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What 2 Watch 4
- Cal State Fullerton (3-0-1) remains the league’s only unbeaten team while UC Santa Barbara (3-1-1) rides a four-match winning streak heading into the fourth week of non-conference play.
On Thursday, Sept. 4, nine Big West teams will take to the pitch, while the Titans face off against LMU in the lone match on Saturday, Sept. 6. UCSB kicks off its Sunday, Sept. 7, slate on the road against North Dakota State.
- A total of nine 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 (1-0-5) — CP extended its draw streak to five straight with a 2-2 result at Nevada, netting both goals off second half set pieces from Jessie Halladay (52’) and Julia Moore. (58’). Madelyn Dougherty then delivered the breakthrough on Sunday, scoring in the 17th minute to lift the Mustangs to a 1-0 win at UNLV. The victory marked Cal Poly’s first of the season and pushed the team to a 1-0-5 start, the third-longest unbeaten streak to open a season in program history.
Cal State Bakersfield (2-4) — The Roadrunners bounced back from a tough road stretch with their first two wins of the year, scoring seven goals across both matches. Natalie O’Sullivan, Cynthia Ramirez, and Isis Salazar-Ortega each recorded multiple goals to fuel the Roadrunners’ attack. CSUB also handed Boise State a rare home loss, knocking off a squad that went 10-0-0 at home last season. Defender Mya Fortun has anchored the back line, playing every minute of the season’s first 540.
Cal State Fullerton (3-0-1) — CSF secured a statement win on the road Thursday, edging power-five opponent Pittsburgh, 1-0. Isabella Cruz delivered the difference in the 16th minute, netting the senior’s third straight game-winning goal for the Titans. The defensive unit, anchored by goalkeeper Isaac Ranson, continued its dominant run with a third shutout to open the season.
CSUN (1-4-1) — CSUN battled in a tight matchup Thursday at Matador Soccer Field, with Cailey Jackson scoring early before Utah Tech secured the game-winner in a 2-1 result. Goalkeeper Riley Liebsack added four saves to keep the Matadors within reach down the stretch. On Sunday, Jackson struck again for her third goal of the year as CSUN outshot San Diego 16-5 after halftime, but the Toreros held on for a 3-1 win.
Hawai’i (1-2-1) — UH showed resilience rallying from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw against California Baptist on Sunday. Izzy Ayala and Cate Sheahan powered the comeback with strikes in the final 25 minutes, helping the Rainbow Wahine snap a two-match skid. UH also flashed its attack earlier in the week, jumping out to quick leads in a high-scoring battle with Northern Arizona.
Long Beach State (1-4-0) — The Beach wrapped up their three-match road trip at No. 23 UCLA in their only match of the week last Friday. LBSU notched three shots on goal, and goalkeeper Aurora Schuck turned away five shots in the setback.
UC Davis (1-1-1) — UCD displayed grit on the road, earning a 0-0 draw against Lamar behind a six-save performance from goalkeeper Cat Pieper. The Aggies carried their competitive energy to LSU, with Genavieve Fontes scoring early and Lisette Gregoris recording her first career goal to reclaim the lead. Despite a late second-half surge, the Tigers prevailed 3-2 to close out the contest.
UC Irvine (2-1-3) — The Anteaters opened its Northern California weekend with a commanding 4-0 win over Sacramento State at Hornet Field. Ella Colombini, Kori Pickelle, Suus de Bakker, and Kori Pickelle all found the back of the net in the convincing victory. The Anteaters followed up with a hard-fought 0-0 draw against San Francisco to close the road trip.
UC Riverside (0-2-1) — UCR enjoyed a week off after enjoying its first tie of the season. Spenser Gonzales recorded the senior’s 50th appearance on the pitch while keeper Trinity Hale notched the first start and shutout in net. The Highlanders will hit the road for a pair of matches at UNLV and San Diego.
UC San Diego (1-1-3) — The Tritons extended their unbeaten streak to four matches with back-to-back scoreless draws over San Diego State and Pacific. Freshman goalkeeper Charlotte Wilfert anchored the UCSD defense with five saves against SDSU and four more stops against Pacific, earning consecutive clean sheets. The Tritons look to continue their strong form in upcoming matches.
UC Santa Barbara (3-1-1) — UCSB kicked off its four-match road trip with back-to-back wins, starting with a convincing victory over Fresno State on Thursday night. Hayden Halscheid led the charge with two goals as the Gauchos improved to 2-1-1. The momentum continued Sunday with a 1-0 win over San Jose State, thanks to a 70th-minute strike from Haley Phillips.
Weekly Highlights
- Madelyn Dougherty factored into every Mustang goal to keep the squad’s unbeaten streak alive over the weekend. The graduate student tallied two assists in a 2-2 draw at Nevada, both coming directly off corner kicks. From there, Daugherty scored for the first time on Sunday, accounting for the game-winner in a 1-0 victory at UNLV. The sophomore now leads the Big West in assists (3) and ranks tied for seventh in points (5).
Cal State Fullerton’s Isabella Cruz Emily powered the Titans to their third straight victory while taking down Pittsburgh last week. Cruz delivered the lone strike in the 16th minute, her third consecutive game-winner. The goal secured a 1-0 upset at Pittsburgh, marking just the program’s second win over an ACC opponent and the first since 2003.
UC Irvine’s Ella Colombini netted the senior’s first career goal on Thursday, the game-winner in a 4-0 victory over Sacramento State. The midfielder added an assist later in the match to register her first career three-point performance. Colombini’s breakout effort powered the Anteaters to their largest win of the season and highlighted a strong nonconference showing
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.
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 |
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.
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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