UC San Diego Hosts Cal State Bakersfield Friday
UC San Diego women's volleyball hosts Cal State Bakersfield on Friday, November 13, at LionTree Arena with Big West postseason positioning at stake.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Volleyball
UC San Diego women's volleyball, 11-14 overall and 7-7 in the Big West, hosts Cal State Bakersfield, 13-13 overall and 8-6 in conference play, on Friday, November 13 at LionTree Arena. The Tritons lost to Bakersfield 3-1 earlier this season and have dropped their most recent match to Sacramento State.
Why it matters
UC San Diego sits seventh in the Big West standings, and a win could move the Tritons toward sixth place, the cutoff for the six-team Big West Championship tournament. Bakersfield, fifth in the standings, is a direct test of whether UC San Diego can make a postseason push.
Bakersfield's 8-6 Big West record and fifth-place standing put it ahead of UC San Diego's 7-7 and seventh-place mark, and the Tritons lost their earlier meeting 3-1. Final seeding will depend on results after this match, which the stub does not project.
The players
Spencer McLachlin
McLachlin is UC San Diego's new head coach leading the Tritons into this stretch of the conference schedule.
Cal State Bakersfield
Cal State Bakersfield is a Big West program currently fifth in the standings and a key opponent in the race for postseason qualification.
UC San Diego Tritons
UC San Diego is a Big West program seeking its first postseason appearance since its 2024 Big West Championship run.
The details
UC San Diego hosts Cal State Bakersfield at LionTree Arena on Friday, November 13, in a match with postseason implications for both teams. The Big West Championship is less than two weeks away, and a Triton win could propel the program toward a postseason berth after last season's ninth-place finish and missed tournament.
Timeline
2024: UC San Diego lost in the first round of the Big West Championship to Long Beach State.
Last season: UC San Diego finished ninth in the Big West and missed the postseason.
Saturday, November 8: UC San Diego lost to Sacramento State.
Friday, November 13: UC San Diego hosts Cal State Bakersfield at LionTree Arena.
Season Trajectory
UC San Diego reached the Big West Championship only once, in 2024, when it fell in the first round to Long Beach State after a ninth-place finish the prior year. This Friday's match against Bakersfield is a direct test of whether the Tritons can climb back into the six-team championship field.
A win would give UC San Diego a path toward sixth place, which determines whether the Tritons qualify for the Big West Championship. A loss would keep the Tritons outside the top six with fewer regular-season matches remaining.
The takeaway
Fans tracking the Big West race should watch this match closely, since results over the final stretch will decide which six teams reach the championship tournament.
What happens next
UC San Diego's regular season continues after this match, and the Big West Championship is less than two weeks away.
Further reading
For more on the local college game, see Volleyball coverage across the San Diego area.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The UCSD Guardian.
