Sports Overview
Bluejays, welcome back to Elmhurst University sports. The 2026-2027 season is about to begin, and EU has a lot to offer. Let’s break it down.
Fall
Sports dominate the fall semester at EU — football, soccer, volleyball, cross country, and golf. The football team will likely provide the most news, but they are not the only team competing during the fall.
Last year, the EU football team ended their season with a 1-9 record. The team will play 10 games in the 2026 season, with the first being a home game on Sept. 5 against Illinois College. The Bluejays will also play at home during homecoming weekend on Sept. 26. Due to our lackluster performance last year, we have been ranked last in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) preseason poll.
Both men’s and women’s soccer take place during the fall. Their seasons will begin at home on Sept. 1. The women’s team will competeagainst Beloit College to kick off their season, followed by games against St. Norbert College and Manchester University. The team has two postseason appearances under their belt, aiming to maintain their streak this year. The team completed the 2025 season with a 12-6-3 record overall, so hopefully this year’s team has the momentum to keep it up.
EU men’s soccer ended the 2025 season with a 5-12-2 record. Looking to bounce back, the team will begin their season with three home games, competing against Lake Forest College on Sept. 1, followed by Knox College and Washington University in St. Louis. The men’s team will travel to California for two games in September, playing the California Institute of Technology and Whittier College.
Golf begins in the fall but will continue into the spring with conferences and tournaments. Both the men’s and women’s teams participate in multiple conferences throughout the season. The men’s team saw success at the Judson Spring Invite at Judson University, winning the tournament. At the end of the season, they placed fifth at the CCIW Men’s Golf Championship. The women’s team finished sixth at the CCIW Women’s Golf Championship last fall and then wrapped up their season at the Benedictine Invite.
The women’s volleyball team closed out the 2025 season with a 10-17 record overall. One team member, Paige Belfield, was named CCIW’s First-Year Student-Athlete of the Year after an impressive season. The Bluejays are on track for another solid season, with their first match on Sept. 4 at the Jim Coleman Memorial Tournament. They will play Ohio Northern University to kick off their 2026 season.
The final sport for the Fall 2026 season at EU is cross country. The season begins on Sept. 4., when the Bluejays will compete at the Lewis University Flyer Early Bird Invite. The men’s cross country team won their first meet last year, dominating the North Park Invite. At the same invite, the women’s team placed second, a strong start to their season.
Winter
Winter brings indoor sports — basketball, track and field, wrestling, and bowling.
The men’s team had a very successful competitive 2025-2026 season, ending with a 19-9 record. Hoping to hold their momentum, the season begins Nov. 7 at Ripon College. The team received some exciting news this summer, as they were selected to compete in Las Vegas at the NABC Division III Tournament. They will play Emory University on Dec. 21. If they win, they will play the championship game on Dec. 22.
The women’s team completed the 2025-2026 season with a 12-13 record. Their season begins Nov. 6 at Knox College, where the team will hopefully continue playing some solid basketball.
Indoor track and field begins in the winter but will continue outdoors in the spring. The 2026 season brought some record-breaking performances at the Chicagoland Indoor Championships, along with many wins at their other competitions. The Bluejays are on track to showcase another great season.
Men’s wrestling had a successful 2025-2026 season, with a 6-2 overall record. Women’s wrestling completed the season with a 3-6 overall record. Neither team’s schedule has been announced yet for the 2026-2027 season.
The women’s bowling team ended their 2025-2026 season with an 11-30 record. The team has a new head coach this season, as Kevin McCune, a Professional Bowlers Association champion, was named head coach over the summer. Change is on the rise for the bowling team, and success along with it.
Spring
Once spring has sprung, baseball, softball, and lacrosse take over EU.
The baseball team completed their 2026 season with a 12-27 record overall. The team ended their season strong, winning two of three games against North Central College. Multiple players earned postseason honors from CCIW. Evan Johnson was named to the All-CCIW First Team, while Zach Konrad and Marty Fraga were named to the All-CCIW Second Team. Javier Cervantes was EU’s recipient of the CCIW Respect Award.
The softball team completed their 2026 season with an 11-29 record overall. Their season did not end on a high note, with two back-to-back losses to Augustana College. Two players, Bailey Proffitt and Kaylee Aimone, were named to the All-CCIW Softball Team. Danielle Hood was EU’s recipient of the CCIW Respect Award.
The men’s lacrosse team completed their 2026 season with a 15-4 overall record. They won their first CCIW Men’s Lacrosse title in program history. They lost to the Rochester Institute of Technology in the postseason, ending a historic run. Eli Spence was named to the 2025-2026 College Sports Communicators Academic All-America At-Large Team, with a Third Team recognition — another win for EU.
The women’s lacrosse team completed their 2026 season with a 4-11 overall record. While the Bluejays struggled this past season, the 2027 season will be a fresh start.
Spring sports schedules have not been announced yet.
To purchase tickets for EU sporting events, log into your Elmhurst University portal at my.elmhurst.edu. Choose the icon of the bluejay, labeled “Event Tickets.” Once the website opens, log in with your EU credentials and choose your preferred game. Tickets are free for EU students and staff.
