|
What 2 Watch 4
- The second week of Big West play begins with a crowded table as UC Santa Barbara, UC San Diego, Cal State Fullerton, Cal Poly, Utah Valley and UC Irvine share the early lead with four points apiece.
Wednesday's slate features two clashes between the conference leaders. Cal Poly visits Cal State Fullerton at 6 p.m., while Utah Valley travels to UC Irvine at the same time. The Wolverines scored nine goals during an unbeaten opening week behind Sadie Beardall, who totaled three goals and an assist.
California Baptist welcomes UC San Diego on Wednesday before hosting UC Santa Barbara on Saturday. The Lancers own a conference-best 6-1-1 overall record, while the Tritons and Gauchos remain unbeaten in league play. Saturday also sends Cal Poly to UC San Diego and Cal State Fullerton to Utah Valley in two more matchups between teams tied atop the standings.
Long Beach State returns home to face CSUN on Wednesday and Sacramento State on Saturday after opening conference play with consecutive road draws. Cal State Bakersfield, UC Riverside and Sacramento State will also seek their first Big West victories during the 12-match slate. All 12 contests are set to air live on ESPN+.
All 12 matches will air live on ESPN+! Please check the listings here to watch your favorite Big West squad in action!
2026 Big West Women's Soccer Schedule
Conference Play on the Pitch
The road to the 2026 Big West Women's Soccer Championship begins this week as all 12 programs open conference play Wednesday, Sept. 23.
Chloe's Corner of Highlights
Where Do We Stand?!
- Six teams sit atop the Big West table with four points following the opening week of conference play: UC Santa Barbara (1-0-1, 6-1-4 overall), UC San Diego (1-0-1, 5-2-3), Cal State Fullerton (1-0-1, 4-2-4), Cal Poly (1-0-1, 4-3-3), Utah Valley (1-0-1, 5-4-2) and UC Irvine (1-0-1, 3-3-3).
California Baptist (1-1, 6-1-1) follows closely with three points, while Long Beach State (0-0-2, 6-1-4) remains unbeaten in league play with two. Sacramento State (0-1-1, 4-3-3) and CSUN (0-1-1, 2-5-4) each hold one point.
UC Riverside (0-2, 2-7) and Cal State Bakersfield (0-2, 1-9-1) round out the standings as all 12 programs return to action this week.
Wins of The Week
- California Baptist (6-1-1) — The Lancers bounced back from their first loss of the season with a 2-0 road victory over UC Riverside in the inaugural Crosstown Showdown. Bella D'Amico opened the scoring before Anja Jestrovic curled home a strike from outside the box, while goalkeepers Mikayla O'Brien and Rebecca Winton combined for eight saves and a sixth shutout of the season. California Baptist hosts UC San Diego on Wednesday and UC Santa Barbara on Saturday.
Cal Poly (4-3-3) — The Mustangs opened conference play by handing previously unbeaten California Baptist its first loss of the season with a 2-1 victory at Spanos Stadium. Madison Lujan netted a first collegiate goal before Sam Liaty delivered the game-winner in the 69th minute as Cal Poly outshot the Lancers 12-4 and became the first team to score against CBU this season. Cal Poly visits Cal State Fullerton on Wednesday and UC San Diego on Saturday.
Cal State Fullerton (4-2-4) — The Titans opened Big West action with a 2-0 home victory over UC Riverside before earning a 3-3 draw at CSUN. Camryn Cruz struck in the fourth minute before Cassie Villanueva added a fifth goal of the season, while goalkeeper Allison Craycroft made three saves to secure the Titans' third clean sheet. Cal State Fullerton hosts Cal Poly on Wednesday before visiting Utah Valley on Saturday.
UC Irvine (3-3-3) — The Anteaters completed an unbeaten opening week of conference play with a 2-0 home victory over Cal State Bakersfield following a 1-1 draw at Sacramento State. Chifumi Sasaki supplied a first career game-winner before Mimi Yamamoto scored for a second consecutive match, while goalkeeper Savanna Arruda made five saves to record a fourth career shutout. UC Irvine hosts Utah Valley on Wednesday before traveling to UC Riverside on Saturday.
UC San Diego (5-2-3) — The Tritons opened Big West play unbeaten, defeating CSUN 1-0 before battling Utah Valley to a 2-2 draw. Kennadi Borg headed home the winner against the Matadors in the 80th minute off a cross from Natalie Oca for a first career game-winning goal. Goalkeeper Charlotte Wilfert made four saves to earn a fourth shutout of the season as UC San Diego matched its program record for victories in a Division I campaign. The Tritons visit California Baptist on Wednesday before hosting Cal Poly on Saturday.
UC Santa Barbara (6-1-4) — The Gauchos collected four points during the opening week of conference play, following a 2-2 draw against Long Beach State with a 1-0 victory over Sacramento State. Emily Caughey converted the decisive penalty kick in the 58th minute, while goalkeeper Maddie Buckley and the UC Santa Barbara backline secured the program's first clean sheet since Aug. 23. The Gauchos visit Cal State Bakersfield on Wednesday and California Baptist on Saturday.
Utah Valley (5-4-2) — The Wolverines made a statement in their first Big West contest, racing past Cal State Bakersfield 7-1 before earning a 2-2 road draw at UC San Diego. Sadie Beardall and Brynlee Austin each recorded a brace, while Nixan Jackson produced a goal and two assists as Utah Valley scored five times after halftime and finished with a 31-3 advantage in shots. The Wolverines visit UC Irvine on Wednesday before hosting Cal State Fullerton on Saturday.
USCA West Region Poll Rankings, Sept. 23 (Poll 6)
- Six Big West programs earned spots in the Sept. 22 United Soccer Coaches West Region Poll, led by California Baptist at No. 1 for the second consecutive week.
Utah Valley climbed two positions to No. 3 following a 3-0 shutout of Weber State, while Long Beach State moved up one spot to No. 5 after blanking Nevada 3-0. Cal Poly shifted four places to No. 6, and Cal State Fullerton held steady at No. 7. UC Santa Barbara returned to the poll at No. 10, replacing Sacramento State in the regional rankings. The Beach, Gauchos, Lancers, Mustangs, Titans and Wolverines own a combined 26-11-12 record this season.
Statistically Speaking
2026 NCAA Women's Soccer Stats
2026 Big West Women's Soccer Overall Stats
2026 Big West Individual Leaders Link
9.29.26 Weekly Awards
- Utah Valley forward Sadie Beardall accounted for three goals and an assist across two conference matches to claim Big West Offensive Player of the Week honors for Sept. 28. Beardall erupted for five points in a 7-1 victory over Cal State Bakersfield, scoring twice and setting up another goal in the Wolverines' conference debut. The South Ogden, Utah, native added another goal in a 2-2 road draw at UC San Diego. Beardall converted three of five shots during the week and placed four attempts on target. UVU opened Big West play unbeaten at 1-0-1, collecting four points in the conference standings.
UC San Diego goalkeeper Charlotte Wilfert delivered a record-setting week in net to secure Big West Defensive Player of the Week honors for Sept. 28. Wilfert turned away 15 shots in a 2-2 draw against Utah Valley, breaking a 35-year-old UC San Diego single-match record. The performance also marked the most saves by a Big West goalkeeper in a match since 2024 The Thousand Oaks, Calif., native played all 180 minutes across two conference contests, opening the week with a shutout victory over CSUN before finishing with an .895 save percentage. UCSD began Big West play unbeaten at 1-0-1, earning four points from its first two conference matches.
Cal Poly forward Madison Lujan netted the first goal of a collegiate career to collect Big West Rookie of the Week honors for Sept. 28. The Davis, Calif., native struck in the 41st minute of a 2-1 victory over California Baptist. Lujan has appeared in all 10 matches this season, earning four starts. Lujan's breakthrough goal helped Cal Poly hand previously unbeaten California Baptist its first loss of the season.
The Big West Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month
- Hispanic Heritage Month is an annual observance held Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 that celebrates achievements, contributions, cultures, and histories of Hispanic and Latino communities across the United States.
Hispanic Heritage Month provides an opportunity to recognize individuals who have made meaningful impacts across countless fields, including athletics, education, science, literature, arts, politics, and public service. The month also encourages people to learn more about the diverse cultures, experiences, and traditions within the Hispanic and Latino communities while reflecting on the challenges they have tomorrow.
Ultimately, Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the resilience, strength, and lasting influence of Hispanic and Latino communities while fostering greater understanding, connection, and cultural pride.
As we commemorate and celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, The Big West invites you to participate by telling your story here: bigwest.org/HHM
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.
|