No. 5/5 Vanderbilt (0-0) vs. SMU (0-0)
Wednesday, Aug. 12 • 7 p.m. CT
Vanderbilt Soccer Complex • Nashville, Tenn.
SEC Network+ • Live Stats • Game Notes
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A new athletics year begins on Wednesday at West End, with No. 5 Vanderbilt Soccer slated to take on SMU at home at 7 p.m. CT.
The first ticketed regular season match in program history, tickets can be purchased HERE or in the McGugin Lobby on a walk-up basis.
Series History
• The Dores and the Mustangs are meeting for the first time since 2002, their ninth matchup overall.
• SMU holds a 5-3 advantage with one draw, having won the last two contests in 2002 and 2001.
• The last Vanderbilt win was in 2000, a 2-1 victory at No. 17 SMU in the program’s second-ever top-25 win.
• Vanderbilt is the only team in the SEC with 17 wins on the year, the most wins in a season since 1998.
The Opponent
• SMU finished year two in the ACC with an overall record of 8-8-2.
• The Mustangs totaled six shutouts during the season and recorded 26 assists on 25 goals scored and had 13 different goal scorers in Nicole Nelson’s fourth year in charge.
• They bring in 17 newcomers, seven of which are transfers including former Commodore Ella DeMott, who spent the last two seasons at Iowa State.
• Vanderbilt also added junior Lydia Ungashick, an SMU captain in 2025 who started all 34 matches in her time in Dallas.
Scouting Report
• The Mustangs recorded 245 shots and scored 25 goals, which ranked eighth and 12th in the ACC, respectively.
• The 245 shots were the most in a single season under Nelson and the most since 2019 (346).
• This is the only road game that SMU will play in the nonconference slate; their next seven matches will be at home until a Sept. 11 road game at Miami.
Nation On Notice
• Vanderbilt heads into 2026 ranked No. 5 in both the United Soccer Coaches and TopDrawerSoccer poll, the highest ranking to start a season in program history.
• In addition to the team recognition, both Courtney Jones and Sydney Watts were named to United Soccer Coaches Hermann Trophy Preseason Players to Watch List.
Top Dogs
• The 2025 SEC Tournament champions were picked first by SEC coaches in the conference preseason poll, edging out Arkansas, Georgia, LSU and Tennessee.
• Five Dores were named to the SEC preseason watch list: Ally Bollig-Agu, Courtney Jones, Reagan Pentz, Olivia Stafford and Sydney Watts.
Protecting The Plex
• The Dores went 11-1-1 at home last season, falling once in the Elite Eight in overtime to TCU.
• Since 2022, they are 33-5-8 at home.
Alone at the Top
• Vanderbilt’s next win will be win No. 127 for Darren Ambrose, making him the leading coach in program history.
• Ken McDonald won 126 games from 1989-98, including four SEC championships.
Returning Firepower
• The Dores return 79.6% of 2025’s total points, the third-most out of teams in the preseason top 15 (Notre Dame, Michigan State).
• Leading the way are seniors Sydney Watts (16 goals, three assists) and Courtney Jones (seven goals, five assists)
• They also return 69.0% of their total minutes, which ranks fourth of the top 15 (Washington, Notre Dame, Duke).
• Of the six players to log 2,000 minutes on last year’s squad, four are returning for 2026 (Mary Beth McLaughlin, Margo Matula, Courtney Jones, Sydney Watts)
Portal Pick Ups
• Vandy used the winter and spring portal to backfill key roles lost in attack, midfield and in goal.
• 2023 SEC Co-Freshman of the Year Megan Hinnenkamp joins the attack after eight goals and three assists in two years of action at Florida.
• Lydia Ungashick brings two years of P4 experience to West End, having started every game in her two seasons at SMU.
• Goalkeeper Layla Armas was the final addition to the class of incomers, joining in May from UCLA.