High Point men’s soccer isn’t easing into life after the best season in program history.
Far from it.
Head coach Zach Haines has once again assembled one of the nation’s most ambitious schedules, one designed to prepare the Panthers for another deep NCAA Tournament run. Fresh off the program’s first-ever Sweet Sixteen appearance, High Point will face five teams that reached last year’s NCAA Tournament, including trips to traditional powers Virginia, Maryland and Georgetown.
That doesn’t account for today’s matchup in Greenville, SC against the #2 ranked team in the nation Furman. For the second straight year the Panthers downed the Paladins in exhibition play. A very auspicious start for a team with a ton of talent and expectations.
The schedule features plenty of marquee matchups, but it’s clear the Panthers aren’t simply chasing wins, they’re chasing another national seed.
Among the highlights:
- Aug. 20: Season opener vs. Long Island
- Aug. 24: at Virginia
- Aug. 29: at Maryland
- Sept. 2: vs. VCU
- Sept. 7: at South Carolina
- Sept. 11: at Georgetown, a rematch of last season’s NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen
- Sept. 19: Big South opener vs. Gardner-Webb
High Point has firmly established itself as more than just a Big South power. After reaching the NCAA Tournament in each of the last several seasons and breaking through to the Sweet Sixteen in 2025, the Panthers now enter 2026 with national expectations.
We’ll have our full Pantherstooth season preview—including roster breakdowns, key returners, newcomers, tactical analysis and schedule predictions—as the season gets closer. For now, one thing is clear:
The season wont be easy but it will battle-harden these Panthers who look to improve upon last year’s historic run.