General 7/29/2026 9:00:00 AM

2026-27 Big West Championships Sites, Dates and Formats Revealed for Upcoming Season

With the 2026-27 sports season set to embark in a few short weeks, The Big West is revealing its championship dates, sites and formats for its 19-conference sponsored sports.

This season, on-campus hosting opportunities will be seen at at least five different sites as UC Riverside, Long Beach State, Cal Poly, UC San Diego and UC Irvine will welcome championship events with additional campus-site hosts to be determined by seeds in men's and women's soccer.

UC Riverside opens trophy season in October as cross country student-athletes toe the line at the UCR Ag/Ops Course on Oct. 31 to begin the fall championships season in the Inland Empire.

Long Beach State will both host the coronation of three champions in men's water polo, softball and a title-defense of men's volleyball. Three team titles can also be earned at Cal Poly as the Mustangs will look to repeat in women's volleyball while also hosting the championship weekend of men's and women's track & field, teaming up with multis host UC Irvine in the two-weekend event in the spring. UC San Diego's Canyonview Aquatic Center will be the site of the women's water polo championship and the final pre-determined school host is Cal State Bakersfield, coordinating the beach volleyball event on the sand in Southern California.

Additionally, the 2027 Credit Union 1 Big West Basketball Championships return to Henderson, Nevada and Lee's Family Forum for the sixth consecutive season since opening the building, La Quinta, Calif. (men's golf) and San Diego (men's and women's tennis) continue on a championship sites and The Satacoy Club in Somis, Calif. enters the frey as a first-time host for the women's golf championship. Plans are still being finalized for the 2027 Big West Baseball Championship with details to be announced at a later date.

"On July 1 we welcomed Cal Baptist, Sacramento State, and Utah Valley to the Big West and while this season promises new members, new rivalries, and new battlefields, we are proud to continue boldly in the commitment to our student athletes and offer a post-season championship opportunity in all of our 19 conference sports," remarked Big West Associate Commissioner for Championships and Sport Administration Cheryl Wong. "With 12 full members, Big West championship crowns will be won through tight regular season races and win or go home drama during the post season. Last year, every member institution had at least eight teams represented at a championship and we cant wait to welcome our passionate Big West fans to this year's showcase of impressive student-athlete talent and the depth of competition in this conference."

Gallery: (7-29-2026) 2026-27 Big West Championship Sites

Stay tuned to BigWest.org and the league's social media channels for more information on Championship ticketing and pricing. See the complete 2026-27 Big West championships schedule and formats for each event below:

The Big West Men's & Women's Cross Country Championships – Oct. 31, 2026

Championships Central >>> Location: Ag/Ops Cross Country Course \| Riverside, Calif. Championship Format: 12 men's teams (8K race) / 12 women's teams (6K race) Defending Champions: Cal Poly (men) / Cal Poly (women) Notable: Cal Poly swept the men's and women's championships for the fourth straight season. The Championships are set to be contested at UC Riverside's Ag/Ops Cross Country Course.	Schedule Saturday, Oct. 31 Men's 8K Women's 6K (awards ceremony to follow after the conclusion of the women's race)
The Big West Women's Soccer Championship – November 4, 7 & 14, 2026

Championship Central >>> Location: Hosted by higher seeds at campus sites Championship Format: Top six teams competing (top two teams receive a first-round bye) Defending Champion: Cal Poly Notable: No. 2 seed Cal Poly captured its first Championship titlesince 2004, defeating fifth-seeded defending champion UC Santa Barbara, with the lone goal of the game coming with 115 remaining in regulation.	Schedule First Round - Wednesday, Nov. 4 Game 1 \| No. 5 seed at No. 4 seed Game 2 \| No. 6 seed at No. 3 seed Semifinals - Saturday, Nov. 7 Game 3 \| Game 1 winner at No. 1 seed Game 4 \| Game 2 winner at No. 2 seed Final - Saturday, Nov. 14 Championship Match
The Big West Men's Soccer Championship – November 7 & 13, 2026

Championship Central >>> Location: Hosted by higher seeds at campus sites Championship Format: Top four teams competing Defending Champion: UC Irvine Notable: No. 2 seed UC Irvine hoisted the 2025 trophy after defeating top-seeded UC Santa Barbara 2-1 in the final. This will be the first four-team bracket since 2012.	Schedule Semifinals - Saturday, Nov. 7 Game 1 \| No. 4 seed at No. 1 seed Game 2 \| No. 3 seed at No. 2 seed Final - Friday, Nov. 13 Championship Match (highest seed hosts) - schedule subject to change, based on final seedings -
The Big West Men's Water Polo Championship – November 20-22, 2026

Championship Central >>> Location: Ken Lindgren Aquatics Center \| Long Beach, Calif. Championship Format: Six teams competing (top two teams receive a first-round bye) Defending Champion: UC Davis Notable: The third-seeded Aggies claimed their first Big West Men's Water Polo Championship title after outlasting top-seeded Long Beach State, 12-11, at Anteater Aquatics Complex in Irvine, Calif.	Schedule Quarterfinals - Friday, Nov. 20 Game 1 \| No. 4 seed vs. No. 5 seed Game 2 \| No. 3 seed vs. No. 6 seed Semifinals - Saturday, Nov. 21 Game 3 \| No. 1 seed vs. Game 1 winner Game 4 \| No. 2 seed vs. Game 2 winner Final - Sunday, Nov. 22 Game 5 \| Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner - schedule subject to change, based on final seedings -
The Big West Women's Volleyball Championship – November 25, 27 & 28, 2026

Championship Central >>> Location: Mott Athletics Center \| San Luis Obispo, Calif. Championship Format: Top six teams competing (top two teams receive a first-round bye) Defending Champion: Cal Poly Notable: In a battle between the top two seeds in the bracket, second-seeded Cal Poly upended first-time regular-season champion UC Davis 3-1 to earn an 18th appearance into the NCAA bracket. The Mustangs are the third consecutive No. 2 seed to take home the title in the three-year-old event.	Schedule First Round - Wednesday, Nov. 25 Game 1 \| No. 3 seed vs. No. 6 seed Game 2 \| No. 4 seed vs. No. 5 seed Semifinals - Friday, Nov. 27 Game 3 \| No. 1 seed vs. Game 2 winner Game 4 \| No. 2 seed vs. Game 1 winner Final - Saturday, Nov. 28 Game 5 \| Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner - schedule subject to change, based on final seedings -
The 2027 Credit Union 1 Big West Basketball Championships – March 10-13, 2027

Championship Central >>> \| Men \| Women Location: Lee's Family Forum \| Henderson, Nev. Championship Format: Top eight men's and women's teams competing (3-4 seeds receive a bye to the quarterfinals, 1-2 seeds receive a bye to the semifinals) Defending Champions: Hawai'i (men) / UC San Diego (women) Notable: Both No. 2 seeds went home with the trophy in Henderson in 2026, as the Rainbow Warriors capped their time in the league with a 71-64 win over UC Irvine and the UC San Diego women went back-to-back after a come-from-behind victory over UH to cut down the nets in consecutive seasons.	Schedule First Round - Wednesday, March 10 Game 1 (women) \| No. 5 seed vs. No. 8 seed Game 2 (women) \| No. 6 seed vs. No. 7 seed Game 3 (men) \| No. 5 seed vs. No. 8 seed Game 4 (men) \| No. 6 seed vs. No. 7 seed Second Round - Thursday, March 11 Game 5 (women) \| No. 4 seed vs. Game 1 winner Game 6 (women) \| No. 3 seed vs. Game 2 winner Game 7 (men) \| No. 4 seed vs. Game 4 winner Game 8 (men) \| No. 3 seed vs. Game 3 winner Semifinals - Friday, March 12 Game 9 (women) \| No. 1 seed vs. Game 5 winner Game 10 (women) \| No. 2 seed vs. Game 6 winner Game 11 (men) \| No. 1 seed vs. Game 7 winner Game 12 (men) \| No. 2 seed vs. Game 8 winner Final - Saturday, March 13 Game 13 \| Women's Championship Game 14 \| Men's Championship
The Big West Women's Water Polo Championship – April 9-11, 2027

Championship Central >>> Location: Canyonview Aquatic Center \| La Jolla, Calif. Championship Format: Eight team, single-elimination bracket Defending Champion: Hawai`i Notable: Top-seeded Hawai'i captured its third consecutive Big West Women's Water Polo Championship, defeating second-seeded Long Beach State, 14-9. Showcasing the depth of the league Big West squads closed the season in the final CWPA top 25 with three in the top 10.	Schedule Quarterfinals - Friday, April, 9 Game 1 \| No. 1 seed vs. No. 8 seed Game 2 \| No. 4 seed vs. No. 5 seed Game 3 \| No. 2 seed vs. No. 7 seed Game 4 \| No. 3 seed vs. No. 6 seed Semifinals - Saturday, April 10 Game 5 \| Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner Game 6 \| Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner Final - Sunday, April 11 Game 7 \| Championship - schedule subject to change, based on final seedings -
The Big West Women's Golf Championship – April 18-20, 2027

Championship Central >>> Location: The Saticoy Club \| Somis, Calif. Championship Format: Ten teams competing in 54 holes of stroke play Defending Champion: Cal Poly Notable: Entering the 2026 Big West Women's Golf Championship as the No. 5 seed, Cal Poly was able to earn their fourth title in the last six seasons at the Royal Ka'anapali Course on Maui. Individual honors went to Long Beach State's Madison Le, who led wire-to-wire. The 2027 championship will feature an expanded 10-team field.	Schedule Round 1 – Sunday, April 18 Round 2 – Monday, April 19 Round 3 – Tuesday, April 20
The Big West Men's & Women's Tennis Championships – the last week of April, 2027

Championship Central: Men \| Women Location: Barnes Tennis Center, San Diego, Calif. Championship Formats: Six men's teams competing / nine women's teams competing Defending Champions: UC Santa Barbara (men) / UC Santa Barbara (women) Notable: The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos claimed both the men's and women's titles in 2026. For the women it was a 12th overall and sixth in the last 10, and the men's trophy served as the program's 15th.	Schedule Women's bracket, format and exact dates are yet to be determined and will be announced at a later date. Men's First Round No. 4 seed vs. No. 5 seed No. 3 seed vs. No. 6 seed Men's Semifinals No. 1 seed vs. No. 4/5 winner No. 2 seed vs. No. 3/6 winner Men's Championship Championship Match - Subject to change -
The Big West Beach Volleyball Championship – April 29-30, 2027

Championship Central >>> Location: A Southern California Beach \| hosted by Cal State Bakersfield Championship Format: Six teams competing in pool play before a six-team single-elimination bracket Defending Champion: Cal Poly Notable: The top two seeds from each pool met in the Championship match, where Cal Poly downed Long Beach State secured a 3-0 in a rematch of the 2025 finale that went the way of the Beach. The title for the Mustangs was their fourth overall and a first since 2022. Both programs earned a place in the National Collegiate Championship bracket, a fifth-straight season with multiple teams in the national postseason.	Schedule Day 1 - Thursday, April 29 Day 2 - Friday, April 30
The Big West Men's Volleyball Championship – April 29-May 1, 2027

Championship Central >>> Location: LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid \| Long Beach, Calif. Championship Format: Six teams competing (top two teams receive a first-round bye) Defending Champion: Long Beach State Notable: Hawai'i took home the 2026 National Collegiate Men's Volleyball Championship, reigning supreme in an All-Big West finale against UC Irvine. This marks the sixth national championship for The Big West in the eight years a title has been awarded since sport sponsorship began in 2018. With Big West champion Long Beach State also claiming a spot in the Final Four, The league made up 75 percent of the field at Pauley Pavilion, and 25 percent of the expanded 12-team bracket after UH and UCI secured at-large bids to the national postseason making 2026 an historic #ThreeBidBigWest season.	Schedule First Round - Thursday, April 29 Match 1 \| No. 4 seed vs. No. 5 seed Match 2 \| No. 3 seed vs. No. 6 seed Semifinals - Friday, April 30 Match 3 \| No. 1 seed vs. Match 1 winner Match 4 \| No. 2 seed vs. Match 2 winner Final - Saturday, May 1 Match 5 \| Championship Match - schedule subject to change, based on final seedings -
The Big West Men's Golf Championship – May 2-4, 2027

Championship Central >>> Location: The La Quinta Country Club \| La Quinta, Calif. Championship Format: Ten teams competing in 54 holes of stroke play Defending Champion: Long Beach State Notable: Long Beach State won their fourth-straight Big West men's title and fifth in the last seven years in eye-popping fashion. The Beach bested the field by 47 strokes, the largest margin of victory in a 54-hole championship contested in Big West history. Another Big West first, LBSU went one through five in the individual standings as one program comprised the entirety of the All-Tournament team for the first time in conference history.	Schedule Round 1 - Sunday, May 2 Round 2 - Monday, May 3 Round 3 - Tuesday, May 4
The Big West Softball Championship – May 12-15, 2027

Championship Central >>> Location: LBSU Softball Complex \| Long Beach, Calif. Championship Format: Top six teams competing (top two teams receive a first-round bye) in double-elimination format Defending Champion: Cal State Fullerton Notable: Top-seeded Cal State Fullerton captured its first Big West Softball Championship title, defeating third-seeded UC Santa Barbara, 1-0, in the championship game behind a dominant pitching performance and complete-game shutout.	Schedule Day 1 – Wednesday, May 12 Game 1 \| No 4 seed vs. No. 5 seed Game 2 \| No. 3 seed vs. No. 6 seed Game 3 \| Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser (elimination game) Day 2 – Thursday, May 13 Game 4 \| No. 1 seed vs. Game 1 winner Game 5 \| No. 2 seed vs. Game 2 winner Game 6 \| Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser (elimination game) Day 3 – Friday, May 14 Game 7 \| Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner Game 8 \| Game 5 loser vs. Game 6 winner (elimination game) Game 9 \| Game 7 loser vs. Game 8 winner (elimination game) Day 4 – Saturday, May 15 Game 10 \| Championship Game If-necessary game to follow
The Big West Men's & Women's Track & Field Championships – 14-15, 2027

Championships Central >>> Locations: Multis - Anteater Stadium \| Irvine, Calif.; Championships - Steve Miller & John Capriotti Athletics Complex \| San Luis Obispo, Calif. Championship Format: 12 men's teams / 12 women's teams competing Defending Champions: Cal Poly (men) / UC Irvine (women) Notable: The Cal Poly men and UC Irvine women captured titles at the 2026 Big West Track & Field Championships. For the Mustangs, the win came in three-peat fashion after totaling 201.5 points. The Anteater women earned their second title in as many season, compiling 187.5 points for the win.	Schedule Multis Weekend Day 1 – Friday, May 7 Day 2 – Saturday, May 8 Championship Weekend Day 1 – Friday, May 14 Day 2 – Saturday, May 15
The Big West Baseball Championship – last week of May, 2027

Championship Central >>> Location: California Defending Champions: Cal Poly Notable: In 2026, No. 2 seed Cal Poly edged out No. 3 seed UC San Diego with a 4–3 victory in the title game of the Big West Baseball Championship at UC Irvine's Cicerone Field at Anteater Ballpark. The Mustangs won the Big West Championship for a second year in a row, earned the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA Championship and entered the national tournament for a fifth time in program history, where they advanced all the way to the super regional round. Regular-season co-champion UC Santa Barbara also claimed a spot in the NCAA bracket in 2026 as The Big West earned multiple bids.	Schedule Dates, schedule, bracket and location to be announced at a later date