- Since joining the Big South in 2012, Longwood has appeared in eight league tournaments (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2024, 2026). The Lancers advanced to the semifinals for the second time in the last three seasons under head coach
Paul Gilbert and will play in its first championship match since 2016. During that season, Radford topped the Lancers, 1-0.
- Saturday is Longwood's sixth championship game at the Division I level and seventh overall. The Lancers played in the Atlantic Soccer Conference title game in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2011, winning the championship in 2008 (1-0 over Adelphi) and 2011 (in penalty kicks over Adelphi). The Lancers claimed its first conference championship, winning the Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference in 2000.
- Gardner-Webb leads the all-time series with the Lancers by a narrow 11-9-2 margin. The Runnin' Bulldogs won the regular-season meeting 3-0 in a match-up that was much closer than the final score. GWU scored two of its three goals on penalty kicks, while the Lancers missed two PKs and had 22 shots on the afternoon, its second-most in a game in 2026.
- Longwood and Gardner-Webb met one time in the Big South Tournament with the Runnin' Bulldogs picking up a 2-1 in Farmville in the first round of the 2021 tournament.
- The Lancers' 10 wins this season are the second most in the program's DI history. The school D1 record is 11 set in 2011.
- Longwood won its seventh road game in the semifinal at High Point. The Lancers lead the country with seven road wins, along with Cal Baptist. Longwood has won four in a row on the road, which is the fourth-longest current streak in the country. The seven road victories are the most in program history.
- The Lancers feature one of the top offenses in the country, ranking among the top 20 in a number of categories. Nationally, Longwood ranks 11th in total points (123), 12th in total goals (40), 14th in points per game (6.83), 16th in total assists (43), and 17th in both assists per game (2.39) and scoring offense (2.22).
- Longwood has established new Division I program records in points (123), goals, (40), and assists (43).
- Junior Brando Bedolla earned a pair of national player of the week awards following Longwood's two Big South Tournament wins at Winthrop and High Point. Bedolla was named the Top Drawer Soccer National Player of the Week for the second time and the College Soccer News National Offensive Player of the Week on Nov. 10. He also took home the
Top Drawer Soccer
National Player of the Week honor on Oct. 20 after tallying two goals and an assist in a win at Winthrop.
- Bedolla has factored in all seven Longwood goals in the Big South Tournament. He assisted on three goals and added a penalty kick in the 4-0 win at Winthrop on Nov. 4. In the semifinal victory at High Point, Bedolla assisted on all three Longwood goals.
- Bedolla, who was an All-Big South First Team selection, has been one of the top playmakers in the country. The junior forward leads the country in total assists (19) and assists per game (1.19), while ranking second in total points (37) and points per game (2.31). He tops the Big South in all four categories. His 19 assists are the most in the NCAA since 2022, and the most in the Big South since 1993, ranking fifth in conference history.
- Both Bedolla and sophomore forward
Youssef Shafei are streaks with a point in six-straight matches. Over that stretch, Bedolla has four goals and 10 assists, while Shafei tallied four goals and three assists. Shafei, who was a Big South All-Academic Team pick, has scored a goal in each of the Lancers Big South Tournament wins.
- Freshman Vicent Martinez scored the game-winning goal in each of Longwood's Big South Tournament wins at Winthrop and High Point. All four of Martinez's goals in 2026 have been in Big South play and have been game-winners. He ranks second in the Big South and 10th nationally in game-winning goals.
- Graduate student goalkeeper Nicolas Pucci tied a season-high with eight saves in the semifinal win at High Point. On the year, Pucci ranks second in the Big South and 32nd nationally in total saves.
- In the Lancers' 12 road matches this season, Bedolla has tallied seven goals and 13 assists.
- Freshmen
Pau Garcia and
Levon Saribekyan earned a spot on the Big South All-Freshman Team. Longwood was one of only three programs, along with High Point and Gardner-Webb, to have multiple all-freshman selections. Garcia was also an honorable mention All-Big South pick after tallying two goals and four assists on the season. Saribekyan topped all Big South rookies with seven goals and 16 points. He was named the Big South Freshman of the Week on Sept. 8 after tallying a hat trick in a win at ETSU.
- Bedolla is among the program's best statistically this season and in his career. His 19 assists and 37 points in 2026 are the program's Division I single-season records.
His nine goals in 2026 rank fourth on the program's DI single-season list. For his career, Bedolla in the program's Division I leader in points (62) and assists (28), while ranking fourth in goals (17).
- Longwood jumped out to its best Division I start in school history at 5-0 and along the way earned its first vote in program history in the United Soccer Coaches National Top 25 this season.
