FAIRMONT, W.Va. -- With a new coach and new aspirations, Fairmont State's women's soccer team is set to begin a new era in the 2026 season. Alex Zaroyan is excited to unveil the challenging schedule the Falcons have ahead of them.
"I'm incredibly proud of how competitive our group was this spring and how the players finished things off," Zaroyan mentioned. "During the spring, we built a new layer on top of the foundation already here at Fairmont. We grew and started walking towards change in how we play, respond, and adapt to challenges and change. We're looking to carry that competitiveness and growth mindset straight into the fall."
His first debut as coach, Fairmont State will face Slippery Rock University on Augst 27 at Duvall-Rosier Field. The Falcons then travel to Findlay, Ohio to compete against University of Findlay on August 30. Both season openers being outside of the MEC will get the Falcons warmed up for their first MEC team to debut against West Liberty on September 6 at home.
From there, Fairmont travels to Elkins to face the Senators of Davis & Elkins on September 9. Back home on the 13, Fairmont State will face Frostburg State for Youth Day as the team will welcome various youth soccer players from the area, before hosting Point Park on September 16.
Going away from home for a couple of games, Fairmont State faces Wheeling University on September 20 and West Virginia Wesleyan on September 23 at their school's home fields.
Back home, Fairmont State meets up with West Virginia State on September 27 for Alumni Day. New to the MEC, Shawnee State University will face the Falcons on September 30. Then, the Falcons travel to Glenville to face the Pioneers on October 4.
On October 7, University of Charleston comes back to Duvall-Rosier field to face the Falcons since the MEC Championship last year. Fairmont State then travels down to Athens, WV to face another team they met in the championships on October 11 against Concord.
Fairmont State then hosts Wheeling University on October 18 for Senior Day before the match, the team then will face Davis & Elkins on October 21. After those matches, the Falcons travel to West Liberty on October 25 to face the Hilltoppers. Then the last regular game of the season arrives. Fairmont State faces Frostburg State on October 28 at Frostburg's home field.
"We open the regular season with two strong regionally ranked opponents from different conferences, both playing different styles," Zaroyan added. "It'll be a great challenge that sets the tone for us but also for them. Our two exhibition games will test us and prepare us for the season coming forward. The group is excited, they're buzzing, and are ready for every opportunity to showcase who we are."
