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What 2 Watch 4
- Following the conclusion of the non-conference segment, a pair of Big West squads remain unbeaten with Cal Poly (2-0-7) and Cal State Fullerton (6-0-1). Despite dropping its opening match, defending conference champion UC Santa Barbara (7-1-1) sees itself riding a six-match winning streak along with the Titans. UC Irvine (3-2-4) also stands tall with a .556 winning percentage.
The latest chapter of the Blue & Green rivalry will kick off conference play when the Mustangs travel down to Harder Stadium to battle the Gauchos on Thursday at 7 p.m. CP is 4-2-4 in its last 10 matchups against UCSB despite dropping the most recent match, 0-1.
Defending regular-season champion Hawai’i renews its rivalry with Long Beach State, coming back to George Allen Field, this time for a Big West conference match, also on Thursday at 7 p.m. Earlier this year, reigning Big West Freshman of the Week Natelle El Mokbel netted the game-winner in the 89th minute to propel the Beach to a 2-1 win over UH in an opening night non-conference matchup.
Cal State Bakersfield will visit UC San Diego to round out the first set of conference clashes on Thursday. The Roadrunners enter the match on a four-game unbeaten streak (3-0-1) after dropping their first four contests. UCSD is led by Ava Tibor, who is tied for second-most tallies in The Big West with four.
Sunday’s slate features a pair of league matches with UC Riverside visiting UC Irvine and CSUN traveling to Cal State Fullerton.
A total of seven matches are set to air live on ESPN+ this week. Please check the listings here to watch your favorite Big West squad in action!
2025 Big West Women's Soccer Schedule
Pull Up to the Pitch
Cal Poly (2-0-7) — CP continued its historic unbeaten run with back-to-back draws, highlighted by a dramatic finish against Seattle. Julia Moore delivered the equalizer with just 10 seconds left, capping a comeback from a two-goal deficit after key setup plays from Madelyn Dougherty and Annika Smith. The Mustangs remain undefeated through nine matches, mirroring their longest unbeaten start in program history. The streak is the Mustangs’ best overall since opening the 2005 season 6-0-3.
Cal State Bakersfield (3-4-1) — The Roadrunners battled to a hard-fought scoreless draw with Idaho, locking down their first shutout of the season. Kamy Anaya stood tall in goal without needing a save as the Roadrunner defense held firm, while Mya Fortun anchored the backline through all 90 minutes. Sara Ybarra and Miah Thomas also went the distance as CSUB edged the Vandals 11-9 in shots during the squad’s first tie of the season.
Cal State Fullerton (6-0-1) — CSF stayed red hot with back-to-back home victories, first edging New Mexico State 3-2 before shutting out New Mexico 3-0. The Titans have now scored six goals across their last two matches, showcasing a potent attack that has fueled a 6-0-1 start. This unbeaten run matches the program’s 2015 squad that opened the season with six straight wins.
CSUN (2-6-1) — CSUN fired a season-high 25 shots but fell just short in a hard-fought 1-0 battle against Sacramento State at Matador Soccer Field. Jackson led the charge with a career-best nine shots, including four on target, while Kayden Perigo added four attempts. Riley Liebsack made a save as the Matadors relentlessly pressed for an equalizer.
Hawai’i (2-4-3) — UH closed nonconference play with a 1-1 draw against Eastern Washington at Waipi‘o Soccer Stadium. Amber Gilbert opened the scoring in the 49th minute with a sharp strike to the top right corner, while Brianna Chirpich played all 90 minutes in goal and tallied two saves. Gilbert and Sheahan powered the attack with 10 of UH’s 15 shots, as Sheahan pushed a conference-leading total to 36.
Long Beach State (3-4-1) —The Beach capped a gritty week with a 1-1 draw against San Diego and a gutsy 2-1 win over New Mexico State. Cherrie Cox opened the scoring versus the Toreros before they answered late, then delivered an early strike against the Aggies before a red card forced the Beach to play nearly 80 minutes shorthanded. Freshman Natelle El Mokbel sealed the victory with a spectacular game-winner, lifting LBSU to its third win of the year.
UC Davis (1-4-3) — UCD held LMU to a scoreless draw behind a six-save performance from goalkeeper Cat Pieper. The Aggies fired a season-high 20 shots in that match, then followed with 17 more in a narrow 1-0 setback to Montana, where Pieper added three saves. Despite the results, UC Davis continues to display a stout defense and aggressive attack that keeps opponents on edge.
UC Irvine (3-2-4) — UCI rebounded in style after a narrow 1-0 setback to Santa Clara, powering past Washington State 2-0 at Anteater Stadium. Clara Samson struck just 15 seconds into the second half to spark the win, and Suus de Bakker sealed the deal in the 82nd minute off an Ella Colombini cross.
UC Riverside (0-6-1) — The Highlanders look ahead to conference play after suffering a pair of setbacks last week. UCR will face UCI on Sunday to start its league slate.
UC San Diego (2-3-4) — UCSD fell to Washington State before earning a 0-0 draw with San Francisco. Lana Gilligan led the attack with two of the Tritons’ four shots on goal against the Cougars, while Ava Tibor and Allie Luo combined for six more attempts across the two matches. Despite the results, Charlotte Wilfret collected six saves in the two contests.
UC Santa Barbara (7-1-1) — The Gauchos extended their winning streak to six matches with a pair of 2-0 victories, first under the lights against New Mexico and then over Sacramento State at Harder Stadium. Emily Caughey and Mya Delaney each found the net against the Hornets, adding to the Gauchos’ deep roster of scorers.
Weekly Highlights
- Madelyn Dougherty powered CP to a thrilling 3-3 draw with Seattle during its senior night, sealing the program’s first unbeaten nonconference slate. Dougherty assisted Brennan Cole on a 14th-minute corner to open the scoring, then delivered the dramatic feed for the equalizer with just 10 seconds left. Dougherty leads the Big West with five assists this season.
Suus de Bakker made a big impact for UCI, scoring the senior captain’s second goal of the season with an 82nd-minute header in the fifth match back from injury. The defender anchored a stingy backline that secured a fifth shutout against Washington State and held Santa Clara to a single goal in a tightly contested matchup.
Weekly Awards
- Cal State Fullerton’s Sail Bozinovic netted the first two goals of the junior’s career to claim The Big West Offensive Player of the Week and spark a 3-2 victory versus New Mexico State. This is the first weekly distinction of Bonzinovic’s career. The forward struck twice in the opening 19 minutes (3:08 & 18:58) and tallied four total shots to pace the Titans’ attack on Thursday. Bozinovic added an assist on the opening goal in a 3-0 triumph over New Mexico on Sunday to cap a dominant weekend for CSF. Overall, the junior scored five points in two matches to keep CSF’s (6-0-1) six-game winning streak alive ahead of conference play.
Emily Caughey captured The Big West Defensive Player of the Week accolade after anchoring UC Santa Barbara’s backline for all 180 minutes, guiding the team to a pair of shutouts and a sixth consecutive win. This is the first weekly distinction of Caughey’s career. UCSB secured its first clean sheet of the week against undefeated New Mexico as Caughey added an assist in the 2-0 win. From there, the junior jolted UCSB’s offense by opening the scoring in the Gauchos’ 2-0 shutout over Sacramento State, while only allowing five shots. Defending conference champion UCSB is now riding a six-match winning streak entering conference play at 7-1-1.
Natelle El Mokbel recorded the second game-winning goal of the forward’s season to take home The Big West Freshman of the Week. This is the first distinction of El Mokbel’s career. The Montreal, Canada native notched just one shot in 72 minutes that proved to be the difference in LBSU’s 2-1 come-from-behind victory versus New Mexico State despite playing a player down.El Mokbel also added four shots alongside 72 more minutes in a 1-1 draw with San Diego and now has logged 427 minutes alongside two game-winning goals to start the freshman’s campaign.
All-Time Big West Players of the Week
The Big West RPI
Six-Piece at the Beach
Long Beach State put on an offensive clinic in a dominant 6-0 home victory, tying the program record for both goals scored and margin of victory. Kailey Supa led the charge with a brace, while Cherrie Cox, Ameera White, Raddison Banks, and Jordan Candelaria all added goals in a balanced attack that never let up. The Beach (2-4-0) controlled play from start to finish, outshooting Nevada 13-2 in the first half alone and piling on four more second-half goals to secure the emphatic win. LBSU’s six-goal performance marked their best offensive output of the season and the most goals in a single match since 2018.
300 & Counting
Cal State Fullerton celebrated a milestone while continuing their hot start, securing a 3-2 home victory over New Mexico State at Titan Stadium. The win marked the 300th victory in program history, a testament to the Titans’ long-standing success on the pitch.
Sail Bozinovic scored twice, including her first collegiate goal in the fourth minute, and Camryn Cruz added a goal for her second straight game, powering a balanced attack that saw the Titans record 28 shots with eight on goal. Despite conceding two goals, the Titans’ defense held firm late, preserving the historic win.
School Spotlight: UCSB's Olivia Howard
In the world of collegiate sports, athletes are often celebrated for their physical prowess, determination, and resilience. However, there are moments when the challenges they face extend beyond the field and into the realm of personal health.
Such was the case for Olivia Howard, women’s soccer player at UC Santa Barbara. The junior forward from Dallas, Texas, encountered an unexpected and life-altering obstacle before even stepping on the field for the Gauchos when a congenital heart defect was discovered during a routine incoming physical.
The initial shock of this diagnosis and the subsequent journey towards recovery not only transformed perspectives on the sport but also ignited a passion within to raise awareness about congenital heart defects, especially in young athletes. Read more about Howard's journey here.
Superwoman
Isabella Cruz of Cal State Fullerton has been selected as one of The Big West's pair of 2025 NCAA Woman of the Year conference nominees.
Each year, NCAA member schools nominate graduating female student-athletes who have distinguished themselves on and off the field of play. From there, the NCAA Woman of the Year selection process narrows the pool to the Top 30 honorees—10 from each division—before selecting three finalists from each division. The award recipient is chosen by the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics and honored at the NCAA Convention.
A second-generation Latina and standout student-athlete, Cruz has exemplified excellence both on and off the field. She completed her bachelor's degree in communications in just 2.5 years, graduating summa cum laude with a 3.9 GPA, and is currently pursuing a master's degree in professional communications while competing in her final season of NCAA eligibility. As a team captain for the CSUF women's soccer program, she has led with integrity, building a team culture centered on inclusivity, support, and growth.
Beyond athletics, she serves as her team's representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), advocating for the student-athlete experience across campus. Her commitment to service is evident through her volunteer work with Football for Her, campus engagement efforts like promoting voter participation, and community-driven initiatives such as food drives and holiday gift collections.
In addition to her academic and service contributions, Cruz has gained hands-on experience in sports marketing as an intern with Orange County Soccer Club, and currently serves as the social media manager for Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), using digital storytelling to foster connection and purpose.
Jenika Davis Final Cancer Update
Tune in above for a feature from UC Irvine Athletics with women’s soccer student-athlete Jenika Davis to talk about the senior's battle and victory against Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), return to the pitch, special events, and more. UC Irvine's match against Washington served as this year’s Cancer Awareness Game, and Anteater Nation joined the fight against cancer and cheered the team to a scoreless draw.
Read more about Jenika Davis through the CalHope Courage award here.
International Action
- Cal State Bakersfield senior Catalina Roggerone has once again been called up to the Argentina Women's National Team, making the midfielder's second appearance in 2025. The Mendoza, Argentina native helped the squad reach the semifinals and secure a podium finish, placing third overall in a major international tournament.
2025 USCA Division I Players to Watch
- A total of four standout Big West student athletes have been chosen to the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Women's Players to Watch list.
The listings are compiled and released by the Division I All-America Committees to promote college soccer leading up to the official start date for the regular season later this month. Honorees include United Soccer Coaches All-Americans and All-Region players from 2024 who are scheduled to return for the 2025 season.
| Isabella Cruz |
Senior |
Midfielder |
Cal State Fullerton |
| Nalani Damacion |
Sophomore |
Midfielder |
Hawai'i |
| Genavieve Fontes |
R-Senior |
Midfielder |
UC Davis |
| Kennedy Justin |
Sophomore |
Goalkeeper |
Hawai'i |
New Faces of The Big West
- The Big West welcomes a new crop of leaders around the conference during the 2025-26 season. A trio of programs has welcomed new head coaches with Cal State Bakersfield, UC Davis, and UC Riverside, while Cal Poly kept its hire within the league.
The Roadrunners welcome Whitney Pitalo, who most recently served as the First Assistant Coach at Boston College, aiding the Eagles to a 12-5-2 overall record and the team's best finish in the American Coastal Conference (ACC) since 2018. CSUB earned its first pair of victories in the Big West Championship last season, before being narrowly edged in the Final in penalty kicks.
Kat Mertz joins the Aggies after orchestrating a program-changing run as head coach at NCAA Division II MSU Denver, posting a 39-20-19 overall record and a 28-12-8 mark in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) action over four seasons. UCD capped off 2024 with the best regular season record in the league at 13-5-2 and earned the No. 2 seed in the Championship behind a 6-2-2 performance in conference play.
Mike Dibbini will now be the new manager of the Highlander. Dibbini brings nearly two decades of collegiate head coaching experience to UC Riverside, boasting a career record of 303-176-52 (.619). Most recently, he built Kansas State University's women's soccer program from the ground up, leading the Wildcats since their 2016 debut and steering them to multiple milestones, including a Big 12 Championship appearance in 2022.
Bernardo Silva will now take the reins at Cal Poly, succeeding Alex Crozier, who led the Mustangs since the program's inception in 1991. After leading CSUB for two seasons, he set multiple Big West program records and guided the Roadrunners to their best conference finish in history. A former Mustang assistant (2013-16), Silva compiled an 11-20-9 overall record and 6-8-6 Big West mark while coaching the 'Runners.
Preseason Prognostics
-Hawai'i has been selected as the preseason favorite to capture the 2025 Big West women's soccer title, as voted on by the league's 11 head coaches. Four teams received at least one first-place vote on the preseason poll.
The Rainbow Wahine, who finished 12-8-1 overall with an 8-1-1 record in conference play last season, earned 88 points and six first-place votes to claim the top spot after earning their first-ever Big West regular-season championship.
Defending tournament champion UC Santa Barbara (8-6-9, 4-2-4 BW) ranks second with 84 points and three first-place selections, followed closely by UC Irvine (6-7-6, 4-2-4 BW) with 81 points and one first-place nod. Long Beach State (6-9-3, 3-5-2 BW) collected 74 points and a first-place vote to land in fourth, while Cal State Fullerton sits just behind in fifth at 73 points.
Cal Poly (5-11-3, 3-6-1) finished sixth in the voting at 53 points, followed by UC San Diego (3-12-4, 1-6-3 BQ) in seventh with 42 points, and UC Davis's (13-5-2, 6-2-2 BW) 37 points placed the Aggies in eighth. Cal State Bakersfield (8-10-5, 4-3-3 BW) and CSUN (5-11-3, 3-4-3 BW) are knotted at No. 9 with 27 points as UC Riverside (2-13-4, 0-6-4 BW) rounds out the 2025 preseason coaches' poll.
Coaches also voted on an 11-member Preseason All-Big West Team featuring standout student-athletes from across the conference. Cal State Fullerton and Hawai'i led the way with both squads having a pair of representatives on the team.
The Big West unveiled its 11-member Preseason All-Conference Team, as voted on by league head coaches. The list features top returning talent from across the conference, with Cal State Fullerton and Hawai'i leading all programs with two selections each.
Representing the Titans are forward Isabella Cruz and defender Kaylin Raibon, who finished second and third in team scoring last season.
Preseason favorite Hawai'i places midfielder Nalani Damacion, the 2024 Big West Midfielder of the Year, and forward Amber Gilbert on the squad. Last season, Damacion notched seven goals, including five game-winners, while Gilbert was a consistent threat up top in 17 starts.
The preseason list also includes Cal State Bakersfield's standout goalkeeper Kamy Anaya, who helped lead the Roadrunners to their first Big West Final in program history with a .770 save percentage. Long Beach State forward Cherrie Cox returns to the pitch after claiming the 2023 Big West Offensive Player of the Year accolade behind a 13-goal campaign.
UC Davis forward Genavieve Fontes, the league's top scorer last season with 11 goals, earns a spot alongside UC Santa Barbara's forward Devin Greer, who tallied 10 goals en route to 2024 Freshman of the Year honors.
Jessie Halladay led the Mustangs as a forward with 11 points in 2024, while Mihaela Perez of UC Irvine helped anchor a defense that recorded five clean sheets in 19 starts. Midfielder Yoshi Rubalcava rounds out the 2025 preseason team as CSUN's representative after posting career-highs in both goals (5) and points (12) a year ago.
The 2025 Big West Women's Soccer Championship is set to begin on Sunday, Nov. 2, with first-round matches hosted by the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds, who will face the No. 6 and No. 5 seeds, respectively. From there, our semifinals and the title match will take place at the home venue of the 2025 regular-season champion and No. 1 seed. Semifinal action is slated for Thursday, Nov. 6, with the Championship Final set for Sunday, Nov. 9. The winner will earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship.
Action across The Big West kicks off this Thursday, Aug. 14, while league play commences Thursday, Sept. 18, with four matches on the docket, kicking off a seven-week slate. Each side will play five home matches and have three bye dates throughout the Thursday-Sunday rotation, which concludes on Oct. 30.
2024 Postseason Rewind
- No. 3 seed UC Santa Barbara opened its postseason run with a 2-1 win over No. 6 seed Cal State Fullerton. Freshman standout Devin Greer led the way with a goal and an assist, including the game-winner in the 73rd minute.
In the later first-round match, No. 5 seed Cal State Bakersfield made history in their Big West Championship debut, upsetting three-time defending champion and No. 4 seed UC Irvine 1-0 behind Kamy Anaya's eight-save shutout and Isis Salazar-Ortega's 44th-minute strike.
The semifinals at Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium in O'ahu, brought more drama. UCSB edged No. 2 seed UC Davis 3-2 in double overtime thanks to Greer's penalty kick to reach the title match for the first time since 2018, while CSUB stunned top-seeded and regular-season champion Hawai'i, 3-0, to reach their first-ever Big West Championship final in any sport, still without allowing a postseason goal.
In the Championship final, UCSB and CSUB battled to a stalemate before the Gauchos prevailed 8-7 in a penalty shootout to claim their third Big West title, all won via PKs. The victory sent UCSB to its 10th NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship appearance.
From The Big West to the Big Leagues
- In January 2022, Long Beach State forward Lena Silano was selected 34th overall by the Washington Spirit in the third round of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) Draft.
Silano was the second straight player from the Beach to be drafted and is the fourth overall Big West student-athlete to hear their name called in the NWSL Draft. Former teammate, Kaitlin Fregulia, and 2x Big West Defensive Player of the Year (2017, 2021) was selected 12th overall to the North Carolina Courage as the highest draft pick in Big West Women's Soccer history.
Silano won the 2022 Big West Offensive Player of the Year Award and has been an All-Big West selection twice (2021, 2022). The forward was also a member of the 2022 United Soccer Coaches All-West Region First Team.
Two months later, another alum of the Big West would have an opportunity to play in the NWSL as UC Irvine alum Scarlett Camberos was signed by Angel City FC (LA), marking her return to Southern California after spending time at Club América Femenil. The former Anteater scored 13 goals and notched seven assists during her senior season.
Another monumental moment for the conference occurred during the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, while Quinley Quezada represented UC Riverside and the Big West on the biggest stage while playing for the Philippines. The squad suffered a 2-0 defeat versus Switzerland in the first group stage before winning its first-ever World Cup match against New Zealand, 1-0 on July 25, 2023. However, the Philippines fell in its final group match to Norway, 6-0.
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