BOCA RATON, Fla. – The FIU women's soccer program will open up the 2026 season at their longtime rival in Florida Atlantic on Wednesday, August 12 at 6 p.m., to be played in the Owls' football stadium of Flagler Credit Union Stadium.
Wednesday, August 12 at 7 p.m.
Time / Site: 7 p.m. / Flagler Credit Union Stadium
Presented by Baptist Health, The Official Sports Medicine Provider of FIU Athletics
The Panthers are set to face the Owls for the 23rd consecutive season, currently winning the all-time series 24-13-3. FIU is looking to make it three straight wins against Florida Atlantic after beating the Owls in both 2024 (2-0) and 2025 (3-1). The Panthers have historically had the upper hand, but the Owls went unbeaten over a recent 10-year span (2014-2023), rattling off eight wins and two ties to put pressure on the all-time series. This will be the first time in program history that FIU will face Florida Atlantic in their respective season openers.
A 2025 Review
In head coach
Mat Dunn's first season as head coach of the Panthers, FIU saw a lot of good come following their CUSA Championship 2024 season. The team went 7-6-4, winning four matches against CUSA opponents and saw their first victory over UCF since 2000. The squad also saw five Panthers earn CUSA Postseason Awards, including recognition on First Team, Second Team, Third Team and All-Freshmen. FIU earned the five-seed in the CUSA tournament, eventually going on to lose 1-0 in overtime against four-seed Middle Tennessee.
The Returners
FIU welcomes back 10 players from the 2025 season. Sophomore
Roxy Brewer is coming off a great freshman season that saw her earn both CUSA All-Conference Third Team and representation on the CUSA All-Freshman team. Now in her third year starting between the posts, senior
Valery Restrepo is back with the squad and looking to continue as one of CUSA's best goalkeepers. Last season saw the Colombia native set a career-high in saves and save percentage with 57 and 76%, respectively. Restrepo is one of just two players who were part of the 2024 CUSA Championship team, with the other being
Barbara Garcia. Senior
Maya Maxwell, junior
Kiara Clarke, redshirt-junior
Natalia Ballinas and sophomore
Maria Lucia Dogliani are also all returners who played major minutes for the 2025 team.
New to Town
The Panthers welcome in 19 new players to the team after losing 19 Panthers from the 2025 season. Of those 19, 12 are freshmen, making FIU one of the youngest programs in Conference USA heading into the 2026 season. Newcomers such as forwards
Chiamaka Omeze,
Mariana Barreto and
Adria Kitzinger are expected to be major contributors, as well as midfielders
Brooke Burton and
Mya Mills. Additionally,
Madeline Oliver and
Zaniya Gonzague are two defenders looking to make an impact this season, while
Lily Murray comes in with D1 experience looking to be a reliable backup at the goalkeeper position.
We are SO International
FIU is proud to boast players from 11 different countries and four different continents. The countries represented on the Panthers include the United States, Canada, Austria, England, Sweden, Germany, Italy, Iceland, Venezuela, Colombia and Japan.
Preseason Rankings
The Panthers were selected to finish fifth in Conference USA's 2026 Preseason Poll after finishing fifth last season.
A Tough Non-Conference
FIU will have no easy contests this season, starting the year against their in-state rival, Florida Atlantic before they turn their sights on to two NCAA College Cup participants in 2025. FIU host the defending National Champions No. 4 Florida State on Sunday, August 16 at 6 p.m., before facing No. 3 Duke who appeared in the NCAA Final Four in 2025.
SCOUTING THE OWLS
Florida Atlantic comes into the 2026 season looking to bounce back from a 2025 season that saw the Owls go 4-12-3 as a member of the American. Their four wins came against two ASUN opponents in Lipscomb and Jacksonville, as well as one against North Dakota State.
The Owls welcome back one of their top producers from the 2025 season in Hailey Santiago, who was second on the team with six goals and 14 points last season. Aside from Santiago, the team welcomes back Isabela Bostic who played 804 minutes last season, as well as goalkeeper Ashley Small who played 1,194 minutes.
FIU will look to open up their season with a victory for the first time since the 2024 season.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Instagram (@FIUWSoccer), Twitter (@FIUWSoccer), and Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUWSoccer) for all the latest Women's Soccer news.
General athletic news can also be found at @FIUSports on Facebook and @FIUAthletics on Twitter and Instagram.
