WAVERLY, Iowa --- Men's soccer is set to open the 2026 season with three nonconference matches this week, beginning on Tuesday, Sept. 1 at Salzwedel Field against Cornell College with kickoff set for 7 p.m.
 
The Knights will close the opening week of competition with another home match on Friday, Sept. 4 against No. 8 Augsburg University and on the road Sunday, Sept. 6 against No. 13 Macalester College.
 
Tuesday, Sept. 1 | Waverly, Iowa | Salzwedel Field
Cornell at Wartburg | 7 PM CT | Live Stream | Live Stats


Friday, Sept. 4 | Waverly, Iowa | Salzwedel Field
Augsburg at Wartburg | 7 PM CT | Live Stream | Live Stats


Sunday, Sept. 6 | St. Paul, Minn. | Macalester Stadium
Wartburg at Macalester | 3 PM CT | Live Stream | Live Stats
 
All-Time Series

• Cornell
  • Tuesday's season opener marks the 29^th all-time meeting between these programs (first meeting in 1986)
  • Wartburg has won 12-straight matchups and holds an 18-7-3 series lead
  • The Knights are 10-3-1 at home against the Rams in the series
  • Wartburg has outscored Cornell 70-6 over the 12-match win streak
• Augsburg
  • Friday night's match will be the 15^th overall matchup between these teams (first meeting in 1998)
  • Augsburg holds a 7-4-3 series lead
    • Each team has won two of the last four meetings
  • Wartburg is 2-4-1 at home in the series
• Macalester
  • Sunday will mark the 20^th all-time matchup between these programs (first meeting in 2005)
  • The all-time series is currently tied 8-8-3
    • Wartburg is 2-2-2 in its last six matchups with Macalester
  • The Knights are 4-4-1 on the road over the series

 
A-R-C Preseason Poll
1. Wartburg College - 46 (6)
2. Loras College - 38 (1)
T-3. Central College - 37 (1)
T-3. Nebraska Wesleyan University - 37
5. Simpson College - 23
6. University of Dubuque - 19
7. Coe College - 13
8. Buena Vista University - 11 

"I'm excited about the upcoming season and the experience this group brings. The culture we've built gives me great confidence that our team will compete in every match. The A-R-C will be as competitive as ever, with every program continuing to improve. There are no easy games in this conference. Every match is a battle and we're looking forward to embracing that challenge and competing at a high level throughout the season." – Christian Coridon, Head Coach
 
Wartburg's Fall Media Day (Flori Gembo, Alima Mmunga, Christian Coridon and Blake Whitlow)
 

Wartburg

• The Knights closed the 2025 campaign with an 8-8-2 overall record and a 5-2-1 mark in A-R-C play to clinch a share of the A-R-C regular season title
  • Wartburg's season ended in the A-R-C title game, where the Knights have earned the automatic bid in two of the last three seasons
• Wartburg begins the 2026 season with a new head coach for the first time in nine years as Coridon enters his first season as head coach for the Knights after a three-year stint as an assistant coach
• Eight starters from a season ago return to the Knights in 2026, including five All-Conference honorees
  • All-Conference honorees: Flori Gembo, Alima Mmunga, Carson Kay, Blake Whitlow, and Joey Svoboda
• Wartburg finished last season with a +10 goal differential after outscoring opponents 30-20
  • Four of Wartburg's six multi-goal scorers from a season ago return in 2026, including Gembo (24 pts – 10 goals, four assists) and Mmunga (11 pts – four goals, three assists)
• Both Svoboda and Henry Eckert saw time in goal for the Knights in 2025 as Svoboda started nine games and Eckert started six games
  • Svoboda led the team in shutouts (two) and saves (24)
• The Knights welcome 17 first-year newcomers as well as two transfer newcomers
  • First years: Teddy Anderson, Jacob Banyas, Ethan Bumsted, Zach Clark, Cameron Fillmore, Colton Freund, Mason Grant, Brendan Hunn, Isaac Kelgbeh, Simen Kvaelheim, Ben Ridlen, Joel Sheets, Garrison Torres, Nathan Tshiamala, Sawyer Udelhoefen, Landon Umthum, and John Walters
  • Transfers: Drew DeSchmidt (Iowa Western CC) and Paxton Stoneking (Casper College)

 
A Closer Look at This Week's Opponents
Cornell

• The Rams closed the 2025 season with an overall record of 7-9-1 and a MWC record of 4-3-1
  • Did not qualify for the MWC tournament
• Had an even goal differential of 27 goals scored and 27 allowed in 2025
• Cornell returns three players that recorded multiple goals last season:
  • Fox Wight (Eight pts, four goals), Kyriacos Photiou (Six pts - two goals, two assists) and Javier Andrade-Martinez (Five pts - two goals, one assist)
• Kian Farrell is the only returning goalkeeper from a season ago (played in one match)

 
#8 Augsburg

• The Auggies closed a historic 2025 season with an overall record of 18-3-3 and a MIAC mark of 7-1-2 on the way to an elite eight run in the NCAA Tournament
  • Closed the season as No. 8 in the United Soccer Coaches poll and opened the 2026 season at No. 8 in the preseason poll
• Augsburg outscored opponents 60-22 (+38) in 2025, averaging 2.5 goals per contest
• The Auggies graduated their top two offensive threats from last season's run (the duo combined for 77 pts – 31 goals, 15 assists)
  • The top offensive returner from 2025 is Christopher Plaza Alvarado (15 pts – six goals, three assists)
• Andrew Ziebarth is the lone returning goalkeeper after seeing limited action in 2025 with two games played

 
#13 Macalester

• The Scots went 17-5 overall and 8-2 in MIAC play in 2025 on their way to a MIAC Playoff Championship and an NCAA Tournament berth
  • Macalester eventually fell in the sweet 16 to Wheaton (Mass.) to close out an historic season
  • Closed the season as No. 13 in the United Soccer Coaches poll and opened the 2026 season at No. 13 in the preseason poll
• Outscored opponents 51-19 over 22 games played (averaged 2.3 goals per game and allowed 0.86 goals per game)
• Five of Macalester's top-six point scorers from 2025 return to the Scots in 2026
  • Kasdan Blattman (24 pts – six goals, 12 assists), Zach Liptzin (17 pts – eight goals, one assist), Chris Frantz (16 pts – six goals, four assists), Milan Shah (15 pts - seven goals, one assist) and Gaven Johnson (14 pts – five goals, four assists)
• Both Drew Moseman and Justin Ratner saw time in net for the Scots last season, with Moseman leading the team in shutouts with three and saves with 29