DAVIS, Calif. – UC Davis softball is set to get 2026 started, with its eyes on the Big West Championships and beyond and but first the season kicks off with this weekend's annual NorCal Kickoff with UC Davis opening on Feb. 5, against Sacramento State before playing four more games over the weekend of Feb. 5-8.
 
HOW TO WATCH/FOLLOW
NorCal Kickoff | La Rue Field | Davis, Calif.

Feb. 5 | 2:00 p.m. – vs. Sacramento State | Live Stats | Tickets
Feb. 6 | 12:00 p.m. – vs. San Diego | Watch | Live Stats | Tickets
Feb. 7 | 12:00 p.m. – vs. San Diego | Live Stats | Tickets
Feb. 7 | 2:30 p.m. – vs. Colorado State | Live Stats | Tickets
Feb. 8 | 9:30 a.m. – vs. Saint Mary's | Watch | Live Stats | Tickets
 
Fans can buy one ticket for each day, and it covers all the games with Cal Poly facing San Diego at 2:30 on Friday and Colorado State taking on San Diego on Saturday. Parking is available in lots 35 and 25, and must be paid for on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
 
RETURNERS IN THE BLUE AND GOLD: UC Davis returns All-Big West honorees Ashley Sawai, Alyssa Dethlefson, Caroline Grimes and Sydney Polli. Last season Sawai finished 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.
 
Dethlefson also found her name inside the top 10 of a pair of Big West statistical categories. She led the conference in triples (five), and her 19 stolen bases placed her fourth in the league. During the season, Dethlefson was not caught once and along with Grand Canyon's Savannah Groshong-Kirk she is one of two student-athletes in the country to have not been caught stealing this season with at least 19 stolen bases.
 
SAWAI NAMED ALL-BIG WEST: Already only the third Aggie to be named the Big West Pitcher of the Year (Freshman; 2024), Sawai was named to the 2026 All-Big West Preseason Coaches' team for a second-straight season. Sawai finished 2025 top 10 in the Big West in innings pitched (eighth), batters struck out (ninth), wins (ninth) and saves (second), and she was named Second Team All-Big West. The Aggie right-hander also tossed a career-high 15 complete games, placing her fourth in the conference and 38th in the nation.
 
AGGIES ON DECK: UC Davis announced the signing of six Aggies as part of its incoming class, with several positions across the diamond covered as head coach Erin Thorpe looks to continue to build a foundation for success.
 
Hailey Chavolla, INF (La Habra, Calif.)
Reagan Cullivan, INF (San Diego, Calif.)
Riley Cullivan, INF (San Diego, Calif.)
Allison Marcelino, P (Mountain View, Calif.)
Addison Ochoa, INF (Bakersfield, Calif.)
Chloe Preuss, INF (Roseville, Calif.)
Addison Vandecar, OF (Lancaster, Calif.)
 
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.