Wake Forest Athletics
Photo by: Bryce Mitchell / Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest Women’s Soccer Announces 2026 Schedule
4/23/2026 11:55:00 AM | Women's Soccer
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WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Headlined by three-straight weeks of home action to open the year, Wake Forest women's soccer and head coach Tony da Luz have announced a highly competitive 2026 schedule.
The Demon Deacons will face a number of tough non-conference opponents, including a combined three SEC and Big 10 foes. ACC opponents of note include reigning national champion Florida State and national runner-up Stanford. During the Seminoles' last visit to Spry Stadium, Wake Forest upset the No. 6-ranked squad and ended the Noles' 32-game unbeaten streak.
In total, the upcoming slate includes six teams listed in the top-25 RPI rankings of the fall, with three in the top five alone.
"Our entire staff is looking forward to this fall with excitement and optimism.We went undefeated in our spring season but more importantly we made progress from an individual and team development standpoint." said head coach Tony da Luz. "This schedule may be the most challenging schedule in the history of our program."
"Our team is still young, but I'm confident in our ability to handle the schedule and succeed next season. We are building something special."
The Deacs open the Fall slate with two exhibition matches, starting at Duke on Aug. 5 and returning to Winston-Salem on Aug. 8 to host Elon.
The month of August is packed full of action, kicking off the season with five home non-conference matchups.
Wake Forest begins with cross-conference clashes against SEC opponents LSU (Aug. 12) and South Carolina (Aug. 16). The Deacs last met the Gamecocks in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, resulting in a 2-1 victory over South Carolina and a second round appearance for the Old Gold and Black.
The Demon Deacons head to the Sunshine State for a two-game road stretch starting on Sept. 3 against South Florida and finishing at Florida (Sept. 6), marking the first time since 1999 the two programs have met.
Sept. 12 begins ACC play, as Spry Stadium plays host to the Virginia Cavaliers who wrapped the 2025 season ranked No. 7 on the United Soccer Coaches poll.
Following the conference home opener, Wake Forest travels west to face the Cal Golden Bears (Sept. 17) and reigning ACC regular-season champs Stanford (Sept. 20).
After a Sunday evening matchup on Oct. 4 against NC State, the Deacs head back to Florida for a Saturday matinee at Miami (Oct. 10). The Demon Deacons will host a pair of marquee conference clashes with back-to-back home matches against the last two NCAA National Champions in Florida State (Oct. 15) and North Carolina (Oct. 18)
Wake Forest closes out the month of October on the road at Virginia Tech on Oct. 22, then at Pitt on Oct. 30.
The Deacs will conclude the regular season at home on Nov. 5, as they welcome the Clemson Tigers to Spry Stadium.
Returning Production
Notable veteran presences returning this upcoming year include defender Sierra Sythe and goalkeeper Valentina Amaral.
Sythe remained a standout piece of Wake Forest's backline, starting all 20 contests for the Deacs and totaling over 1,700 minutes on the pitch, the most of any player in the outfield. The Long Beach, Calif.-native broke into the record book with her nine assists this season and wrapped the 2025 campaign sixth among the program for most assists in a single season.
Between the posts, Amaral completed the regular season at fifth in the conference both with a .784 save percentage and 69 total saves. A member of the All-ACC Third Team, she recorded six shutouts, with five of them occurring on home turf. The Oviedo, Fla., native moved her to top-10 in program history in single-season saves and at 81 for the year.
The Deacs return a varied roster of goal contributors set for their sophomore season who accounted for 14 of the Deacs' 32 goals during the 2025-26 campaign as freshmen.
Key freshmen entering their sophomore year feature ACC Freshman of the Year Kylie Maxwell and All-ACC Freshman Team member Allie Flanagan.
In her rookie season with the Demon Deacons, Maxwell showed veteran experience as she led the team with 17 points and six goals. Additionally, the forward recorded five assists, which placed her fifth in program history for single-season freshman assists.
Flanagan tallied 11 points in her first season, with five goals and an assist across 16 starts of 18 appearances. One of just three Deacs to finish the season in double digit points, the Virginia-native recorded over 1,200 minutes on the pitch, third most on the team.
Pro Factory
As of April 2026, there are 19 Demon Deacon alumni playing professionally across six different countries and eight different leagues. Nine Deacs began their NWSL seasons this past March, with Laurel Ansbrow ('24) joining the league's newest team, the Boston Legacy after a stint in the USL Super League.
Wake Forest continues to see success across the globe with its foreign players in multiple countries. In the English Championship, Malaika Meena ('24) is currently in her second year with Bristol City, a team that sits third in the FA Women's Cup. Emily Murphy ('24) is in her second year with Newcastle United and remains a key player for the Irish National Team.
Two Demon Deacons have excelled already in the inaugural season of the Northern Super League: Nikki Small (AFC Toronto) and Mariah Lee (Vancouver Rise). Lee and Small faced off in the inaugural NSL championship final, which saw the Rise secure a 2-1 victory over Toronto.
Answered the Call
The Deacs have stayed busy in the offseason, with a number receiving call-ups to the U.S. Youth National Teams.
Alongside transfer Riley Cross, rising sophomores Lizzie Thornton and Maxwell traveled this past month with the U-19 squad to Argentina. Maxwell tallied two goals across the two victories. Additionally, Amaral and Sythe also earned call-ups to the U-23 squad. Most recently, Sythe traveled with the team to Spain, resulting in a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands.
Enjoy The Best Fan Experience in North Carolina
2026 Wake Forest soccer season tickets are on-sale now giving fans the opportunity to witness The Best Fan Experience In North Carolina from a number of unique seating options!
Adult season tickets start as low as $60 for general admission and $45 for youth/seniors. Reserved chairbacks are $95 for adults and $75 for youth and Wake Forest University faculty and staff.
Fans can catch all of Demon Deacon home action this fall as well by purchasing combo season tickets to see both men's and women's soccer starting as low as $100 for general admission. Reserved chairbacks are $190 for adults/youth/seniors and $150 for Wake Forest University faculty and staff.
Attendance on Walt Chyzowych Alumni Hill is free during all preseason and regular season action.
To order, visit GoDeacs.com/Tickets or call the Wake Forest Ticket Office at 336.758.3322.
The Spry Advantage
Spry has continually generated positive results for the Demon Deacons over the last three seasons, as the Demon Deacons equaled the longest home unbeaten streak in program history in 2025, tying the mark set just last season at 15 matches. Since 2022, the Deacs own a 26-3-9 record at Spry Stadium, with its lone loss over the past three seasons coming against No. 1 Duke in 2024.
Wake Forest finished the regular season with an 8-0-3 record at Spry, following a phenomenal 1-1 draw with No. 1 Notre Dame to close out the regular season home slate.
2026 Wake Forest Women's Soccer Schedule
*ACC Matches
Home Matches In Bold
All times listed in EST
Times subject to change based on television selections
The Demon Deacons will face a number of tough non-conference opponents, including a combined three SEC and Big 10 foes. ACC opponents of note include reigning national champion Florida State and national runner-up Stanford. During the Seminoles' last visit to Spry Stadium, Wake Forest upset the No. 6-ranked squad and ended the Noles' 32-game unbeaten streak.
In total, the upcoming slate includes six teams listed in the top-25 RPI rankings of the fall, with three in the top five alone.
"Our entire staff is looking forward to this fall with excitement and optimism.We went undefeated in our spring season but more importantly we made progress from an individual and team development standpoint." said head coach Tony da Luz. "This schedule may be the most challenging schedule in the history of our program."
"Our team is still young, but I'm confident in our ability to handle the schedule and succeed next season. We are building something special."
The Deacs open the Fall slate with two exhibition matches, starting at Duke on Aug. 5 and returning to Winston-Salem on Aug. 8 to host Elon.
The month of August is packed full of action, kicking off the season with five home non-conference matchups.
Wake Forest begins with cross-conference clashes against SEC opponents LSU (Aug. 12) and South Carolina (Aug. 16). The Deacs last met the Gamecocks in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, resulting in a 2-1 victory over South Carolina and a second round appearance for the Old Gold and Black.
The Demon Deacons head to the Sunshine State for a two-game road stretch starting on Sept. 3 against South Florida and finishing at Florida (Sept. 6), marking the first time since 1999 the two programs have met.
Sept. 12 begins ACC play, as Spry Stadium plays host to the Virginia Cavaliers who wrapped the 2025 season ranked No. 7 on the United Soccer Coaches poll.
Following the conference home opener, Wake Forest travels west to face the Cal Golden Bears (Sept. 17) and reigning ACC regular-season champs Stanford (Sept. 20).
After a Sunday evening matchup on Oct. 4 against NC State, the Deacs head back to Florida for a Saturday matinee at Miami (Oct. 10). The Demon Deacons will host a pair of marquee conference clashes with back-to-back home matches against the last two NCAA National Champions in Florida State (Oct. 15) and North Carolina (Oct. 18)
Wake Forest closes out the month of October on the road at Virginia Tech on Oct. 22, then at Pitt on Oct. 30.
The Deacs will conclude the regular season at home on Nov. 5, as they welcome the Clemson Tigers to Spry Stadium.
Returning Production
Notable veteran presences returning this upcoming year include defender Sierra Sythe and goalkeeper Valentina Amaral.
Sythe remained a standout piece of Wake Forest's backline, starting all 20 contests for the Deacs and totaling over 1,700 minutes on the pitch, the most of any player in the outfield. The Long Beach, Calif.-native broke into the record book with her nine assists this season and wrapped the 2025 campaign sixth among the program for most assists in a single season.
Between the posts, Amaral completed the regular season at fifth in the conference both with a .784 save percentage and 69 total saves. A member of the All-ACC Third Team, she recorded six shutouts, with five of them occurring on home turf. The Oviedo, Fla., native moved her to top-10 in program history in single-season saves and at 81 for the year.
The Deacs return a varied roster of goal contributors set for their sophomore season who accounted for 14 of the Deacs' 32 goals during the 2025-26 campaign as freshmen.
Key freshmen entering their sophomore year feature ACC Freshman of the Year Kylie Maxwell and All-ACC Freshman Team member Allie Flanagan.
In her rookie season with the Demon Deacons, Maxwell showed veteran experience as she led the team with 17 points and six goals. Additionally, the forward recorded five assists, which placed her fifth in program history for single-season freshman assists.
Flanagan tallied 11 points in her first season, with five goals and an assist across 16 starts of 18 appearances. One of just three Deacs to finish the season in double digit points, the Virginia-native recorded over 1,200 minutes on the pitch, third most on the team.
Pro Factory
As of April 2026, there are 19 Demon Deacon alumni playing professionally across six different countries and eight different leagues. Nine Deacs began their NWSL seasons this past March, with Laurel Ansbrow ('24) joining the league's newest team, the Boston Legacy after a stint in the USL Super League.
Wake Forest continues to see success across the globe with its foreign players in multiple countries. In the English Championship, Malaika Meena ('24) is currently in her second year with Bristol City, a team that sits third in the FA Women's Cup. Emily Murphy ('24) is in her second year with Newcastle United and remains a key player for the Irish National Team.
Two Demon Deacons have excelled already in the inaugural season of the Northern Super League: Nikki Small (AFC Toronto) and Mariah Lee (Vancouver Rise). Lee and Small faced off in the inaugural NSL championship final, which saw the Rise secure a 2-1 victory over Toronto.
Answered the Call
The Deacs have stayed busy in the offseason, with a number receiving call-ups to the U.S. Youth National Teams.
Alongside transfer Riley Cross, rising sophomores Lizzie Thornton and Maxwell traveled this past month with the U-19 squad to Argentina. Maxwell tallied two goals across the two victories. Additionally, Amaral and Sythe also earned call-ups to the U-23 squad. Most recently, Sythe traveled with the team to Spain, resulting in a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands.
Enjoy The Best Fan Experience in North Carolina
2026 Wake Forest soccer season tickets are on-sale now giving fans the opportunity to witness The Best Fan Experience In North Carolina from a number of unique seating options!
Adult season tickets start as low as $60 for general admission and $45 for youth/seniors. Reserved chairbacks are $95 for adults and $75 for youth and Wake Forest University faculty and staff.
Fans can catch all of Demon Deacon home action this fall as well by purchasing combo season tickets to see both men's and women's soccer starting as low as $100 for general admission. Reserved chairbacks are $190 for adults/youth/seniors and $150 for Wake Forest University faculty and staff.
Attendance on Walt Chyzowych Alumni Hill is free during all preseason and regular season action.
To order, visit GoDeacs.com/Tickets or call the Wake Forest Ticket Office at 336.758.3322.
The Spry Advantage
Spry has continually generated positive results for the Demon Deacons over the last three seasons, as the Demon Deacons equaled the longest home unbeaten streak in program history in 2025, tying the mark set just last season at 15 matches. Since 2022, the Deacs own a 26-3-9 record at Spry Stadium, with its lone loss over the past three seasons coming against No. 1 Duke in 2024.
Wake Forest finished the regular season with an 8-0-3 record at Spry, following a phenomenal 1-1 draw with No. 1 Notre Dame to close out the regular season home slate.
2026 Wake Forest Women's Soccer Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time |
| Aug, 5 | at Duke (exh.) | Koskinen Stadium | 7 p.m. |
| Aug. 8 | Elon (exh.) | Spry Stadium | 7 p.m. |
| Aug. 12 | LSU | Spry Stadium | 7 p.m. |
| Aug. 16 | South Carolina | Spry Stadium | 5 p.m. |
| Aug. 20 | Iowa | Spry Stadium | 5 p.m. |
| Aug. 23 | Old Dominion | Spry Stadium | 1 p.m. |
| Aug. 29 | Portland | Spry Stadium | 7 p.m. |
| Sept. 3 | at South Florida | Corbett Stadium | 7 p.m. |
| Sept. 6 | at Florida | Donald R. Dizney Stadium | 1 p.m. |
| Sept. 12 | Virginia* | Spry Stadium | 7 p.m. |
| Sept. 17 | at California* | Edwards Stadium | 4 p.m. |
| Sept. 20 | at Stanford* | Cagan Stadium | 1 p.m. |
| Oct. 4 | NC State* | Spry Stadium | 5 p.m. |
| Oct. 10 | at Miami* | Cobb Stadium | 1 p.m. |
| Oct. 15 | Florida State* | Spry Stadium | 7 p.m. |
| Oct. 18 | North Carolina* | Spry Stadium | 1 p.m. |
| Oct. 22 | at Virginia Tech* | Thompson Field | 7 p.m. |
| Oct. 30 | at Pitt* | Ambrose Urbanic Field | 7 p.m. |
| Nov. 5 | Clemson* | Spry Stadium | 7 p.m. |
*ACC Matches
Home Matches In Bold
All times listed in EST
Times subject to change based on television selections
Players Mentioned
Goalkeeper
/ Women's Soccer
Defender
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Forward
/ Women's Soccer
Forward
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Defender
/ Women's Soccer
Goalkeeper
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