CHENEY, Wash. — As August comes to a close, Eastern Washington athletics teams are beginning their fall schedules. Football opens the 2026 season on the road with a Week 0 conference matchup against Northern Arizona. Soccer is back on its home pitch after two road wins and the best record to start the season in program history. Volleyball begins its '26 campaign with three matches in Seattle.
Football - vs. Northern Arizona (Saturday, Aug. 29 at 2 p.m. Pacific Time)
The 2026 season is here for Eastern Washington football, as the team takes the field in Week 0 for a Big Sky contest, traveling to Northern Arizona on Saturday in Flagstaff, Ariz. The game is streamed live on ESPN+ and fans can listen to the action live on 700 ESPN and the Varsity App with the voices of the Eagles,
Larry Weir and Paul Sorensen.
EWU finished 2025 with a 4-4 Big Sky record and 5-7 overall, tying with the Lumberjacks for sixth in conference standings. Eastern was picked to finish 8th in the Big Sky preseason coaches' and media poll.
The team returns 10 starters from last season and 39 letterwinners. The team lost 15 letterwinners overall and 12 starters from a year ago.
Returning for the Eagles is first-team Big Sky All-Conference selection Jaylon Jenkins, along with honorable mentions Isaiah Perez and Nate Bell. Jenkins had a breakout season in 2025, tallying five interceptions to tie for fifth in the FCS and second in the conference. The redshirt-junior was 16th in the nation with 13 passes defended, adding eight pass breakups to his five INTs. Perez broke the Eastern single-season record and tied for the FCS lead with four blocked kicks - three field goals and one extra point. The redshirt-senior led EWU and ranked 15th in the conference with 4.0 sacks last season. Both Jenkins and Perez earned preseason Big Sky All-Conference recognition.
Bell started five games at quarterback and one at wide receiver for the Eagles last season. He led Eastern with 1003 passing yards and had a 53.7 completion percentage, throwing seven touchdowns. Bell was also the team's leading rusher, gaining 663 yards on 118 carries - 5.6 yards per carry - and scoring seven touchdowns. The redshirt-junior ranked eighth in the Big Sky in rushing yards and tied for 11th in rushing touchdowns. Jake Schakel started two games in '25, passing for 997 yards, four touchdowns, and a 69.1 completion percentage. Schakel passed for 451 yards against Montana and threw two touchdowns, nearly upsetting the Grizzlies in Missoula (24-29). The passing yards were the 19th-most for a single game in program history, in what was Schakel's first collegiate start.
Soccer – vs CSU Bakersfield (Sunday, Aug. 30 at 1:00 p.m.) - Free Admission
The EWU soccer team is coming off a 2-0 road weekend in Illinois, improving to 4-0 for the best start in program history. Four Eagles found the back of the net over the weekend, with Ella Hyde scoring against UIC and Reese Kincaid, Deanna Montero and Mia Miconi each scoring against Western Illinois.
Eastern returns home this week to host CSU Bakersfield on Sunday, Aug. 30 at 1 p.m. at the EWU Soccer Field.
The Eagles opened their road trip with a 1-0 win over UIC. After a scoreless first half, E. Hyde broke through in the 47th minute, capitalizing on a corner kick to score the game-winning goal.
Payton Hyde anchored the Eastern defense with seven saves, recording her third consecutive shutout to begin her collegiate career.
Eastern carried that momentum into its matchup against Western Illinois, earning a 3-1 victory to complete the perfect road trip. Kincaid opened the scoring late in the first half with her first goal as an Eagle, giving Eastern a 1-0 advantage heading into halftime.
Montero added her first goal in an Eagle uniform in the second half, while Miconi scored her third goal of the season to help secure the victory. The win improved Eastern to 4-0, marking the best start in program history.
Volleyball – Seattle U Tournament - vs North Dakota (Friday, Aug. 28 at 3:00 p.m.); vs Chicago State (Saturday, Aug. 29 at 1:00 p.m.) at Seattle U (Sunday, Aug. 30 at 1:00 p.m.)
Eastern volleyball opens the 2026 season on the road at the Seattle University Tournament, beginning Friday, Aug. 28 against North Dakota. The Eagles will then face Chicago State on Saturday, Aug. 29 before closing out the weekend against host Seattle U on Sunday, Aug. 30.
The Eagles return 10 players from last season's roster, including starters Kalista Lukovich, Quincy Moran, Elle Bruegman and Judith Bolomboy. Eastern also welcomes seven newcomers to the roster, adding transfers Ziah Sneva, Aspyn Reed, Stephanie Groswirt and Makena Gamby, along with freshmen Jade Livingston, Carlyn Rapozo-Kamoku and Reese Betschart.
Eastern enters the 2026 season picked to finish 10th in the Big Sky Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Eagles will use three early-season tournaments to prepare for conference play, beginning with this weekend's three-match slate in Seattle.
2026 EWU football season tickets are now on sale! Join Spokane County's team for six home games at Roos Field in Cheney starting as low as $99. 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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