Greenville, S.C. – Furman opens the 2026 women's soccer season on Thursday when it travels to Jen Garber Field in Charlotte, N.C., to take on the American Athletic Conference's Charlotte 49ers for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
 
Thursday's match will be streamed live on ESPN+ and live statistics will be available at FurmanPaladins.com.
 
Furman is under the leadership of head coach Andrew Burr, who is entering his 22^nd season. The Paladins, picked second in preseason polling of the Southern Conference's 11 head coaches, return eight starters from a 2025 squad that posted a 10-4-5 record and 3-2-4 SoCon mark. Senior Norah Roller led the Paladins with eight goals last season and was named preseason All-SoCon this week. Furman also welcomes back second leading scorer Maddie Massie, goalkeeper Reese DeJong, midfielder Bri Pinasco, and defender Ellie Herrmann among its list of returning starters.
 
Charlotte has been picked to finish sixth in the AAC after posting a 10-win season in 2025. Thursday's regular season opener marks the ninth meeting between the schools with the 49ers holding a 6-1-1 series advantage. The last meeting came in 2005 when Charlotte claimed a 2-1 verdict at Historic Riggs Field in Clemson, S.C.
 
Furman returns home on Tuesday, August 18, to host North Greenville on Seagraves Field at Stone Soccer Stadium.
 
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