LA JOLLA, Calif. – With the season set to begin next month, UC San Diego softball head coach Nikki Palmer released the Tritons 2026 schedule, setting the stage for an exciting season. The Tritons will begin the season at home during the fourth annual La Jolla Invitational Feb. 5-7, taking on Wagner, St Louis, and Montana.  
 
UC San Diego will host Utah Tech in a Feb. 12 doubleheader as non-conference play rolls on. The USD/UCSD Co-Host Tournament is up next, where the Tritons share hosting duties with the University of San Diego and take on Weber State, FDU, and Colorado State from Feb. 13-15. 
 
The Tritons then head to Cathedral City, California Feb. 19-21 to compete in the Mary Nutter Classic, where UC San Diego is set to face Cal, California Baptist, Texas A&M, Seattle U, and Rutgers stepping into one of the toughest early season tournaments in college softball. The busy month of February concludes with four games in two days against Pacific and Fresno State (Feb. 27-28) on the UOP campus in Stockton.
 
After a busy non-conference stretch the Tritons will turn their focus to The Big West. Conference play begins March 7-8 at UC Santa Barbara. The Big West home opener is the following week against UC Davis (March 13-14). Series against Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, UC Riverside, Caly Poly, CSUN, Hawai'i, and Cal State Bakersfield will round out a challenging conference slate. With this being their second season of postseason eligibility, the Tritons aim to take another step forward, emphasizing development, consistency and strong performances. 
 
"I am very excited for the upcoming season and eager to see our hard work and training translate into success on the field," said UC San Diego head coach Nikki Palmer. "I'm proud of the effort this team has put in throughout preseason, and I look forward to showcasing our talent as we take on a challenging slate of opponents."
 
Last season, the Tritons qualified for The Big West Championship in their first season eligible to do so, picking up a first-round victory in the program's Division I postseason debut.
 
Admission to all home games at Triton Softball Field is free, though parking permits are required seven days per week on the UC San Diego campus.
 
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 24-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in NCAA Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.