Seedings and Pairings Announced for 2026 Big South Women's Soccer Championship
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (www.BigSouthSports.com) – For the second time in three seasons,
USC Upstate is the Big South Conference Women’s Soccer outright regular-season champion, and will be the No. 1 seed in the upcoming conference tournament, it was determined following the conclusion of the conference season this afternoon. The top six teams in the final standings qualify for the league’s postseason championship, which will be contested Nov. 5, 10 & 15 at campus sites.
The Spartans finished the 2026 regular-season with 22 points and a 7-0-1 conference record for their second outright Big South title, and will seek their fourth consecutive berth in the Championship final, as well as the program’s second Big South Conference Tournament crown.
UNC Asheville was second in the league standings with 17 points (5-1-2), and is the No. 2 seed -- the Bulldogs’ highest Big South championship seeding since 2005 when Asheville was the No. 1 seed. Both squads receive byes into the Semifinals.
Defending champion
High Point is the No. 3 seed (16 points, 5-2-1 Big South record) and will host No. 6
Longwood (9 points, 3-5-0) in a first round match on Thursday, Nov. 5 at 7:00pm. The High Point/Longwood winner will travel to No. 2 UNC Asheville Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 6:00pm.
Radford finished fourth in the Big South standings at 5-3-0 (15 points), and the No. 4-seeded Highlanders will host No. 5-seeded
Gardner-Webb (3-4-1, 10 points) in a first round match on Thursday, Nov. 5 at 7:00pm. The winner will visit top-seeded USC Upstate on Tuesday, Nov. 10 at a time to be determined.
The 2026 Big South Women’s Soccer Championship will be played at higher seeds throughout the tournament, and every match of the championship will be shown on ESPN+. The Big South’s tournament champion receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship. The full schedule is as follows:
CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET
Thursday, Nov. 5 – First Round at higher seeds (ESPN+)
#5 Gardner-Webb at #4 Radford, 7:00pm
#6 Longwood at #3 High Point, 7:00pm
Tuesday, Nov. 10 – Semifinals at higher seeds (ESPN+)
3/6 Winner at (2) UNC Asheville, 6:00pm
4/5 Winner at (1) USC Upstate, TBD
Sunday, Nov. 15 – Championship at highest remaining seed (ESPN+)
TBD at TBD, 1:00pm