The Colorado Buffaloes are set to launch their 2026 regular season on Wednesday night, and the first test comes with some built-in edge: in-state rival Colorado State visiting Prentup Field in Boulder.
Colorado is coming off a 1-0 exhibition win over Utah on Aug. 5 in Grand Junction, a tune-up that gave the Buffs their first competitive run of the year. The game stayed scoreless until 2:17 into the second half, when a sustained push from Colorado forced a Utah own goal. Jamie Campbell, Brooke Goerish and Madeline Mueller combined on four saves to help preserve the shutout.
Head coach Danny Sanchez is expecting the opener to feel like more than just another early-season matchup.
"We open the 2026 season against our in-state rival, Colorado State," Danny Sanchez said. "They had another great year last season, so we expect a very competitive match Wednesday night.
The team is prepared and focused. I anticipate a huge crowd, so I think it's going to be a great atmosphere.
I don't think there's a better way to start the 2026 season."
There’s plenty of continuity behind Colorado’s attack as well. The Buffs finished 2025 at 17-4-3 and bring back a huge chunk of the offense that drove that run, including players responsible for 50 of the team’s 59 goals from last season.
Hope Leyba, Jace Holley and Regan Kotschau headline that group. Leyba led Colorado with 22 goals and 45 points in 24 starts, while also pacing the team with 97 shots, 48 shots on goal and six game-winning goals.
Holley was next with 12 goals and six assists for 30 points in 24 starts. Kotschau added seven goals and six assists for 20 points, and she matched Leyba with six game-winners.
Faith Leyba is back too after posting four goals and four assists, giving CU four returning players who scored at least four times last season.
The production isn’t limited to finishing chances. Caley Swierenga led the team with nine assists in 2025, Jordan Whiteaker added seven, and Kotschau and Holley each chipped in six. As a group, the Buffaloes stacked up 66 assists.
Colorado’s numbers from last season show how dangerous the attack was from start to finish. The Black and Gold averaged 2.46 goals per match, finished with a 59-22 scoring edge across 24 contests, and put together 361 shots with 166 on target while holding opponents to 22 goals.
Wednesday’s matchup also brings back some familiar history between the programs. One of the more notable recent meetings came in Colorado’s 2021 season opener at Prentup Field, when the Buffs jumped out to a 3-0 lead on goals from Shyra James, Jade Babcock-Chi and Shanade Hopcroft before lightning halted play in the 51st minute. After a 129-minute weather delay, the match was ruled a no-contest under NCAA rules.
Colorado and Colorado State also played to a scoreless draw in 2018. In that game, the Buffs controlled much of the action, outshooting CSU 30-11 and holding a 10-7 edge in shots on goal, while also finishing with an 11-4 advantage in corner kicks. Neither side could break through in regulation or the two overtime periods.
Now the rivalry is back at Prentup Field, with both teams opening the 2026 regular season and Colorado looking to turn its exhibition momentum into a strong start.
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