CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- The 2026 American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) Women's Soccer Tournament is set to begin on Saturday, October 31 in Pella, Iowa and Indianola, Iowa after another exciting regular season. The six teams in this year's tournament are battling for the conference's automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Tournament.
For the second season in the A-R-C soccer tournaments, the bracket will be rebracketed after the first round.
The first matchup in the opening round will be played in Pella, Iowa as the No. 6 seed Nebraska Wesleyan University Prairie Wolves (5-10-1 overall, 2-5 A-R-C) travels to face the host, No. 3 seed Central College Dutch (12-2-2 overall, 4-1-2 A-R-C). These two squads met on October 7 in Pella and the Dutch earned the 2-1 victory. The Dutch are entering the conference tournament for the 15th time in program history while the Prairie Wolves of Nebraska Wesleyan are making their second appearance since joining the league.
Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. from the Central College Soccer Field in Pella, Iowa.
In the second matchup of the opening round, the No. 5 seed Wartburg College Knights (8-6-3 overall, 3-3-1 A-R-C) will travel to Indianola, Iowa to face the No. 4 seed Simpson College Storm (9-5-3 overall, 4-2-1 A-R-C). The two teams previously met on October 10 in Waverly, and the Storm secured a 3-0 win. Simpson is making their 20th appearance in the conference tournament and Wartburg is making their 25th trip to the tournament.
Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. from Buxton Stadium on the campus of Simpson College.
The Loras College Duhawks (13-1-1 overall, 6-0-1 A-R-C) have secured the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament and a first round bye. The Duhawks will host the lowest remaining seed in the bracket after the first round in a semifinal match on Wednesday, November 4 from their home field, Rock Bowl, in Dubuque, Iowa with a game time still to be determined. Loras is making their 25th appearance in the conference tournament.
The Spartans of the University of Dubuque (9-5-3 overall, 5-1-1 A-R-C) enters the conference tournament as the No. 2 seed and has earned a first-round bye. UD will face the highest remaining seed in the bracket after the first round action. The Spartans will host the semifinal match on Wednesday, November 4 from Oyen Field. Kickoff is set for 5:00 p.m. The Spartans are entering the tournament for the 22nd time in program history.
The championship match, with the berth of the 2026 NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Tournament on the line, is set for Saturday, November 7 at the highest remaining seed in the bracket.
Admission:
Ticket prices will be $10.00 for adults, $5.00 for students without a valid A-R-C ID and seniors (60 and older). Children 5 and under, and all current students with valid A-R-C ID shall be admitted free.
Live Stream:
A live stream will be provided through the
American Rivers Sports Network.
Merchandise:
Merchandise is available through the league's
Game One partnership.
First Round - Saturday, October 31
No. 5 Wartburg College at No. 4 Simpson College - 7:00 p.m.
No. 6 Nebraska Wesleyan University at No. 3 Central College - 1:00 p.m.
Semifinals - Wednesday, November 4
lowest remaining seed at No. 1 Loras College - TBD
highest remaining seed at No. 2 University of Dubuque - 5:00 p.m.
Championship - Saturday, November 7
Semifinal #1 Winner vs. Semifinal #2 Winner
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About the American Rivers Conference
Nationally respected for excellence in NCAA Division III athletics, the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) has a tradition dating back to its founding in 1922 as the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Association and adopted its current name in 2018 to reflect its strong Iowa roots and growing regional footprint. The A-R-C is a collaborative community that champions the holistic development of student-athletes, uniting member institutions in a shared commitment to academic achievement, athletic distinction, and leadership.
The A-R-C is home to eight full-time member institutions: Buena Vista University, Central College, Coe College, University of Dubuque, Loras College, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Simpson College, and Wartburg College. The A-R-C also includes two affiliate members for men’s and women’s swimming & diving: Illinois Tech and University of Minnesota Morris.
