SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The No.10 Bryant University Men's Soccer team welcomes the UMass Minutemen to Beirne Stadium in Smithfield, R.I. for the opener of the 2026 season on Thursday, August 20 at 6:00 p.m. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+. It will mark the season opener for both sides, and the second time the Bulldogs have opened their season versus UMass.

The meeting will be the fifth all-time between the two schools, with Bryant leading the all-time series, 2-1-1. The teams squared off last season in Amherst, with Fernando Delgado scoring the game's only goal in the 71^st minute to give the Black and Gold a 1-0 victory. The win over No. 20 UMass marked the first Bryant victory over a ranked opponent of the 2025 season. This was the last match Bryant played unranked to date. More recently, the two sides squared off in the Northeast Spring Cup on April 11, with Bryant earning a 1-0 victory.

Bryant returns 12 players from a team that finished 17-2-3 in 2025, making an appearance in the America East Championship Game and reaching the Third Round of the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs climbed as high as No. 2 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll and earned the No. 11 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. The 2025 team went unbeaten through its first 15 matches of the season, posting the nation's longest winning streak of 13 consecutive wins en route to the best record in program history. The Black and Gold also reached the final of the inaugural Northeast Spring Cup in 2026, finishing 5-1 overall.

Bryant enters the season with five players named to the Preseason All-Conference Team. Returning graduate students Paco Fernandez, Fernando Delgado, and Christien Merritt, along with transfer seniors Jojo Ocran and Brady Geho, were all honored before the season.

UMass posted a 6-5-6 record in 2025, including a 1-3-2 mark in the Summit League. The Minutemen started the season 3-0-1, climbing to No. 20 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll, before posting a 3-5-5 record in their final 13 matches. The top returner for UMass is Shane Valez, a senior midfielder, who finished fourth on the team with nine points (three goals and three assists) last season. Junior Dean Linden projects as the starting keeper for UMass after making five starts last season, posting a 1.000 GAA with three shutouts.  
 
Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. at Beirne Stadium in Smithfield, Rhode Island. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.

-end-