LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego women's soccer head coach Kristin Jones announced her side's 2026 competition schedule Wednesday, the program's final season competing in The Big West. The Tritons' challenging slate features 19 regular season matches across four states, including three consecutive contests against 2025 NCAA tournament teams. UC San Diego will play ten regular season home matches at Triton Soccer Stadium in La Jolla.

"This season's schedule is challenging, and I'm really looking forward to it," said Jones, entering her eighth season as the program's head coach. "Our preseason will challenge us with some tough opponents, but that will prepare us for Big West play where we know we'll need to be at our best each night."

The Tritons open the 2026 campaign on Wednesday, Aug. 12 at home against San Diego State with UC San Diego looking to extend its unbeaten streak against the Aztecs to three. On Aug. 15, the Tritons conclude opening weekend by hosting Utah Tech.

Up next, the Tritons hit the road for the first time, heading to UNLV Aug. 20 and Northern Arizona Aug. 23. The month concludes at home on Aug. 30 with a matinee against future WCC foe Pacific.
 
Three September matches conclude the non-conference season for UC San Diego. The Tritons will play at Boise State on Sept. 3 before returning home to take on North Alabama on Sept. 6. UC San Diego takes on future conference foe LMU on Sept. 14, wrapping up non-conference play with a rare Monday matinee.    
 
UC San Diego begins its sixth and final Big West season on Sept. 23, when the Tritons visit last year's regular season champion, CSUN. This year, the conference is moving to a Wednesday-Saturday format for its matches. The Tritons wrap up opening week in conference play by hosting newcomer Utah Valley Sept. 26. The Wolverines were an NCAA Tournament team in 2025. September concludes with a match at California Baptist, another first-year Big West side that competed in the NCAA Tournament last year.
 
The month of October begins with a home match against defending conference champion Cal Poly (Oct. 3). One week later, UC San Diego plays at UC Riverside (Oct. 10). The following week, the Tritons host newcomer Sacramento State (Oct. 14) before visiting UCSB (Oct. 17). The penultimate week of the regular season has the Tritons hosting Long Beach State (Oct. 21) and visiting Cal State Fullerton (Oct. 24).
 
The regular season's final road trip takes the Tritons to Cal State Bakersfield (Oct. 28). The 2026 regular season concludes with UC Irvine at home (Oct. 31).

The six-team Big West Championship begins Nov. 4 with the opening round, concluding with the championship match on Nov. 11. The winner of the Big West Championship will receive an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament.

Women's soccer season tickets are $50 for adults ($40 for youth, seniors, faculty and staff) and will go on sale June 15 through Triton Box Office. Current UC San Diego students with valid ID will continue to receive free admission.
 
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 84 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.