SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The UC Santa Barbara Women's Tennis team has announced its slate for the 2026 spring season, featuring a packed lineup of competitive non-conference matchups and a full Big West schedule. Under head coach Simon Thibodeau, the Gauchos will navigate a coast-to-coast schedule as they look to build momentum toward the Big West and NCAA Championships.
UCSB begins the year on the road, traveling to Los Angeles for its season opener against USC on Jan. 13. The Gauchos return to the Arnhold Tennis Center on Jan. 18 for their home opener against Utah.
The team then heads to Columbus, Ohio to face Georgia Tech in the ITA Kickoff Weekend, competing on Jan. 24 before facing either Iowa or Ohio State on Jan. 25.
The Gauchos resume play back at home on Jan. 31, hosting UC Davis in their first Big West contest of the season and to close out the month.
A packed early-February stretch follows, as the Gauchos host Florida State, Texas Tech, and Arizona for a two-day event from Feb. 6-7. Across the weekend, the Gauchos will face all three visiting schools, with additional neutral-site contests also taking place.
The Gauchos jump back into conference play on Feb. 18, when the Blue and Gold welcome UC Riverside, followed by another home matchup against TCU on Feb. 21.
The Gauchos then travel north for their final February action, meeting Washington State on Feb. 28 and Washington on March 1 in Seattle.
The Gauchos return to Southern California for a midweek road match at LMU on March 4, before coming home to host San Diego on March 8. The Gauchos remain in Santa Barbara for two more matches with Memphis on March 13 and UC Berkeley on March 14.
April opens with two consecutive home matches, Long Beach State on April 1 and Hawai'i on April 4. The team will then head to UC San Diego on April 10 and then to UC Irvine on April 11. The following day, UCSB visits Cal State Fullerton on April 12.
The Gauchos play their final home match of the regular season against CSUN on April 17, then close conference play on the road at rival Cal Poly on April 18.
Postseason competition begins with the Big West Championship, held from April 21-24 in San Diego. The Gauchos will then look to extend their run into the NCAA Championship that begin on May 1.
For full schedule details, updates, and coverage, visit ucsbgauchos.com.
