Navy Women’s Soccer Opens 2026 Season With Home Matchups Against Robert Morris, Rice
By Brian Hradsky | Maryland Sports Blog
The Navy women’s soccer team will officially kick off its 2026 season Wednesday evening in Annapolis, beginning a busy opening stretch that could provide an early indication of what the Midshipmen are capable of accomplishing this fall.
Navy opens its 34th season of collegiate competition against Robert Morris at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility before returning to the field Saturday night for a 7 p.m. matchup against Rice.
Both games will be available on ESPN+.
The Midshipmen enter the season looking to build on a solid 2025 campaign in which they finished 9-6-4 under longtime head coach Carin Gabarra. Navy once again figures to have plenty of experience throughout the roster, while several returning players will be asked to take on larger roles as the Midshipmen pursue another appearance in the Patriot League Tournament.
Familiar Opponent to Open the Season
Wednesday’s opener is a rematch of Navy’s 2025 season opener against Robert Morris.
The Midshipmen dominated that meeting, earning a 3-0 road victory in Moon Township, Pennsylvania. Navy scored all three goals during the first half, with Marlee Heaven, Chiara Cosenza and Ali Barrow finding the back of the net.
Cosenza played a particularly important role in the victory, finishing with a goal and an assist.
Navy controlled much of the game and held an 11-7 advantage in shots while putting six attempts on goal compared with three for Robert Morris. Natasha Stramrood and Talley Applewhite combined for the shutout.
The Midshipmen have now defeated Robert Morris in both previous meetings between the programs. Navy also earned an 8-1 victory over the Colonials in 2002.
Robert Morris enters the 2026 season after finishing 4-9-4 last year.
Navy Returns Several Offensive Weapons
One of the biggest positives for Navy entering the season is the amount of offensive production returning to Annapolis.
Cosenza and Faith Graziano tied for the team lead with four goals apiece during the 2025 campaign. Cosenza also led Navy with five assists and 13 total points.
Jessica Black returns after leading the Midshipmen with 31 shots last season.
That returning production should give Navy several options as Gabarra works to establish her attacking lineup during the early nonconference portion of the schedule.
Cosenza already showed what she can do against Robert Morris last season, while Navy will also look for continued development from the younger players who gained valuable experience during the 2025 campaign.
The Midshipmen used 21 players in last season’s opener against Robert Morris, including seven freshmen making their collegiate debuts. A year later, that group enters the season with significantly more experience.
Experience in Goal
Navy also returns experience at goalkeeper.
Stramrood recorded 70 saves during the 2025 season and has already shown the ability to handle a heavy workload against quality competition.
Her performance against Rice during the programs’ previous meeting is a good example.
When Navy traveled to Houston during the 2024 season, Stramrood made seven saves after entering the game, while Applewhite recorded five first-half saves.
Rice ultimately won that matchup 2-1.
Rice Provides Early Test
Saturday’s matchup should give Navy a much different challenge.
Rice finished the 2025 season with an impressive 10-4-6 record and will travel to Annapolis with several productive players returning. The Owls defeated Navy 2-1 in the only previous meeting between the programs on Aug. 18, 2024.
Navy tied that game in the 28th minute when Hannah Mulholland scored, but Rice eventually scored the game-winning goal in the 71st minute.
The statistics showed just how much pressure the Owls created.
Rice outshot Navy 21-12 and held a 14-4 advantage in shots on goal. The Owls also produced 11 corner kicks compared with four for Navy.
Rice returns several of its offensive leaders from last season, including Albers, who recorded five goals and 12 points, and Jaeger, who finished with five assists.
That should make Saturday’s game an important early test for Navy’s defense.
Williams Leads Midshipmen as Captain
Senior defender ClaraJane Williams will serve as Navy’s team captain this season.
Williams appeared in a career-high 15 games during the 2025 season after overcoming a season-ending injury in 2024. She contributed to seven Navy shutouts last year, including four consecutive clean sheets to begin the season.
Navy outscored its opponents 9-0 during that 4-0 opening stretch.
Williams has appeared in 31 career games entering her senior season and has established herself as one of the leaders of the Navy defense.
Her leadership could become especially valuable as Navy navigates a demanding nonconference schedule designed to prepare the Midshipmen for Patriot League play.
Busy August Ahead
Wednesday begins an extremely active stretch at home for Navy.
The Midshipmen will play six home games during the first 18 days of the season, giving Maryland soccer fans plenty of opportunities to see Navy before conference play begins.
Following the games against Robert Morris and Rice, Navy hosts service-academy rival Air Force on Aug. 20.
The Midshipmen then travel to Delaware on Aug. 23 before returning to Annapolis for games against Marywood on Aug. 25, Maryland on Aug. 27 and Marist on Aug. 30.
The Aug. 27 matchup against Maryland will be especially interesting locally.
Navy and Maryland have met 18 times previously, and the programs have played during each of the past five seasons.
Navy will later play another Maryland opponent when it travels to Towson on Sept. 10.
Patriot League Remains the Ultimate Goal
While Navy’s early nonconference schedule provides several intriguing matchups, the biggest goal remains competing for a Patriot League championship.
Conference play begins Sept. 19 when Navy travels to defending regular-season champion Boston University.
Navy will also host Colgate, Holy Cross, Bucknell, American and Loyola during conference play, while traveling to Lehigh and Lafayette.
Then comes one of the highlights of the entire season.
Navy will face Army on Friday, Oct. 9 at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania, as part of an Army-Navy soccer doubleheader involving both the women’s and men’s programs.
The Patriot League Tournament begins Nov. 8, with the championship scheduled for Nov. 15.
Navy has qualified for the Patriot League Tournament in 13 of the past 15 seasons and most recently captured conference championships in 2019 and during the 2020-21 season.
MSB Take
Navy has several reasons for optimism heading into 2026.
The Midshipmen return proven offensive production in Cosenza and Graziano, experience in goal and a senior captain in Williams who has been part of one of the program’s strongest defensive stretches.
The schedule will challenge Navy quickly.
Robert Morris gives the Midshipmen a familiar opponent they handled convincingly last season, while Rice should immediately provide a more difficult measuring stick after winning 10 games in 2025.
Having six of the first seven games in or around Annapolis is also a significant opportunity for Navy to establish momentum before the schedule becomes considerably more road-heavy in September.
For a program that has made reaching the Patriot League postseason almost routine under Gabarra, merely getting into the conference tournament will not be enough.
Navy has the experience to expect more.
The journey toward that goal begins Wednesday night in Annapolis.
Navy vs. Robert Morris
Wednesday, Aug. 12
5 p.m.
Glenn Warner Soccer Facility — Annapolis, Maryland
TV: ESPN+
Navy vs. Rice
Saturday, Aug. 15
7 p.m.
Glenn Warner Soccer Facility — Annapolis, Maryland
TV: ESPN+
