CHENEY, Wash. — Eastern Washington teams are in the heart of the conference season, with other teams gearing up for the start of their seasons. Soccer is rested after its bye week and is hosting two matches this week on Thursday and Sunday, as the schedule moves closer to the postseason. Volleyball is on the road Thursday, but is back at Reese Court on Saturday with two Big Sky matchups. Men's basketball travels for a preseason test against Arizona on Friday. Women's basketball hosts its first exhibition of the season on Sunday at Reese.
Soccer - vs. Southern Utah (Thursday, Oct. 22 at 3:00 PM); vs. Utah Tech (Sunday, Oct. 25 1:00 PM - Free Admission
Eastern Washington soccer returns to the pitch this week for a pair of Big Sky Conference matches at the EWU Soccer Field. The Eagles host Southern Utah on Thursday, Oct. 22 at 3 p.m. before welcoming Utah Tech on Sunday, Oct. 25 at 1 p.m.
Eastern enters the week 6-5-2 overall and 0-3-1 in Big Sky play following a break in the schedule. The Eagles last competed on Oct. 11, falling 1-0 on the road to Northern Colorado despite another strong defensive effort.
Payton Hyde recorded seven saves in the match, while
Addison Stendera and
Faith Hines each put a shot on goal.
Defense has continued to keep Eastern within striking distance throughout conference play. The Eagles have allowed just five goals through their first four Big Sky matches, including a scoreless draw against Idaho State to open conference action. Hyde has been a consistent presence in goal, while Eastern will look to generate more opportunities in the attacking third after being held scoreless in each of its last two matches.
With five matches remaining in the regular season, Eastern's two-game homestand provides an important opportunity to pick up points in the Big Sky standings before heading back on the road next week.
Men's Basketball - at Arizona (Friday, Oct. 23 at 7:00 PM) - Exhibition
Eastern Washington men's basketball continues its exhibition schedule this week, heading to Tucson for a matchup against Arizona on Friday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. Pacific time. The Eagles will then return to Reese Court to host Western Washington on Tuesday, Oct. 27 in their final tune-up before the regular season begins.
Eastern opened the preseason with a 71-65 exhibition win over CSU Bakersfield on Sunday at Reese Court. The Eagles erased a three-point halftime deficit and outscored the Roadrunners 41-32 in the second half to earn their first win of the 2026-27 campaign.
The trip to Tucson provides another early test for a retooled Eastern roster under third-year head coach
Dan Monson. The Eagles were picked third in both the Big Sky Preseason Coaches' and Media Polls, while
Andrew Cook and
Alton Hamilton IV were selected to the Preseason All-Conference Team.
Eastern's three-game exhibition slate is designed to prepare the Eagles for a challenging start to the regular season. Following Tuesday's matchup with Western Washington, Eastern will officially open the 2026-27 campaign with three consecutive road games against Stanford, Oregon and Oregon State.
Volleyball – at Southern Utah (Thursday, Oct. 22 at 5:30 PM PST); vs Utah Tech (Saturday, Oct, 24 at 2:00 PM) - Tickets
Eastern Washington volleyball hits the road before returning to Reese Court this week for a pair of Big Sky Conference matchups. The Eagles travel to Cedar City to face Southern Utah on Thursday, Oct. 22 at 5:30 p.m. Pacific time, before hosting Utah Tech on Saturday, Oct. 24 at 2 p.m.
Eastern enters the week at 8-12 overall and 2-6 in conference play following a pair of home matches against Northern Arizona and Portland State. The Eagles pushed NAU to five sets on Thursday, taking a 2-1 advantage before the Lumberjacks rallied for the 3-2 win. Eastern closed the weekend with a three-set loss to Portland State on Saturday.
Kalista Lukovich continues to lead the Eastern attack. The senior recorded 10 kills, eight digs, two solo blocks and a service ace against Portland State after another strong performance against Northern Arizona. Jailyn Davenport continues to direct the offense at setter, while Elle Bruegman anchors the Eagles' back row. Eastern's presence at the net also remains a strength, with the Eagles totaling eight blocks against Portland State.
The Eagles will look to get back in the win column as they enter the second half of the Big Sky schedule. Thursday's matchup with Southern Utah begins at 5:30 p.m. Pacific time from Cedar City before Eastern returns home Saturday for a 2 p.m. first serve against Utah Tech at Reese Court.
Women's Basketball - vs. Central Washington (Thursday, Oct. 22 at 6:15) - Free Admission; vs. Northwest University (Sunday, Oct. 25 at 3 p.m.) - Tickets
Eastern Washington hosts Northwest University for its first exhibition of the season on Sunday at Reese Court, with a 3 p.m. tip-off. Prior to Saturday, Eastern hosts Central Washington on Thursday night for an open scrimmage.
The Eagles are coming off a 15-18 season in 2025-26 and were 7-11 in the Big Sky. Eastern finished sixth in the standings and upset No. 3 Northern Colorado in the Big Sky Tournament, 55-53. EWU fell to the No. 2 seed Montana State in the semifinal round, nearly pulling another upset but coming up short, 79-77 in overtime.
Kourtney Grossman earned Big Sky All-Conference second team after averaging 14.1 points per game and 12.8 rebounds. She led the conference and ranked third nationally with 20 double-doubles. She broke the Big Sky single-season rebounding record with 398 rebounds and finished with 415 total rebounds, third-most in EWU history for a single season. Along with Grossman, three starters return for head coach Joddie Gleason's sixth season, including Elyn Bowers, Caitie Gingras and Jaecy Eggers
Football - Bye Week
Eastern Washington is off this week and will enjoy its continued homestand. Eastern hosts Montana in two weeks - Oct. 31 - for a Halloween matchup. The game kicks off at 4 p.m. from Roos Field. EWU faced No. 5 Montana State on Saturday, dropping the game to the Bobcats, 56-20. The Eagles scored first and led after the first quarter, but MSU's rushing game came to life in the second quarter, scoring 28 points to lead at halftime. They padded their lead in the second half to secure the road win.
2026 EWU football tickets are on sale! Join Spokane County's team for its two remaining home games on Oct. 31 vs. Montana and Nov. 21 vs. Portland State. For more info, visit goeags.com/fbtickets or contact the EWU Ticket Office at 509-359-6059 or tickets@ewu.edu.
Join the Eagle Athletic Fund for as low as $50 per year! Support Eagle student-athletes on and off the field while enjoying exclusive EAF perks such as season ticket and tailgating priority, invitations to special events, exclusive access, and more. Visit goeags.com/eaf for more information.
ABOUT EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Eastern Washington University Athletics sponsors 14 intercollegiate sports, six for men and eight for women, both as learning opportunities for its most athletically talented students and as an enhancement to student and community life. Eastern is affiliated with Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and is a member of the Big Sky Conference, an association of 10 regional schools with comparable enrollments and academic goals.
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