Williamsburg, KY – Coming off a second consecutive appearance in the NAIA National Semifinals, the University of the Cumberlands men's soccer team has announced its 2026 regular season schedule. The 16-match slate features eight home contests, eight matches away from home, five Mid-South Conference matchups, and 10 opponents that finished the 2025 season ranked in the top 25. 

The Patriots closed the 2025 season with a fourth-place finish at the NAIA National Tournament, marking the second straight year that Cumberlands reached the national semifinals. UC posted a 9-6-6 overall record and went 5-1 in Mid-South Conference play while advancing to the NAIA Final Site and reaching the national semifinals for the second consecutive season. 

Cumberlands opens the 2026 campaign in Beckley, W.Va., against #2 WVU Tech on August 22nd at 5 p.m. WVU Tech finished the 2025 season as the NAIA National Tournament runner-up. 

The Patriots will then travel to Rio Grande, OH for a pair of matches against ranked opponents. UC faces #22 Grace College on August 27th at 4:30 p.m., before taking on #13 Bethel University (IN) on August 29th at 1:30 p.m. 

UC makes its home debut on September 5th against #25 Olivet Nazarene University at 7 p.m. The contest will mark the first meeting between the two programs. Cumberlands remains at home to face SCAD on September 7th at 1 p.m. 

The Patriots return to the road for a cross-town matchup against Union Commonwealth University on September 12th at 7 p.m. 

Mid-South Conference play begins when Cumberlands hosts Georgetown College on September 16th at 7 p.m. UC then travels to Lawrenceville, GA to face #5 Georgia Gwinnett College on September 19th at 7 p.m. 

The Patriots close September with a conference road matchup against #18 Lindsey Wilson University in Columbia, KY on September 26th at 8 p.m.  

Cumberlands opens October with another MSC road contest against Campbellsville University in Campbellsville, KY on October 1st at 8 p.m. 

UC returns home for five consecutive matches beginning October 4th against the University of Northwestern Ohio at 4 p.m. The contest will mark the first meeting between Cumberlands and UNOH. 

The home stretch continues with an MSC matchup against #14 Cumberland University on October 8th at 7 p.m., followed by a contest against #11 Life University on October 11th at 3 p.m. The Patriots last faced Life in the Round of 16 of the 2025 NAIA National Tournament, where UC won in penalty kicks to advance. 

Cumberlands hosts #10 Bethel University (TN) on October 15th at 7 p.m. Bethel captured the 2025 MSC Tournament title after finishing runner-up to the Patriots during the regular season. 

UC wraps up its home schedule against #24 University of Rio Grande on October 20th at 1 p.m. 

The Patriots conclude the regular season with an MSC road matchup against Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, TN on October 24th at 5 p.m. 

The Mid-South Conference Tournament quarterfinals are scheduled for October 28th-30th, followed by the semifinals from November 4th-6th and the championship match on November 10th. 

The 68th Annual NAIA Men's Soccer National Championship begins with the First and Second Rounds from November 19th-21st at campus sites. The tournament's final rounds are scheduled for November 30th-December 7th at the Orange Beach Sportsplex in Orange Beach, AL. 

Several returning players will look to lead the Patriots in 2026. Leandro Nico Romero Protto returns after earning Second Team All-Mid-South Conference honors in 2025, while Adbulah Adams appeared in 17 matches and provided a solid presence in the midfield. Samuel Dolobaipu returns after recording five goals and two assists, and Anthony Carriel Jaramillo will bring experience to the Patriots' back line as a strong center back. 

Under the direction of Head Coach Paulo Neto and Assistant Coaches Jack Smith and Wyatt Durbin, the Patriots enter the 2026 season following one of the most successful two-year stretches in program history. 

For the latest and most up-to-date information on University of the Cumberlands Athletics, please visit www.cumberlandspatriots.com. Follow us on Twitter: @UC_Patriots and @UCPatsGameday, Instagram: @UCPatriots, TikTok: @ucpatriots, YouTube: Cumberlands Patriots, and Facebook by searching "University of the Cumberlands Athletics.