|
What 2 Watch 4
- The 2026 Big West women’s soccer regular season reaches its conclusion with 12 conference matches across Wednesday, Oct. 28, and Saturday, Oct. 31, which will be crucial in determining Championship seeding.
Utah Valley (7-0-2 BW), Cal State Fullerton (6-1-2 BW) have secured postseason berths. The Wolverines lead the table with 23 points, followed by the Titans with 20.
UC San Diego (5-1-3 BW) has compiled 18 points. Five squads sit tied at 12 points, while UC Irvine and Sacramento State remain within striking distance as seven teams battle for the final three Championship spots. Wednesday’s slate features several pivotal matchups, highlighted by Long Beach State visiting first-place Utah Valley and UC Santa Barbara meeting CSUN in a clash between two of the five teams tied at 12 points. Cal State Fullerton travels to UC Irvine, while California Baptist visits Sacramento State in another contest with postseason implications.
All six regular-season finales kick off Saturday at 1 p.m., with California Baptist visiting Cal State Fullerton, Sacramento State traveling to Cal Poly and Utah Valley meeting CSUN. UC Irvine heads to UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara visits UC Riverside, and Cal State Bakersfield travels to Long Beach State as the final Championship field and seeding take shape.
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!
Please check the listings here to watch your favorite Big West squad in action!
2026 Big West Women's Soccer Schedule
2026 Big West Conference Schedule
Chloe's Corner of Highlights
Where Do We Stand?!
- Utah Valley (11-4-3, 7-0-2 BW) leads the conference with 23 points, followed by Cal State Fullerton (9-3-5, 6-1-2 BW) with 20. These two teams have clinched berths into the 2026 postseason.
UC San Diego (9-3-5, 5-1-3 BW) sits in third place with 18 points. California Baptist (8-3-4, 3-3-3 BW), Long Beach State (9-4-5, 3-3-3 BW), UC Santa Barbara (8-4-6, 3-3-3 BW), Cal Poly (6-6-5, 3-3-3 BW) and CSUN (5-7-6, 3-3-3 BW) enter the final week tied at 12 points. UC Irvine (5-8-3, 3-5-1 BW) remains in contention with 10 points, while Sacramento State (6-6-5, 2-4-3 BW) follows with nine.
UC Riverside (3-12-1, 1-7-1 BW) and Cal State Bakersfield (2-14-2, 1-7-1 BW) round out the standings with four points apiece. With three postseason berths and all six seeds still to be determined, every result will carry added weight during the final week of the regular season.
The top six teams will qualify for the 2026 Big West Women’s Soccer Championship, with the top two seeds earning first-round byes.
Wins of The Week
-California Baptist (8-3-4, 3-3-3 BW) — The Lancers collected six points at home with a 4-0 shutout of UC Irvine and a 2-1 Senior Night victory over Cal State Bakersfield. Six different players found the net across the two matches, including first career goals from Jaelynn Hillenbrand and Kandace Koerth against the Anteaters. Jessica Ramirez and Nikki Mau scored against the Roadrunners as California Baptist earned its 30th victory at CBU Soccer Stadium. The Lancers visit Sacramento State on Wednesday and Cal State Fullerton on Saturday.
Cal Poly (6-6-5, 3-3-3 BW) — The Mustangs earned a 2-0 victory over Blue-Green rival UC Santa Barbara in a rain-soaked rematch of the 2025 Big West Championship final. Defender Annika Smith headed home a first goal of the season in the ninth minute before Kate Nunes added the insurance tally in the 74th. Cal Poly visits UC Riverside on Wednesday before hosting Sacramento State on Saturday.
Cal State Fullerton (9-3-5, 6-1-2 BW) — The Titans erupted for three second-half goals in a 3-0 shutout of Cal State Bakersfield, firing 37 shots for their second-highest single-match total in program history. Jaidyn Williams, Kayalily Penn and Camryn Cruz each scored, while goalkeeper Allison Craycroft made four saves to record a seventh clean sheet of the season. Cal State Fullerton travels to UC Irvine on Wednesday before welcoming California Baptist on Saturday.
Long Beach State (9-4-5, 3-3-3 BW) — The Beach strengthened their postseason push with a 3-1 home victory over UC Riverside. Defender Natalie Arnold recorded a brace, while forward Cherrie Cox scored the game-winner for a 36th career goal, tying the Long Beach State program record. The Beach visits first-place Utah Valley on Wednesday before hosting Cal State Bakersfield on Saturday.
Sacramento State (6-6-5, 2-4-3 BW) — The Hornets kept their postseason hopes alive with a 1-0 Senior Day victory over CSUN. Jaety Mandaquit headed home the decisive goal in the 43rd minute off a cross from Lexi Schroeder, while goalkeeper Delaney Timmons made four saves to secure Sacramento State’s third shutout of the season. The Hornets host California Baptist on Wednesday before visiting Cal Poly on Saturday.
UC Irvine (5-8-3, 3-5-1 BW) — The Anteaters remained in the postseason chase with a pivotal 1-0 road victory over Cal Poly. Mimi Yamamoto headed home a corner kick from Keira Baranski in the 75th minute, giving Baranski a first collegiate point. Goalkeeper Sara Paul made two saves to record a first career shutout. UC Irvine hosts Cal State Fullerton on Wednesday before visiting UC San Diego on Saturday.
UC Riverside (3-12-1, 1-7-1 BW) — The Highlanders secured their first conference victory of the season with a 3-1 home win over CSUN. Morgan Humphrey opened the scoring late in the first half before Natalie Darling, and Finley Aghassi added second-half goals. Goalkeeper KaMia Elliott contributed three saves as UC Riverside converted all three of its shots on goal. The Highlanders host Cal Poly on Wednesday and UC Santa Barbara on Saturday.
UC San Diego (9-3-5, 5-1-3 BW) — The Tritons produced a pair of second-half comebacks to defeat Long Beach State and Cal State Fullerton by identical 2-1 scores. Olivia Shih and Lana Gilligan overturned a halftime deficit against the Beach before Natalie Oca equalized in the 87th minute and Leilah Raad delivered the game-winner in the 89th against the Titans. The victories extended the best start in program history and secured UC San Diego’s place in the Big West Championship. The Tritons visit Cal State Bakersfield on Wednesday before hosting UC Irvine on Saturday.
Utah Valley (11-4-3, 7-0-2 BW) — The Wolverines outscored Sacramento State and UC Santa Barbara by a combined 10-1 margin to remain unbeaten in conference play and take sole possession of first place. Forward Sadie Beardall totaled three goals and four assists across the two victories, contributing to seven of Utah Valley’s 10 goals. The Wolverines extended their winning streak to five matches, their overall unbeaten run to 10, and their regular-season conference unbeaten streak to 41. Utah Valley hosts Long Beach State on Wednesday before visiting CSUN on Saturday.
Wolverines Running Wild
- Utah Valley enters the final week of the regular season as the lone unbeaten team in Big West play at 7-0-2. The Wolverines have won five consecutive matches, outscoring opponents 16-2 during the streak, and lead the conference with 42 goals, 47 assists and 131 points overall. Forward Sadie Beardall has totaled 11 goals and a league-leading 29 points, while forward Nixan Jackson ranks second nationally with 11 assists.
Cherrie Cox Career Recrod
- Long Beach State forward Cherrie Cox moved into a tie atop the program’s career goals chart after scoring the 36th tally of a decorated career. Cox buried a rebound from Ruby Mansour’s driven attempt in the 13th minute, scoring the eventual game-winner in the Beach’s 3-1 win over UC Riverside and joining Ashley Gonzales as the program’s all-time leader.
Through 18 matches in 2026, Cox leads The Big West with 13 goals and ranks second with 28 points, adding two assists and four game-winning strikes. Cox also paces Long Beach State in goals and points.
USCA West Region Poll Rankings, Oct. 27 (Poll 11)
- Five Big West programs earned spots in the latest United Soccer Coaches West Region Poll, occupying five of the top seven positions.
Utah Valley (11-4-3, 7-0-2 BW) held steady at No. 1, while UC San Diego (9-3-5, 5-1-3 BW) climbed two spots to No. 2. Cal State Fullerton (9-3-5, 6-1-2 BW) shifted to No. 4, Long Beach State (9-4-5, 3-3-3 BW) rose one position to No. 5 and California Baptist (8-3-4, 3-3-3 BW) remained at No. 7.
The Beach, Lancers, Titans, Tritons and Wolverines own a combined 46-17-22 record this season.
Statistically Speaking
- Utah Valley forward Nixan Jackson ranks second nationally with 11 assists, while teammate Sadie Beardall stands 14th with 29 points and has collected 11 goals. Long Beach State forward Cherrie Cox is tied for 11th with 13 goals and tied for 18th with 28 points.
CSUN goalkeeper Hayden Mauldin leads Division I with 1,620 minutes played and ranks third with 104 saves. Cal State Bakersfield goalkeeper Addyson Evens sits 10th with 6.54 saves per match and is tied for 22nd with 85 total stops.
California Baptist continues to pace the nation with a .933 team save percentage while ranking second with a 0.33 goals-against average. Goalkeeper Mikayla O’Brien stands second individually with a .912 save percentage, while UC San Diego is tied for 17th nationally with an .857 team save percentage.
-Statistics are through matches played Oct. 21.
2026 NCAA Women's Soccer Stats
2026 Big West Women's Soccer Overall Stats
2026 Big West Individual Leaders Link
10.27.26 Weekly Awards
- Utah Valley forward Sadie Beardall contributed seven scores during a pair of commanding victories to collect a second consecutive Big West Offensive Player of the Week honor. This is the third weekly distinction of Beardall’s career after earning the honor on Sept. 28 and Oct. 19, 2026. Beardall opened the week with two goals and two assists in a 6-1 victory over Sacramento State. From there, the forward added a goal and two assists in a 4-0 road win at UC Santa Barbara. The South Ogden, Utah, native finished with three goals, four assists, and 10 points as the Wolverines scored 10 times across the two contests. UVU extended its winning streak to five matches and moved into sole possession of first place in The Big West standings at 7-0-2, clinching a 2026 Women's Soccer Championship berth in the process.
Utah Valley goalkeeper Madeleine Boucher allowed just one goal across two victories to secure Big West Defensive Player of the Week honors. This is the first weekly award of Boucher's career. Boucher posted a 2-0-0 record, a 0.54 goals-against average and an .800 save percentage while playing 166 minutes against SAC State and UCSB. The first-year player made three saves in a 4-0 road victory over the Gauchos, helping Utah Valley record its sixth clean sheet of the season. Boucher improved to 11-2-3 across 17 starts while lowering the freshman’s season goals-against average to 0.80.
Utah Valley midfielder Sam Curtis contributed to a goal in each of the Wolverines’ two victories to earn Big West Rookie of the Week honors. This is the first weekly award of Curtis' career. Curtis assisted on the opening strike in a 6-1 win over the Hornets before scoring the game-winning goal in the 61st minute of a 4-0 road victory at UCSB. The Chesterfield, Mich., native started both matches and completed the week with one goal, one assist, and three points.
Lockdown Lancers
California Baptist secured its 10th clean sheet of the season in a scoreless draw at CSUN, establishing a new program Division I-era record. The mark surpassed the previous record of nine shutouts set in 2025. Goalkeeper Mikayla O’Brien made five saves to collect a fifth clean sheet of the season and the 19th of O’Brien’s career.
The Big West BookWorm
Jess Ramirez isn’t the type to do anything halfway.
As a senior accounting major carrying a 3.87 GPA while competing as a Division I soccer player at California Baptist, Ramirez has mastered the art of balance, one that demands discipline, sacrifice, and a relentless work ethic. “I take pretty much everything seriously,” Ramirez said. “Being a student-athlete is fun, but it’s a lot. There are practices, meetings, classes, and you have to juggle your personal life, too.”
For Ramirez, the foundation of success was laid long before college. “My mom and dad have always told me, school’s first, soccer second,” the senior said. That mindset followed Ramirez to campus, where the midfielder learned to prioritize academics without letting a love for soccer fade. “Coming into college, balancing everything was the hardest part,” Ramirez said. “I had to be disciplined and manage my time.”
Now a senior, Ramirez has turned that discipline into a rhythm, one that allows the midfielder to excel both in the classroom and on the field. “I’m an accounting major,” Ramirez said. “I specifically chose accounting because I wanted to pick something I could use in the future, whether I went into business or not.” After conversations with Ramirez’s mom, the senior realized accounting would provide the financial literacy needed for adulthood and long-term goals. “I always knew I wanted to own my own business in some way,” Ramirez said. “Now I want to make real estate investments and have my own portfolio. I can use the accounting background with that.”
Read the full feature here.
A Special Visit in Slo
Cal Poly women's soccer welcomed Ashlyn Gwynn and parents Matthew and Shelly to a recent training session at Doerr Family Field. Ashlyn’s perseverance and determination over the past year have inspired the Mustangs, who shared their continued support and recognized Ashlyn and Lauren as part of the Cal Poly soccer sisterhood. The program carries both in its heart each time the Mustangs step onto the pitch.
The Big West in the National Rankings
- OCT. 14, 2026: Utah Valley’s unbeaten start to conference play has earned national recognition, with the Wolverines receiving votes in this week’s United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I poll.
Utah Valley enters the week at 7-4-3 overall and 3-0-2 in Big West play, sitting level atop the conference standings with 11 points. The Wolverines strengthened their résumé with a 2-1 road victory over Cal Poly as Nixan Jackson recorded a goal and an assist, adding to a season highlighted by a nationally ranked win over No. 17/14 Kansas. Utah Valley visits California Baptist on Wednesday before hosting UC Riverside on Saturday.
AUG. 24, 2026: The Gauchos’ perfect start has earned national recognition, with UC Santa Barbara receiving votes in this week’s United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I poll.
UC Santa Barbara has opened the season with three consecutive clean sheets, outscoring its opponents 6-0 behind six different goal scorers. Goalkeeper Maddie Buckley remained perfect in net after shutting out San Jose State and playing the first half of a combined clean sheet against Fresno State, making six saves on 14 shots faced without conceding a goal. The Gauchos look to strengthen their national resume on the road against California Baptist on Thursday and UC Davis on Sunday.
Anteater Alumn Earns Ballon d'Or Nomination
- Former UC Irvine forward Scarlett Camberos is among 30 nominees for the 2026 Women's Ballon d'Or, becoming the first player of Mexican descent to earn the recognition. Camberos recorded 27 goals and seven assists in 47 matches for Club América during a season that included domestic and continental titles. Read more here
#TeamJenika
- UC Irvine will place a meaningful spotlight on forward Jenika Davis when the Anteaters host San Diego for their Cancer Awareness Game on Thursday at 6 p.m. Davis was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia in 2022 before returning to the pitch in 2024 and being named a team captain ahead of the 2026 season. Leading into the match, UC Irvine released the final interview of its Cancer Awareness Campaign, allowing Davis to reflect on the journey, return to competition, and support behind #TeamJenika. Read more here.
Six Piece Titan Meal
- The Titans erupted for a 6-1 victory over UNLV, producing their highest-scoring performance since 2015 and reaching six goals for just the fifth time this century. Cassie Villanueva opened the scoring from the penalty spot before Sasha Amezcua, Kaylin Raibon, Mia LaRosa, Camryn Cruz and Shannon Nettekoven each found the back of the net. Cal State Fullerton finished with a 15-11 advantage in shots and placed nine attempts on target, while goalkeeper Allison Craycroft made three saves to earn a second career victory.
This is the highest number of goals scored by a Big West team thus far in 2026.
Big West, Big Wins
- Utah Valley broke into the win column in statement fashion, rallying past No. 17/14 Kansas 2-1 at UCCU Stadium behind two goals just 1:24 apart.
Midfielder Malia Jessop headed home a cross from Nixan Jackson in the 36th minute before forward Sadie Beardall pressured the Kansas back line and beat the goalkeeper to a loose ball for the game-winner in the 38th. Goalkeeper Madeleine Boucher made four saves, while defender Tess Livingston played all 90 minutes as the Wolverines protected their lead over the final 52 minutes despite a 16-7 Kansas shot advantage. The victory lifted Utah Valley to 1-2-1 on the season.
New Kids on the Pitch
- The Big West welcomes California Baptist, Sacramento State and Utah Valley in 2026, adding three championship programs with a combined nine NCAA Division I Championship appearances.
California Baptist enters after winning consecutive WAC Tournament titles and earning NCAA Championship berths in 2024 and 2025. The Lancers captured the 2025 crown after erasing a two-goal deficit against fellow newcomer Utah Valley and prevailing in a penalty shootout.
Sacramento State brings three Big Sky Tournament titles and three NCAA appearances. The Hornets' latest championship came in 2024, when they became the first program in Big Sky history to advance through every postseason round via penalty kicks.
Utah Valley arrives having won four consecutive WAC regular-season titles from 2022-25. The Wolverines finished 14-5-3 and earned an at-large NCAA berth in 2025, marking their fourth national postseason appearance.
The Big West in the National Rankings
- On Aug. 24, 2026, the Gauchos' perfect start has earned national recognition, with UC Santa Barbara receiving votes in this week's United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I poll.
UC Santa Barbara has opened the season with three consecutive clean sheets, outscoring its opponents 6-0 behind six different goal scorers. Goalkeeper Maddie Buckley remained perfect in net after shutting out San Jose State and playing the first half of a combined clean sheet against Fresno State, making six saves on 14 shots faced without conceding a goal. The Gauchos look to strengthen their national resume on the road against California Baptist on Thursday and UC Davis on Sunday.
2026 USCA Players to Watch
- A total of four standout Big West student-athletes have been selected to the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Women's Players to Watch list.
The lists are compiled and released by the Division I All-America Committees to highlight some of college soccer's top returning talent ahead of the 2026 regular season.
All four honorees were also named to the 2026 Preseason All-Big West Team following impressive 2025 campaigns. Annika Smith recorded seven goals, four assists and 18 points on the way to Big West Offensive Player of the Year honors, while Camryn Cruz produced six goals and an assist for Cal State Fullerton. California Baptist's Anja Jestrovic paced the Lancers with eight goals, eight assists and 24 points, while Mikayla O'Brien collected 88 saves and six shutouts en route to being named the WAC Goalkeeper of the Year.
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 2025 who are scheduled to return for the 2026 season.
| Camryn Cruz |
Sophomore |
Midfielder |
Cal State Fullerton |
| Mikayla O'Brien |
Fifth |
Goalkeeper |
California Baptist |
| Anja Jestrovic |
Senior |
Forward/Midfielder |
California Baptist |
| Annika Smith |
Senior |
Forward |
Cal Poly |
Top Drawer Soccer 2026 Women's Breakout Candidates
- A total of 11 Big West student-athletes have been named 2026 Women's Big West Breakout Candidates by TopDrawerSoccer.
The list features emerging talent from 11 conference programs, including 2025 Big West All-Freshman Team selections Mia DiLeo, Jaiden Gore and Kayalily Penn, along with WAC All-Freshman honoree Kandace Koerth.
| Ashley Brewer |
Forward |
Cal Poly -has since transferred |
| Gianna Costello |
Forward |
UC Irvine |
| Mia DiLeo |
Forward |
UC Riverside |
| Bailey Fuller |
Midfielder |
Sacramento State |
| Jaiden Gore |
Midfielder |
Cal State Bakersfield |
| Malia Jessop |
Midfielder |
Utah Valley |
| Kandance Koerth |
Forward |
California Baptist |
| Ruby Mansour |
Defender |
Long Beach State |
| Kayalily Penn |
Forward |
Cal State Fullerton |
| Olivia Shih |
Midfielder |
UC San Diego |
| Caitlyn Simons |
Midfielder |
UC Santa Barbara |
The Big West Goes International
- The Big West announced the launch of Big West International, a significant expansion of the conference's media distribution that gives fans outside the United States access to live and on-demand competition throughout the 2026-27 season.
The new platform extends The Big West's reach from a national audience to an international one. Big West institutions now may designate any event they produce for ESPN+ for international distribution, creating the potential for more than 1,200 events annually across the conference's broad-based sports program to be available to viewers around the world.
In the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America and South America, selected events carried on ESPN+ in the United States will be available through Disney+ Premium. The Big West joins ESPN'S broad sports offering on Disney+ Premium across Latin America, giving customers access to premium live sports, flagship studio shows, original programming and more. In all other international territories, selected live and on-demand events will be available through SIDEARM Sports at BigWest.org/Watch.
The international reach is especially meaningful for The Big West's many student-athletes from outside the United States, providing their families, friends, and communities at home with more opportunities to watch them compete. It also gives member institutions a broader platform to showcase their programs and connect with alumni and fans worldwide.
Read more about Big West International here.
2026 Preseason Prognostics
- Cal Poly and UC Santa Barbara have been selected as co-favorites to capture the 2026 Big West women's soccer title, as voted on by the league's 12 head coaches. Four programs received at least one first-place vote in the tightly contested preseason poll.
Defending Big West champion Cal Poly (10-3-9, 6-2-2 BW) and 2025 Championship runner-up UC Santa Barbara (13-5-5, 5-2-3 BW) each collected 100 points to share the top spot. The Mustangs earned a poll-high five first-place votes, while the Gauchos received four.
Cal State Fullerton (14-3-3, 6-2-2 BW) landed just behind the co-favorites in third with 98 points and one first-place selection. Big West newcomer Utah Valley (14-5-3, 9-0-1 WAC) garnered the remaining two first-place votes and 95 points, earning a fourth-place finish slightly behind the Titans.
UC Irvine (8-5-7, 5-2-3 BW) sits in fifth with 76 points, followed closely by newcomer California Baptist (10-9-4, 6-3-1 WAC) in sixth with 75 points. Long Beach State (5-8-5, 2-4-4 BW) collected 72 points to take seventh in a close margin at the middle of the pack.
2025 regular-season champion CSUN (8-7-5, 6-1-3 BW) was voted eighth. UC San Diego (5-6-8, 3-3-4 BW) landed in ninth with 45 points, followed by Cal State Bakersfield (8-9-2, 5-4-1 BW) in 10th with 33. UC Riverside (0-16-2, 0-9-1 BW) earned 22 points to take 11th, while new member Sacramento State (6-11-1, 2-5-1 Big Sky) rounds out the 2026 preseason coaches' poll with 18 points.
Coaches also voted on an 11-member Preseason All-Big West Team featuring standout student-athletes from across the conference. California Baptist, Long Beach State and Utah Valley led all programs with two selections apiece.
Representing defending champion Cal Poly is forward Annika Smith, who started all 22 matches and finished the 2025 campaign with seven goals, four assists and 18 points as The Big West's Offensive Player of the Year in 2025
Long Beach State placed forwards Radisson Banks and Cherrie Cox on the preseason squad. Banks earned All-Big West Second Team recognition after producing four goals and five assists for 13 points across 18 matches. Cox recorded five goals and two assists for 12 points despite appearing in just 10 contests and returns with 2023 Big West Offensive Player of the Year recognition.
Defender Emily Caughey represents UC Santa Barbara after appearing in 22 matches and contributing two goals and an assist in 2025. The All-Big West Second Team selection helped the Gauchos advance to the Championship Final, scoring a game-winning goal in the first round of postseason play.
Utah Valley's first Big West preseason team selections are midfielder Josie Clawson and defender Mia Owens. Clawson earned All-WAC Second Team honors after registering five goals and five assists for 15 points across 22 matches. Owens was named the WAC Defensive Player of the Year after starting all 22 contests, logging 1,794 minutes and contributing one goal and two assists while helping the Wolverines record seven shutouts.
Newcomer California Baptist is represented by midfielder Anja Jestrovic and goalkeeper Mikayla O'Brien. Jestrovic paced the Lancers with eight goals, eight assists and 24 points across 22 appearances, while O'Brien collected 88 saves and six shutouts en route to 2025 WAC Goalkeeper of the Year honors.
The preseason team also features midfielder Camryn Cruz of Cal State Fullerton, defender Hailey Clingan of UC Irvine and defender Sydney Lipkin of CSUN. Cruz started all 20 matches and produced six goals and an assist for 13 points. Clingan made 19 starts across 20 appearances, logging 1,712 minutes while helping the Anteaters record eight shutouts. Lipkin started all 20 contests and played 1,798 minutes for a Matador defense that registered nine clean sheets and allowed just 16 goals.
The 2026 Big West Women's Soccer Championship begins Wednesday, Nov. 4, with first-round matches hosted by the higher seeds. The top six teams will qualify for the postseason, with the top two seeds receiving first-round byes. Semifinal action is slated for Saturday, Nov. 7, with each matchup hosted by the higher seed. The Championship final will follow on Saturday, Nov. 14, with the highest remaining seed serving as host. The winner will earn The Big West's automatic berth into the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship.
Action across The Big West kicks off Wednesday, Aug. 12, while conference play begins Wednesday, Sept. 23. The regular-season slate concludes Saturday, Oct. 31.
Select regular-season contests are slated for broadcast on ESPN+. Please check The Big West's listings for upcoming matchups and additional information.
2025 Postseason Rewind
- No. 3 seed Cal State Fullerton opened the 2025 Big West Women's Soccer Championship with a dramatic 1-0 victory over No. 6 seed Cal State Bakersfield. The Titans broke the scoreless tie with just 84 seconds remaining, while Isaac Ranson recorded three saves to preserve the shutout.
In the later first-round match, defending champion and No. 5 seed UC Santa Barbara edged No. 4 seed UC Irvine, 1-0. Emily Caughey scored the game-winner off a feed from Mya Delaney in the 52nd minute, while Maddie Buckley helped the Gauchos withstand UCI's pressure with a two-save shutout.
The semifinals at CSUN's Matador Soccer Field brought more late-match drama. No. 2 seed Cal Poly defeated Cal State Fullerton 1-0 behind Jessie Halladay's penalty kick in the 75th minute and Shannon Porubski's clean sheet with three saves. UCSB then battled top-seeded and regular-season
In the Championship Final, Halladay struck again with the game-winner just 115 seconds from full time, lifting Cal Poly past Blue-Green rival UC Santa Barbara, 1-0. Halladay earned Championship MVP honors as the Mustangs claimed their fourth Big West title, first since 2004, and secured the conference's automatic NCAA Championship berth.
2026 NCAA Championship Recap
- Making their first NCAA Championship appearance in 21 years, Cal Poly struck just 49 seconds into their opening-round match against No. 1 national seed Stanford behind Halladay's 10th goal of the season. Cal Poly challenged the Cardinal throughout the night before the Mustangs concluded their historic postseason run with a 3-1 defeat.
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.
The Big West Women's Soccer
The Big West has built a proud women's soccer tradition since conference sponsorship began in 1996. Across three decades of competition, six programs have captured the conference championship while Big West student-athletes have earned nine United Soccer Coaches/NSCAA All-America honors and produced four NWSL Draft selections.
The league's success has also reached the national stage, highlighted by Long Beach State's run to the 2011 NCAA quarterfinals (Elite Eight) and UC Irvine's recent postseason surge. The Anteaters won three consecutive Big West titles from 2021-23 and recorded NCAA Championship victories in each season, defeating national powers UCLA twice and Southern California, and advanced to back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances in 2022 and 2023.
|