Championship Central | Interactive Bracket | Tickets
The bracket has been set for the 2026 Big West Softball Championship, returning to Anderson Family Field on the campus of Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, Calif.
The Big West's top six teams will compete for the conference title, with the champion earning an automatic berth into the NCAA Championship. The four-day, double-elimination format returns for its second year, with the top two seeds receiving a first-round bye as the bracket unfolds across four days of postseason play around the diamond.
Three games highlight the opening day of competition on Wednesday, May 6, beginning with a matchup between No. 4 seed UC Davis (28-23, 17-10 BW) and No. 5 seed Long Beach State (29-21, 17-10 BW) at 1:00 p.m. The Aggies carry momentum into the postseason after sweeping the Beach in their regular-season meeting, setting up a compelling rematch to open the Championship.
No. 3 seed UC Santa Barbara (28-24, 18-9 BW) and No. 6 seed UC San Diego (23-26, 11-15 BW) follow at 4:00 p.m. in a familiar postseason pairing. This marks the second straight season the Gauchos and Tritons meet in the No. 3 vs. No. 6 matchup, as UC San Diego claimed a 6-4 victory in last year's opening round before UC Santa Barbara regrouped and surged to Big West supremacy.
The non-advancing teams from Games 1 and 2 will square off in the first elimination game of the tournament at 7:00 p.m. to close out Day 1. Action resumes Thursday, May 7, as No. 1 seed and host-site Cal State Fullerton (37-13, 24-3 BW) takes on the winner of UC Davis/Long Beach State at 1:00 p.m., while No. 2 seed Hawai'i (29-8, 21-6 BW) faces the UC Santa Barbara/UC San Diego winner at 4:00 p.m. The day concludes with another elimination game at 7:00 p.m., trimming the field as the bracket continues to take shape.
Friday, May 8 features a winner's bracket showdown at 1:00 p.m., with the victor advancing directly to the championship game. Two elimination contests at 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. will determine which team battles back through the bracket to keep its title hopes alive.
The Championship will be decided on Saturday, May 9, with first pitch at 1:00 p.m. If the undefeated team sustains its first loss, a winner-take-all game will follow approximately 45 minutes later to crown the 2026 Big West Softball champion, as it did last year in its first season.
A year ago, UCSB secured a win in six straight elimination games to capture the first-ever Big West Softball Championship crown. The Gauchos would continue to make history by dramatically clinching their first pair of NCAA Championship victories while advancing to the final game of the Los Angeles Regional.
The winner of the 2026 Big West Softball Championship will once again earn the league's automatic qualifier and appear in the 2026 NCAA Softball Championship. The selection show will be held live on ESPN on May 10 at 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET, with the first round set for Friday, May 15, at select regional sites across the country.
2026 Big West Softball Championship Schedule (all times Pacific)
Wednesday, May 6 - Fullerton, Calif. (Anderson Family Field)
Game 1 (1 p.m.) | No. 4 seed UC Davis vs. No. 5 seed Long Beach State
Game 2 (4 p.m.) | No. 3 seed UC Santa Barbara vs. No. 6 seed UC San Diego
Game 3 (7 p.m.) | Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser (elimination game)
Thursday, May 7 - Fullerton, Calif. (Anderson Family Field)
Game 4 (1 p.m.) | No. 1 seed Cal State Fullerton vs. Game 1 winner
Game 5 (4 p.m.) | No. 2 seed Hawai'i vs. Game 2 winner
Game 6 (7 p.m.) | Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser (elimination game)
Friday, May 8 - Fullerton, Calif. (Anderson Family Field)
Game 7 (1 p.m.) | Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner
Game 8 (4 p.m.) | Game 5 loser vs. Game 6 winner (elimination game)
Game 9 (7 p.m.) | Game 7 loser vs. Game 8 winner (elimination game)
Saturday, May 9 - Fullerton, Calif. (Anderson Family Field)
Game 10 (1 p.m.) | Game 7 winner vs. Game 9 winner
(If necessary game to follow approximately 45 minutes after)