2026 Week 1 Wrap

Note: The Weekly Wrap is changing in 2026. It will no longer feature every player; it will be a non-exhaustive list of performances that I found interesting each week, and anything else I pick up along the way that I feel like including. That is all. Onwards to the Week 1 Wrap…

The new season has arrived, and with it brought a multitude of debuts, as well as a few players getting on the scoresheet. We also saw the return of a player whose first season was scuppered by injury, but is back with a vengeance in 2026.

Southern Utah travelled to South Carolina for their first three games of the season, and Gracen Blieschke exploded onto the scene, putting her name on the scoresheet in each of her first two collegiate contests. The South Australian tallied an assist just 11 minutes into her debut against College of Charleston, breaking down the left and leaving a defender on the ground in her wake before finding teammate Kayleigh Acree for a comfortable finish. Unfortunately, the home side would respond on multiple occasions to see the game finish 3-1, but the Thunderbirds were able to turn things around against South Carolina State. Blieschke was dangerous throughout, finishing with six shots, but most importantly, netted the game’s only goal in the 48^th minute. Acree turned provider on this occasion, finding the Australian freshman who curled a shot into the side netting. The Thunderbirds headed back to Charleston to face The Citadel for the third game of their road trip, winning 1-0 with Blieschke tallying three shots on target as she emerges as a masterstroke of a signing even at this early stage.

Incarnate Word went on the road but stayed in-state to face Prairie View A&M and Texas A&M-San Antonio, with Montanna Mathews enjoying an outstanding start to her junior year. Despite outshooting Prairie View A&M 19-3, the Cardinals needed an 87^th minute goal to secure the win, with Mathews’ neat lay-off teeing up Joella Livingston for a pinpoint finish into the top corner. Getting by NAIA side Texas A&M-San Antonio proved far more comfortable as eight players found the back of the net in a 9-0 win. Incarnate Word won the shot count 43-0, with Mathews tallying six of those shots and scoring the Cardinals’ fourth goal inside the first 16 minutes.

2025 College Matildas Player of the Year Candice Kilderry picked up where she left off as Little Rock started their season with a draw against Louisiana-Monroe before knocking off in-state rivals Arkansas State. Kilderry tallied assists on both goals in the win over the Red Wolves, teeing up Kaitlin Graeber from a set piece in the 17^th minute before finding fellow preseason All-UAC selection Maria Schueller for the game-winner shortly before halftime. The two assists are already halfway to Kilderry’s 2025 mark, a season in which she posted four assists alongside four goals of her own on the way to the Rachael Doyle Medal.

Despite playing 17 games, Adelaide Wyrzynski started only once for Tarleton State in 2025, but looks set to make a spot in the matchday eleven her own after her Opening Day performance against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The Philippines senior national team representative was dangerous throughout, putting all three of her shots on target in a 75-minute performance as the Texans came away with a 2-2 draw from their trip to the Gulf Coast. The match was also notable for the debuts of two other Australians as Ava D’Costa and Zoe Daly each made their collegiate bow in this match.

Opening weekend also saw the return of CJ Harris to the Rider lineup. The Sydneysider’s freshman campaign was ended by injury after featuring in just one game in 2025, but made her return off the bench against Wagner in a 1-0 win. Although Harris played only 25 minutes, making that first return appearance marks a notable milestone in the defender’s comeback.

Naturally, Week 1 brought with it a number of debuts for freshmen, junior college transfers, and other players who have had to bide their time for a chance. No fewer than 13 players, including the aforementioned Gracen Blieschke, played in their first NCAA Division I game this week, whilst Grace Wilson played their first game for San Francisco since transferring from Maine following the 2025 campaign.

• Viktorija Calusic (Charleston): Came off the bench on Opening Day to play five minutes in a 3-1 win over Southern Utah.
• Amelia-Grace Elder (Chicago State): Started for the Cougars and played 80 minutes in a 4-0 defeat to UT-Martin.
• Sophie Abbott (Cleveland State): Played 35 minutes off the bench in a 3-0 defeat to Kent State, before playing 49 minutes in a 5-0 defeat to Eastern Kentucky.
• Sophia Doumos (Dayton): Did not feature in the season opener against #20 West Virginia, but made her debut off the bench in a 2-1 win over Toledo, playing 61 minutes.
• Alethea Levy (Louisiana Tech): Made her debut with a 2-minute cameo off the bench in a 2-2 draw against Nicholls, before playing another 41 minutes off the bench in a 5-1 loss to Southeastern Louisiana.
• Eva McGorian (Loyola Maryland): Started each of her first two collegiate games, playing 61 minutes in a 1-1 draw with Williiam & Mary and the full 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw with Arkansas.
• Emily Rutkowski (Mercer): Started both games in Week 1, playing 54 minutes in a 2-1 win over Jackson State, before tallying two shots with one on target in a 60-minute outing as Mercer defeated West Georgia 1-0.
• Grace Wilson (San Francisco): Played the first half of an Opening Day 4-0 rout of Cal State Bakersfield, making two saves.
• Zoe Daly (Tarleton State): Came off the bench to play 10 minutes in Tarleton’s 2-2 draw with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
• Ava D’Costa (Tarleton State): Started in Tarleton’s draw with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, playing 71 minutes.
• Blake Hughes (Texas A&M): Started and played 50 minutes in Texas A&M’s Opening Day 2-1 win over Rice, before coming off the bench to play 23 minutes in the Aggies’ 2-1 defeat to Baylor.
• Arna Hogarth-Scott (UNC Asheville): Started and posted three shots in 85 minutes during UNC Asheville’s 2-2 draw with Wofford, before starting and playing 65 minutes in a 3-3 draw with North Alabama.
• Ashton Conkling (Western Illinois): Did not feature in an Opening Day defeat to Indiana State, but debuted with a three-minute cameo off the bench in a 5-0 defeat to Southern Illinois.