MERCED, Calif. – The University of California, Merced men's water polo team has released its 2026 schedule, featuring 24 matches and seven exhibitions. For the first time in program history, UC Merced will be eligible to compete in the WWPA Championships as an active NCAA Division II member. Other highlights of the schedule include playing five nationally-ranked teams and 2025 NCAA Tournament qualifiers UC Davis, San Jose State, and Concordia University Irvine.
UC Merced will open the season hosting nationally-ranked Santa Clara in the Bobcat Mini on August 28. The Bobcats will also play Cuesta College in an exhibition match on opening day. An exhibition against Ventura College will follow on September 3.
UC Merced will then compete in the Aggie Roundup September 5-6 against American River College (exhib.), Santa Clara, and the 2025 Big West Tournament Champion and host UC Davis.
A two-game slate in San Luis Obispo on September 19 will put the Bobcats up against Cuesta (exhib.) and Whittier.
The Bobcats will return home for an exhibition against Merced College on September 25 before the first Bay Area trip of the year. On September 26, the Bobcats will be in San Jose to play 2025 WCC Tournament Champion San Jose State and 3C2A powerhouse West Valley College (exhib.).
UC Merced will open October in Southern California as the Bobcats play at both Cal State Fullerton and Cal Lutheran on October 1.
The WWPA opener is set for October 2 at Fresno Pacific, who the Bobcats beat on the road in 2025 for their first ever WWPA win.
A two-match homestand follows with Concordia University Irvine (Oct. 9) and Biola (Oct. 11) visiting Merced. CUI is the defending WWPA Tournament Champion, while Biola was the runner-up.
UC Merced returns to the Harvard Invitational for the third time in the last four years Oct. 17-18. Opponents include nationally-ranked Harvard and Brown, as well as MIT and LIU. The Bobcats will get their east coast trip started a day early to play at Connecticut College (Oct. 16).
Another busy weekend follows at the Julian Fraser Memorial hosted by Santa Clara. The Bobcats will play Iona, UC Davis, LIU, and 2025 NCAA Division III runner-up Pomona-Pitzer. 24 hours later, the Bobcats will be in San Luis Obispo to play La Verne, LIU, and Cuesta (exhib.).
UC Merced will then return home and get back into WWPA action by hosting Fresno Pacific on October 31. The Halloween match also marks the home finale.
The regular season concludes in Southern California at Biola (Nov. 5) and Concordia (Nov. 6).
The WWPA Championships are set for November 20-22 in La Mirada, Calif., hosted by Biola. After competing in exhibition games at the tournament the last two years, UC Merced will be a full participant in 2026.
Click here for the full 2026 schedule.
