Wheeling, W. Va. - After announcing Jack Shearer as the seventh head men's soccer coach in program history on May 8, preparations have begun for his first season at the helm. On Friday, the team announced its 2026 schedule, ushering in the start of Shearer's head coaching career. It will be a home-heavy schedule for the Cardinals, with nine of their 16 games coming at Bishop Schmitt Field, giving Cardinal fans plenty of opportunities to cheer on Shearer and his team.
In 2025, the Cardinals featured a combination of veteran presence and young talent as the team continued to grow on the field. It was a team led by defense, and that unit shined early, holding two of its first three opponents to one goal or fewer. Wheeling earned its first point of the season with a 1-1 tie against West Liberty and followed that with a narrow 1-0 loss to reigning Mountain East Conference (MEC) Champion University of Charleston. After starting the season 0-4-1, Wheeling picked up its first win in a 2-0 shutout against Salem on September 17. The Cardinal defense continued to shine throughout the year, holding opponents to two goals or fewer in five of the team's final 12 games, but the Cardinals could not find their way back into the win column. The offense came to life in the final two games, scoring five combined goals against Salem and West Liberty, but Wheeling fell in both contests to finish the season 1-15-1.
With Salem's acceptance as an MEC member institution in men's soccer, the conference standings will shift to two divisions, with the Cardinals competing in the MEC North Division. It allows for more opportunities for non-conference play, and Wheeling will take advantage of that in the opening week of action. The Cardinals kick off the 2026 season on the road against Cal U on August 27 before returning home for their home opener against Walsh on August 30. Those two non-conference contests will propel them right into MEC play, as they hit the road a week later to take on Point Park on September 6. The Cardinals then enter their first big home stretch of the season, with four of their next five matches coming at Bishop Schmitt Field.
That stretch starts with back-to-back home games against Frostburg State (9/9) and West Liberty (9/12), and ends with another back-to-back against Seton Hill (9/19) and Concord (9/27). In between, Wheeling will make a midweek trip to Davis & Elkins on September 16 in what will be the first MEC North Division battle between the two teams. September ends on the road as the Cardinals travel to West Virginia Wesleyan on September 30, leading into the final month of the regular season.
October begins with another stretch of three out of four matches at home, starting with back-to-back contests against University of Charleston (10/4) and Shawnee State (10/7). The first-ever MEC meeting between Salem and Wheeling will serve as the lone road game in that stretch on October 11, before Wheeling returns home to face Davis & Elkins on October 14.
After two key home stretches throughout September and October, the Cardinals will need to finish the season strong on the road. That stretch begins with Frostburg State on October 21. The final home game of the season will see the Cardinals honor their seniors on Senior Night as they welcome Point Park on October 25. The regular season then comes down to "The Battle for Wheeling" on the hilltop against West Liberty on October 28 at 5 p.m.
The Cardinals will be looking to make their first MEC Tournament appearance since the 2022 season, when they fell in the MEC semifinals to University of Charleston.
Wheeling University Men's Soccer opens the 2026 season on the road against Cal U on August 27 at 7 p.m.
