FIFA World Cup 2026 marks the first time in 32 years that the world’s biggest sporting event will be played on U.S. soil. Seattle will play host for the first time, with six of the tournament’s 26 matches to be played at Lumen Field. Loggers who love soccer say even if you’re new to the sport, you won’t want to miss the experience of a beautiful game played by the world’s top athletes. Here’s some advice on how to make the most of it, wherever you are watching.

There’s a lot to love about soccer — starting with the heroic saves, the graceful footwork, and the incredible athleticism players exhibit in a game that seldom stops.

But for Maya Mendoza-Exstrom ’03, there are even more reasons to love the sport often described as the beautiful game.

Matt McCully ’78 was an end-of-the-bench guard who took the court only for the final minute or so of the University of Puget Sound Loggers’ 1976 NCAA Division II men’s basketball national championship game victory over the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga. Yet, it was McCully who found himself on the shoulders of his teammates after the buzzer sounded on an 83–74 triumph that long-ago March evening at Roberts Stadium in Evansville, Indiana. “They didn’t have ladders back in those days, apparently,” McCully recalled with a laugh.

One of the university’s key initiatives is to advance a championship culture that empowers student-athletes to achieve at the highest levels academically and athletically, building on an enduring legacy that has shaped generations of Loggers. The Arches team asked President lsiaah Crawford to share some insights into why this is such an important goal. Here’s what he had to say: 

It’s been yet another incredible year at the University of Puget Sound. From launching innovative new programs to celebrating the accomplishments of our students, faculty, staff, and alumni, there are so many Logger stories that highlight the power of a liberal arts education to transform lives. Here are 10 stories from 2025 that you may have missed.

Sophie Billadeau ’29, a first-year student from Minnetonka, Minnesota, is quickly building a memorable college experience at the University of Puget Sound. A graduate of a small charter school where she was involved in theater and served as president of the National Honor Society, she’s wasted no time in immersing herself in campus life as a member of the university's Honors Program in Consciousness, Creativity, and Meaning.

When Emily Mitchell ’23 arrived in Kyoto, Japan, for 12 months of intensive language study, she carried more than a suitcase. As the University of Puget Sound’s Miki Memorial Scholar, she represented the university in a program designed to strengthen cultural understanding and friendship between Japan and the United States.

Each fall, the University of Puget Sound welcomes families, alumni, and friends back to campus for a weekend of connection, celebration, and community. Homecoming & Family Weekend offers Loggers across the generations the opportunity to experience campus life together while honoring the traditions and people that make Puget Sound what it is.

Greater, We Ascend is a podcast from the University of Puget Sound about Loggers reaching to the heights. Subscribe today.