Big West and Pac-12 Conferences Partner to Create New Men’s Soccer Landscape
3/30/2026 1:00:00 PM | Men's Soccer
RIVERSIDE --- The Big West Conference, CBU's new conference affiliation beginning in the summer of 2026, announced on Monday it will partner with the Pac-12 Conference in men's soccer. Through the new conference partnership, California Baptist Men's Soccer will compete as a Pac-12 affiliate member, beginning in the 2026 season.
Moving forward, the conference landscape will comprise of two leagues: the Big West and the Pac-12. Each conference will feature seven teams. Each team will play six conference games against its league opponents and three crossover games against teams from the opposite league.
"I'm very happy that the Big West and Pac-12 have collaborated to create something positive for West Coast men's soccer programs," said Coe Michaelson, head coach of CBU Men's Soccer. "There is a clear recognition of the potential for men's soccer teams to compete at an elite level nationally by being savvy in how we work together for everyone's mutual benefit."
California Baptist will compete in the Pac-12 Conference. Joining CBU in the Pac-12 are Cal Poly, Gonzaga, Oregon State, San Diego State, UC Riverside, and UC San Diego. The Big West will consist of CSU Bakersfield, Cal State Fullerton, CSUN, Sacramento State, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara, and Utah Valley.
"Being on the Pac-12 side is also exciting," added Michaelson. "There are some new rivals and some old ones, but what is clear is that there won't be an easy game amongst them all."
The conference schedule will begin the week of September 30 and will conclude on October 31. Each team will play each conference opponent once, with three home and three away games, and three crossover matches between the two conferences.
Crossover matches will be considered non-conference competitions and will have no effect on conference tournament seedings or standings.
Each conference will compete in its own postseason tournament to determine the automatic qualifiers for the NCAA Tournament. Both conferences will compete in four-team conference tournaments. The conference semifinals will take place on November 7, and the conference championship will be held on November 13 or 14.
High seeds will host the four semifinals and both championships.
The official schedule for the 2026 season will be released at a later date. California Baptist won the WAC Regular Season Championship last season, CBU's last as a WAC member.
Moving forward, the conference landscape will comprise of two leagues: the Big West and the Pac-12. Each conference will feature seven teams. Each team will play six conference games against its league opponents and three crossover games against teams from the opposite league.
"I'm very happy that the Big West and Pac-12 have collaborated to create something positive for West Coast men's soccer programs," said Coe Michaelson, head coach of CBU Men's Soccer. "There is a clear recognition of the potential for men's soccer teams to compete at an elite level nationally by being savvy in how we work together for everyone's mutual benefit."
California Baptist will compete in the Pac-12 Conference. Joining CBU in the Pac-12 are Cal Poly, Gonzaga, Oregon State, San Diego State, UC Riverside, and UC San Diego. The Big West will consist of CSU Bakersfield, Cal State Fullerton, CSUN, Sacramento State, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara, and Utah Valley.
"Being on the Pac-12 side is also exciting," added Michaelson. "There are some new rivals and some old ones, but what is clear is that there won't be an easy game amongst them all."
The conference schedule will begin the week of September 30 and will conclude on October 31. Each team will play each conference opponent once, with three home and three away games, and three crossover matches between the two conferences.
Crossover matches will be considered non-conference competitions and will have no effect on conference tournament seedings or standings.
Each conference will compete in its own postseason tournament to determine the automatic qualifiers for the NCAA Tournament. Both conferences will compete in four-team conference tournaments. The conference semifinals will take place on November 7, and the conference championship will be held on November 13 or 14.
High seeds will host the four semifinals and both championships.
The official schedule for the 2026 season will be released at a later date. California Baptist won the WAC Regular Season Championship last season, CBU's last as a WAC member.
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