IRVINE, Calif. – For the second-straight season, returning UC Davis softball pitcher Ashley Sawai has been named to the 2026 All-Big West Preseason Coaches' team as part of the conference's preseason poll and awards.
 
Already only the third Aggie to be named the Big West Pitcher of the Year (2024), Sawai earns the nod after finishing last season with All-Big West second team honors. Sawai finished 2025 top 10 in the Big West in innings pitched (eighth), batters struck out (ninth), wins (ninth) and saves (second). The Aggie right-hander also tossed a career-high 15 complete games, placing her fourth in the conference and 38th in the nation.
 
UC Davis, which opens its season on Feb. 5 against Sacramento State in the first game of the 2026 NorCal Kickoff at La Rue Field, was picked to finish sixth in the 2026 Big West Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll. This year marks the second season of the Big West Softball Championships, with the top six teams getting the bid to Fullerton, Calif., for the four-day tournament set to run from May 6-9.
 
2026 ALL-BIG WEST SOFTBALL PRESEASON COACHES' TEAM
Ava Arce Sr., INF (Cal State Fullerton)
Maalie Cherry, So., INF (UC San Diego)
Rebeca Cabezas, Sr., INF (UC Riverside)
Bella Fuentes, Sr., INF (UC Santa Barbara)
Malaya Johnson, Sr., P (UC Santa Barbara)
Alexia Lopez, Sr., INF (Cal State Fullerton)
Nataly Lozano, So., UTL (Cal State Fullerton)
Trisha McCleskey, R-Jr., P (Cal State Fullerton)
Colby McClinton, Sr., INF (Cal State Fullerton)
Giselle Mejia, So., OF (UC Santa Barabara)
ASHLEY SAWAI JR., P (UC DAVIS)
 
2026 BIG WEST SOFTBALL PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
1. UC Santa Barbara (6) 78
2. Cal State Fullerton (4) 75
3. Long Beach State 65
t4. Hawai'I 50
t4. UC San Diego 50
6. UC DAVIS 38
7. CSUN 36
8. Cal Poly 27
9. UC Riverside 22
10. Cal State Bakersfield 9
First-place votes in parentheses
 
TICKETS: General admission for all games runs $13 while youth (3-13), UC Davis staff members and fans Seniors (65+) can get in the door for $10. Group outings (minimum of 10) can get their tickets at $10 a piece. With the $80 Flexbook, fans receive 10 general admission ticket vouchers that can be redeemed for any of the four home meets during the season in any combination desired. Fans can secure their spot at La Rue Field by hitting the link, by calling the Aggie Ticket Office at (530) 752-2471 or by emailing the Aggie Ticket Office at aggietickets@ucdavis.edu.
 
ABOUT UC DAVIS ATHLETICS: UC Davis, the No. 2 ranked public university by the Wall Street Journal, is home to 40,000 undergraduate students and 12,000 employees. Ranked No. 1 in Agriculture and Forestry as well as No. 1 in Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis is located in a true California college town nestled between world-class destinations such as the San Francisco Bay Area, Napa Valley and Lake Tahoe. Over 650 Aggie student-athletes compete in 25 Division I varsity sports, with 16 sports transitioning to the Mountain West Conference beginning in 2026–27.