Welcome to Georgetown! While you’ll have to wait until November to attend a storied Hoya basketball game, Georgetown University Athletics has plenty to offer all fall beyond the multitudes of rowers in your classes donning their crew gear. As a member of the BIG EAST conference and the Patriot League, among others, Georgetown faces off against other universities from across the country, regional rivals, and out-of-conference powerhouses. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of your first semester as a Hoya faithful.
Soccer
While Georgetown’s campus does not allow all sports teams a dedicated home field on the Hilltop, those that do enjoy heightened attendance and visibility. Among those are our soccer teams. Home games at Shaw Field, next to Kehoe Field on top of Yates Field House, are free to attend with a student GOCard. The Georgetown soccer teams have a dedicated fanbase, including Hoya Blue, a student fan group that camps out behind the opponent’s goal to distract their goalie.
The nationally ranked women’s soccer team (No. 10) fell to third-seeded Florida State University in the third round of the NCAA Tournament last year. This fall, the Hoyas will look to earn their fifteenth consecutive spot in the NCAA Tournament. BIG EAST matchups begin on Saturday, Sept. 26, at home on Shaw Field against Xavier University. Before that, three exciting home matches are lined up against Virginia Tech on Aug. 30 at 1 p.m., the University of Virginia on Sept. 6 at 1 p.m., and George Washington University (GW) on Sept. 16 at 7:30 p.m.
Men’s soccer is coming off back-to-back seasons as BIG EAST Champions, and a run at the end of the 2025 season that brought them to the NCAA quarterfinals. Their first game after all students return to campus will be on Aug. 27 against the University of Delaware at 7:30 p.m. on Shaw Field. Also at home, on Sept. 11, the Hoyas will face off against High Point University, whom they beat in the second round of the NCAA tournament last fall. BIG EAST matchups will begin the following Friday, Sept. 18, when they play Marquette University at home.
Football
Georgetown football also opens its season on Aug. 27, at 7 p.m. at Cooper Field against Lafayette College, and admission is free with your GOCard.
Homecoming, Georgetown’s largest fall tradition, falls on a Saturday. This year, the game will be against Cornell University on Oct. 3, and festivities include tailgating outside Cooper Field and Jack the Bulldog-themed decor. While Georgetown may not be known for its football, the ease of attending games makes it a must for your freshman fall.
Volleyball
Another on-campus team is Hoya volleyball, which plays in McDonough Arena and has two home games on Aug. 29 and 30 against George Mason University and Northeastern University. This high-energy team returns to McDonough to face off against Loyola University Maryland on Sept. 12, followed by a match against GW on Sept. 18. BIG EAST play begins in October, with free attendance with a GOCard.
Field hockey
Last season brought Hoya field hockey back to the hilltop from off-campus fields, and they will continue their on-campus presence this season. While Hoya field hockey has only a handful of home games on their schedule thus far, their home opener is a Sept. 25 match against BIG EAST rival Providence College on Kehoe Field at 1 p.m.
Off-campus teams
The Hoya squash season starts up in early November against St. Lawrence University on the 5th, but their “home” games are played at a secondary facility, Squash on Fire, in Foggy Bottom.
Cross country will compete at the University of Richmond and at Princeton University in September before traveling to Wisconsin’s Nuttycombe Invitational in October. Swim & Dive hosts events in Yates, as they will on Sept. 26 against The College of William & Mary. Rowing and Sailing, who have not yet released their fall 2026 schedules, typically have one or two scenic fall regattas on the Potomac. For particularly dedicated rowing fans, plan an early morning trip down to the Potomac near the Francis Scott Key Bridge to view a practice.
Basketball
Hoyas men’s and women’s basketball, the apple of Hoya athletics’ eye, start up in earnest in November. While Hoya men’s basketball traipses to Capital One Arena—a quick trip to make on the Red Line or via buses that pick up outside the Southwest Quad—the women’s team has a convenient home at McDonough Arena. Women’s games are free to attend with a GOCard, and this season, men’s basketball tickets will be free as well. More information should hopefully be released soon about how to claim your tickets. You can get to men’s games at Capital One Arena via shuttles that pick up outside of Leo’s on game days.
A look ahead
While the women’s basketball schedule has not yet been released, the men’s is set through December. Their BIG EAST matchups will begin in the spring semester, as will seasons for softball, baseball, tennis, and lacrosse. But until then, don your best blue and gray gear, and show up for your fellow Hoyas.
