MERCED, Calif. - The University of California, Merced men's soccer team has released its 2026 schedule, highlighted by seven home games and four matches against 2025 NCAA Tournament teams. Fourteenth year head coach Albert Martins will lead the Bobcats into their first season as an active NCAA Division II member.
UC Merced will open its season at home on August 28 against first-time opponent Dominican.
The Bobcats will hit the road for the next three games starting with the first ever trip to the Rocky Mountains to take on RMAC opponents Westminster (Sept. 3/Salt Lake City, UT) and Colorado Mesa (Sept. 5/Grand Junction, CO). UC Merced will return to California to play at familiar foe Jessup on September 12 before beginning CCAA play.
The CCAA opener is set for September 18 on Bobcat Field against back-to-back CCAA regular season champion Cal State Dominguez Hills. CSUDH, who is ranked 20th in the national United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll, is unbeaten in 22 straight conference games over the last two years. A home match against Fresno Pacific follows on September 20.
UC Merced continues conference action with a Southern California road trip to play Cal Poly Pomona (Sept. 25) and Cal State LA (Sept. 27). CSULA has played in eight consecutive NCAA Tournaments. The Bobcats will play at Cal State East Bay on October 2.
The Bobcats third NCAA Tournament team from a year ago on the schedule is Cal State San Bernardino, who the Bobcats will welcome to Bobcat Field on October 4. Another Friday night home match puts the Bobcats up against Cal State Monterey Bay on October 9.
UC Merced is on the road for the next three games against Stanislaus State (Oct. 11), Cal Poly Humboldt (Oct. 15), and Chico State (Oct. 17). Stanislaus State is the defending CCAA Tournament Champion and is ranked fifth nationally in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll.
UC Merced will conclude the regular season at home against Menlo College (Oct. 22) and Cal State San Marcos (Oct. 24). The match against Menlo will mark the 13th all-time meeting between the two sides.
The CCAA Men's Soccer Tournament is set to begin on November 1 on campus sites, while the semifinals and final will be in Pomona Nov. 6-8. UC Merced is eligible to qualify for the CCAA and NCAA Division II Tournament for the first time.
Click here for the full 2026 schedule.
