COLUMBUS, Ohio – The 2026 Mid-American Conference Women's Soccer Championship comes down to one final match as No. 1 Western Michigan and No. 2 Massachusetts meet Friday night at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field in Columbus, Ohio.
The Broncos are looking to make history with their third consecutive MAC Tournament championship, while the Minutewomen aim to capture their first conference tournament title since joining the MAC.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET, with the championship match airing live on ESPN+.
GAME: 7:30 P.M. ET | CHAMPIONSHIP | SCOTTSMIRACLE-GRO FIELD (COLUMBUS, OHIO)
No. 1 Western Michigan vs. No. 2 Massachusetts | Watch Live | Live Stats
NO. 1 WESTERN MICHIGAN BRONCOS
Western Michigan enters the championship match with an 11-4-4 overall record and an 8-2-1 mark in MAC play after capturing its fourth consecutive MAC regular-season championship. The Broncos earned the tournament's top seed and a first-round bye before defeating No. 4 Miami, 2-0, in Tuesday's semifinal.
Under head coach Lewis Robinson, the Broncos have continued their run as one of the premier programs in the conference. Robinson was named MAC Coach of the Year for the fourth consecutive season after guiding Western Michigan to another regular-season title. The Broncos have also won the last two MAC Tournament championships, claiming titles in 2024 and 2025.
Western Michigan has been one of the most productive offensive teams in the conference, scoring 29 goals in 11 MAC matches. The Broncos have outscored conference opponents 29-9 while leading the league in goals, assists and scoring average.
Redshirt junior forward Tessa Fagerson and junior forward Kaiya Stewart have paced the Bronco attack, each recording eight goals during the regular season. Fagerson was named MAC Forward of the Year after adding four assists for a team-high 20 points. Stewart also contributed three assists and 19 points. Junior midfielder Meredith Vance has been another key contributor, leading the MAC with nine assists.
Defensively, All-MAC Defensive Player of the Year Kailah Newcomb has helped anchor a backline that allowed just nine goals in conference play. Goalkeeper Reagan Sulaver has recorded five shutouts and a 0.84 goals-against average.
The Broncos advanced to their third consecutive MAC Championship game with a 2-0 victory over Miami in Tuesday's semifinal. After a scoreless first half, Irelyn Sheldon opened the scoring in the 49th minute off an assist from Fagerson. June Mullen added an insurance goal in the 73rd minute, while Sulaver finished with six saves to preserve the shutout.
Western Michigan will look to complete the three-peat Friday night and become the first program to win three consecutive MAC Tournament championships since the Broncos began their current championship run.
NO. 2 MASSACHUSETTS MINUTEWOMEN
Massachusetts enters the championship match with a 12-2-5 overall record and a 5-1-5 mark in MAC play. The Minutewomen earned the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye before securing a 1-0 overtime victory over No. 6 Ball State in Tuesday's semifinal.
Under head coach Jason Dowiak, Massachusetts has put together another strong season, combining a balanced offensive attack with a disciplined defensive effort. The Minutewomen will make their ninth appearance in a conference championship game and their first since joining the MAC. The program previously made eight championship appearances in the Atlantic 10, including a runner-up finish in 2024.
Sophomore forward Monica Curry and junior defender Amelia Deren have led the Massachusetts attack, each recording seven goals during the regular season. Curry added two assists for a team-high 16 points, while Deren contributed 15 points. Senior forward Caroline Dickson has also been a key offensive contributor, entering Friday with seven goals on the season.
The Minutewomen have also received contributions from throughout their lineup, including forward Nia Hislop and midfielder Chloe Kundra. Defensively, Deren has been a key presence along the backline, while junior goalkeeper Leah Nisenfeld has recorded nine shutouts this season.
Massachusetts advanced to its first MAC Championship game with a dramatic 1-0 overtime victory over Ball State on Tuesday. After 90 minutes of scoreless action, Dickson delivered the game-winning goal at the 95:44 mark. The goal came after a corner kick from Amelia Bloom and a header from Deren created an opportunity in front of the net. Nisenfeld recorded four saves to secure her ninth shutout of the season.
The Minutewomen will look to carry their defensive success into Friday's championship matchup as they pursue their first conference tournament title under Dowiak.
SERIES HISTORY
The teams met earlier this season on Oct. 29 in Amherst, Massachusetts, with Western Michigan earning a 4-0 victory over the Minutewomen. The Broncos will look to replicate that performance Friday night, while Massachusetts aims to avenge the regular-season defeat and claim its first MAC Tournament championship.
The winner of Friday's matchup will be crowned the 2026 MAC Women's Soccer Tournament champion.
