The Big West’s fall championship season gets underway on Halloween and races through Thanksgiving weekend, with conference titles on the line in men’s and women’s cross country, women’s soccer, men’s soccer, men’s water polo and women’s volleyball. Fans can gear up and represent your favorite school now with championship merchandise and apparel soon to hit the bigwestshop.org.
From Riverside to San Luis Obispo, here’s your guide to the 2026 Big West Fall Championships.
BIG WEST CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS | OCTOBER 31
Championship Central | Tickets | Course Map | Live Results
Championship season starts Saturday, October 31, at the AgOps Course adjacent to the UC Riverside main campus, where 11 men’s and 12 women’s teams will race for a pair of Big West titles.
The men’s 8K gets underway at 8:30 a.m., followed by the women’s 6K at 9:15 a.m.
General admission tickets are available HERE for $12 in advance or $14 on race day. Big West students are FREE with a valid student ID.
Cal Poly enters the championship looking to continue a dominant run on both sides.
The Mustang men are chasing a fifth consecutive Big West title and have won eight of the last nine conference championships.
Cal Poly’s women are also seeking their fifth straight crown and 10th Big West championship since 2012.
Newcomers Utah Valley and California Baptist look to dethrone the dominant Mustangs. In the latest USTFCCCA men’s national rankings (Sept. 29), Utah Valley is ranked No. 20 and California Baptist is rated No. 30.
In the women’s west region rankings, California Baptist is the highest rated Big West team at No. 7.
Follow The Big West social media accounts on October 30 and 31 for more details on these events.
BIG WEST WOMEN’S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP | NOVEMBER 4–14
Championship Central | Bracket
The road to the Big West Women’s Soccer Championship begins Wednesday, November 4, with first-round matches hosted by the higher seeds.
The No. 4 seed hosts No. 5, while No. 3 welcomes No. 6 with game times and tickets determined by host sites.
The top two seeds join the action in the semifinals on Saturday, November 7. The No. 1 seed will host the winner of the No. 4/5 matchup, while No. 2 hosts the winner of No. 3/6.
The championship match is set for Saturday, November 14, at the home of the highest remaining seed. Playing the entirety of the championship where the highest seed hosts is a new update to the women's soccer format this season.
Cal Poly enters 2026 as the defending champion after defeating UC Santa Barbara, 1-0, last season to capture its first Big West title since 2004.
The finale will be televised on ESPN+ with Christian Miles and Tammy Blackburn on the call.
Championship information including game times, ticket information, early round broadcast information and championship updates are available HERE.
BIG WEST MEN’S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP | NOVEMBER 7–13
Championship Central | Bracket | About The Big West + Pac-12 Partnership
Four teams. Three matches. One champion.
The 2026 Big West Men’s Soccer Championship begins Saturday, November 7, with semifinal matches hosted by the top two seeds.
No. 4 travels to No. 1, while No. 3 visits No. 2, with the winners advancing to the championship match on Friday, November 13. Game times and tickets will be determined by the hosts.
UC Irvine will look to defend its Big West title, while Utah Valley, UC Santa Barbara, Cal State Bakersfield, CSUN, Cal State Fullerton and Sacramento State are among the programs battling for the four postseason spots.
The four-team format with seven conference squads is a new look for the league after a unique and innovative partnership with the Pac-12 to guarantee two West Coast berths and the potential of additional Big West member institutions making the national postseason in 2026.
The championship match will air live on ESPN+ with David Gascon and Christian Miles calling the action.
Championship information including game times, ticket information, early round broadcast information and championship updates are available HERE.
BIG WEST MEN’S WATER POLO CHAMPIONSHIP | NOVEMBER 20–22
Championship Central | Bracket | Tickets (coming soon!)
Some of the nation’s best water polo comes together at the Ken Lindgren Aquatics Center on the campus of Long Beach State for the 2026 Big West Men’s Water Polo Championship.
The six-team field could feature six nationally ranked programs when championship action begins Friday, November 20.
The opening round features No. 4 against No. 5, with opening sprint slated for 10 a.m., and No. 3 against No. 6 next on the docket at Noon.
The top two seeds enter the pool Saturday, November 21, with No. 1 facing the winner of the No. 4/5 matchup and No. 2 taking on the winner of No. 3/6 with the first semifinal matchup at 10 a.m. followed by the second game at Noon. Game order on the first two days is subject to change based on final seeding of the bracket.
The championship match is scheduled for Sunday, November 22, at Noon.
Parity has defined the championship since its debut. Three different programs have lifted the trophy in the event’s first three years, setting the stage for another wide-open battle in 2026.
Heading into the Championship, The Big West boasts all six of its institutions in the Collegiate Water Polo Association’s (CWPA) Top-20 Poll for the first time since sponsoring the sport in 2023. Additionally, the league boasts a trio of student-athletes on the recently-announced 2026 Cutino Award Watch List with California Baptist’s Andrea Nuzzo, Corbin Staley of Long Beach State, and UC Santa Barbara’s Luigi Canepa.
Tickets will be available for purchase in the coming week. Admission for the Friday and Saturday sessions are $15 for adults and $8 for youth/students. Championship game tickets on Sunday are $20 for adults and $10 for youth/students. Tickets are FREE for Big West students with a valid ID.
Follow The Big West social media accounts throughout the championship for more details on these events.
Championship information, game times and ticket links will be updated HERE.
BIG WEST WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP | NOVEMBER 25–28
Championship Central | Bracket | Tickets (coming this Friday!)
The fall championship season comes to a close over Thanksgiving weekend at Mott Athletics Center on the campus of Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. This marks the first time that the Mott is playing host to a Big West Championship event.
The Big West Women’s Volleyball Championship begins Wednesday, November 25, with No. 4 facing No. 5 and No. 3 taking on No. 6.
Following a day off for Thanksgiving, the championship resumes Friday, November 27. No. 1 will meet the winner of the No. 4/5 match before No. 2 takes on the winner of No. 3/6. Wednesday and Friday game times will be at 3 and 6 p.m., with game order on both days subject to change based on final seeding.
The Big West championship and automatic berth into the NCAA postseason will be decided Saturday, November 28 at 5 p.m.
Cal Poly will have the opportunity to defend its first Big West Championship title on its home floor after breaking through for the crown in 2025 following a runner-up finish in 2024.
All matches in the championship will be televised live on ESPN+ with Rob Espero, Hailey Harward and Chloë Clark providing the commentary.
Championship information, game times and ticket links will be updated HERE.
All-session tickets go on sale to the public on October 2 with single-day seats available on October 28.
All-session packages are $125 for courtside seating, $55 for reserved chairbacks and $35 for general admission.
Single-session tickets are $60 courtside, $25 for reserved chairbacks and $15 for general admission. First round and semifinal sessions each include two matches.
Big West students are FREE with a valid student ID. From the starting line in Riverside to championship point in San Luis Obispo, make plans now to be there when champions are crowned.