphis for a 7 p.m. showdown.
Head coach Brooks Monaghan enters his 27th season at the helm with an experienced group returning from last year's squad. The Tigers bring back 16 players while welcoming three transfers and seven freshmen to the roster. Memphis returns more than 60 percent of its production from last season in goals, assists, points, minutes played, starts and saves.
The Tigers have already received plenty of national recognition ahead of the new campaign. TopDrawerSoccer released its Women's College Preseason Top 100 Players on Tuesday, with three Memphis players earning spots on the list. Lavin leads the way at No. 9, followed by junior midfielder Ai Kitagawa at No. 16 and goalkeeper Abby Kudla at No. 97. Lavin becomes the first Tiger to crack the top 10 since the rankings debuted in 2011.
Those honors add to an already lengthy list of preseason accolades for Memphis. On Monday, Lavin, Kitagawa and Kudla were each selected to the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Players to Watch List. The Tigers were also the unanimous choice to finish first in the American Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll and will begin the year ranked No. 21 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll and No. 16 in TopDrawerSoccer's preseason rankings.
Memphis will have to be ready from the opening whistle, with a challenging nonconference schedule awaiting the Tigers. The slate features five power conference opponents representing three of the four power conferences.
Game One: Kennesaw State
Monaghan's 27th season as head coach officially gets underway Wednesday when Kennesaw State visits the Track and Soccer Complex.
The two programs will meet for just the third time, with Memphis owning a 2-0 advantage in the series. The Tigers won the inaugural meeting 4-0 in 2014 before cruising to a 7-0 road victory over the Owls last season.
Kennesaw State is led by head coach Chris Cahill, who enters his third season at the helm with a 5-21-8 career record.
The Owls return 15 of their 50 points from last season, accounting for 30 percent of their offensive production. Among the notable returners are Anabel Orozco, who recorded two goals and an assist, and Ava Bradford, who contributed one goal and two assists. Kennesaw State also returns both of its goalkeepers from a season ago in Charlee Bernal and Sara Hill.
Wednesday's match will also serve as Senior Day for the Tigers, who will honor Lavin prior to kickoff. The Jarrettsville, Maryland native enters her final season as one of the most decorated players in program history and will once again captain the Tigers in 2026.
Game Two: Alabama
The opening week concludes with a primetime matchup Saturday night as Memphis welcomes Alabama to the Track and Soccer Complex.
Saturday's contest will mark the 11th meeting between the two programs, with Memphis holding an 8-1-1 advantage in the all-time series. The Crimson Tide snapped the Tigers' seven-match winning streak in the series when the programs last met in 2023, earning a 2-1 victory in Tuscaloosa. Alabama entered that contest ranked No. 7 nationally.
Memphis owns a 44-42-8 all-time record against current SEC programs and is 41-28-5 against the conference since Monaghan took over the program in 2000.
Alabama is led by Wes Hart, who enters his 12th season at the helm with a 118-84-27 career record. The Crimson Tide will open their season on the road against Saint Louis before traveling to Memphis for Saturday's matchup.
Among Alabama's key returners is senior forward Larkin Thomason, who finished second on the team with nine goals and 24 points last season. Melina Rebimbas also returns after recording three goals and seven assists in 2025, while Isabel Smith was just recently announced to return for her fifth season of collegiate soccer and fourth with the Crimson Tide.
Tiger Tidbits
- Monaghan became the 17th head coach in NCAA Division I women's soccer history to record 300 victories at the same program last season.
- Under Monaghan, Memphis has claimed 16 conference championships and made 13 NCAA Tournament appearances, including consecutive Sweet 16 runs in 2022 and 2023.
- Memphis is one of just six programs nationally to claim 16 conference championships since 2007.
- The Tigers are one of eight programs in the country with at least 75 victories since 2021.
- Memphis enters the 2026 season riding a 40-match unbeaten streak at Track and Soccer Complex dating back to October 2021.
For the Tigers' most recent and up-to-date schedule, click HERE.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE TIGERS: For complete information on Memphis Tigers Soccer, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Players Mentioned
Saturday, November 22
Saturday, November 15
Monday, November 10
Monday, November 10