MERCED, Calif. – The University of California, Merced men's basketball team has announced its first NCAA Division II schedule, highlighted by 13 home games in the 2025-26 season.
The Bobcats, under new head coach Gary Stewart, will play 26 games overall. The schedule includes 22 CCAA games.
Prior to the season opener, UC Merced will take the court for a home scrimmage against Las Positas College on October 25.
UC Merced will officially begin its season on the road at Northwest Nazarene in Nampa, Idaho. It will mark the Bobcats second straight year in Idaho after having played in the NAIA National Championship opening round a year ago. Northwest Nazarene has played in three of the last five NCAA Division II tournaments.
The Bobcats home opener is set for November 18 against former conference foe Pacific Union College. Stewart's squad will remain at home to host Fresno Pacific on November 21. UC Merced went a combined 3-0 against the opponents last year with all three wins coming by double-digits.
The Bobcats will then make a trip to the Bay Area to play an exhibition game against perennial NCAA Division One Tournament qualifier and 3X defending WCC champs Saint Mary's on November 22. The 3X defending WCC regular-season champs have made four straight national tournaments.
UC Merced's 22-game CCAA schedule begins at Chico State on December 4. Chico State, the 2024-25 CCAA Tournament runner-up, has played in three of the last four NCAA Division II Tournaments. UC Merced will continue its road trip north to play at Cal Poly Humboldt on December 6.
Following an exams break, UC Merced will play seven of their next nine games at home starting with Cal Poly Pomona on December 19. UC Merced welcomes Cal State San Bernardino to the Gallo Gymnasium on December 21. CSUSB has advanced to two of the last three final fours.
The holiday's are followed by home games against Cal State San Marcos (Jan. 2) and Cal State Monterey Bay (Jan. 4).
UC Merced will go back on the road for the first time in a month to play at last years national runner-up and CCAA Tournament and Regular Season champion Cal State Dominguez Hills on January 8. The Bobcats will stay in Southern California to play at Cal State LA on January 10.
UC Merced gets three straight home games January 15-22 against Cal State East Bay (Jan. 15), San Francisco State (Jan. 17), and Stanislaus State (Jan. 22).
The rivalry game against Stanislaus State caps off the first round of CCAA play, but the rivalry continues January 24 as the Bobcats make the return visit to Stanislaus State to begin the second half of the league schedule.
The Bobcats follow the Stanislaus State series traveling to Cal State Monterey Bay (January 29) and Cal State San Marcos (January 31).
The remainder of the Bobcats campaign sees home games against Cal Poly Humboldt (Feb. 5), Chico State (Feb. 7), Cal State LA (Feb. 19), and Cal State Dominguez Hills (Feb. 21). Late season road matchups are at Cal State San Bernardino (Feb. 12), Cal Poly Pomona (Feb. 14), San Francisco State (Feb. 26), and Cal State East Bay (Feb. 28).
The full schedule is available here.
