Wednesday, August 12
San Luis Obispo, CA
6 P.M.
vs
UNLV
Weekly Mustang Roundup: Aug. 11-17
8/11/2026 5:00:00 PM | General, Women's Soccer
This Week in Mustang Athletics
- The Cal Poly women’s soccer team kicks off its 2026 season at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Spanos Stadium when they take on UNLV, before hosting No. 1 Stanford at 1 p.m. Sunday for Club Soccer Day.
- On Monday, Director of Athletics Carter Henderson announced that Jake Stewart will serve as the next Director of Track & Field and Cross Country for the Mustangs.
- Men’s soccer wraps up preseason action Saturday night when they travel to No. 9 Stanford for an exhibition match.
- Football is currently in the middle of its third week of fall camp as the program prepares for its nationally-televised season opener against Idaho at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 28, at Mustang Memorial Field.
#RIDEHIGH MOMENTS
WEEKLY SNEAK PEEK
- The defending Big West champions officially kick-off their 2026 campaign at 6 p.m. Wednesday when they welcome UNLV to Spanos Stadium. The Mustangs wrap up their season-opening weekend of action when they play host to the No. 1 team in the nation, Stanford, at 1 p.m. Sunday.
- Tickets to both matches can be purchased HERE. Sunday is Club Soccer Day and all kids 12 and under get in free.
- The Mustangs were selected as Big West preseason co-favorites alongside Blue-Green rival UC Santa Barbara in the Coaches Poll, but Cal Poly earned the most first-place votes of any program with five, while UCSB had four.
- Senior forward Annika Smith was named to the 11-player All-Big West Preseason and was named a Forward to Watch by the United Soccer Coaches entering the 2026 season. Last year, Smith was crowned the Big West Offensive Player of the Year and secured a spot on the All-Big West Preseason Team for the first time.
- Last season, the Mustangs defeated UNLV 1-0 in Las Vegas to secure Bernardo Silva’s first victory as Cal Poly’s head coach. Cal Poly is 2-1-0 all-time against UNLV and only hosted the Rebels one other time on Sept. 27, 2002, winning the match 2-0.
- Sunday’s match with the Cardinal will be a rematch of last year’s NCAA First Round match between the two sides that saw No. 1 ranked Stanford defeat the Mustangs 3-1. The Cardinal finished the season as the national runner-up.
- This marks the third time in program history Cal Poly has hosted the No. 1 team in the country and the first time since falling short to No. 1 North Carolina 1-0 on Sept. 10, 2010, at Spanos. Cal Poly is 0-13-0 all-time against Stanford.
- This fall, the Mustangs are looking to build off one of their most successful seasons in program history under second-year head coach Bernardo Silva. Last year, Cal Poly captured its fourth Big West Tournament Championship in program history and 14th Big West title overall in Silva’s first year at the helm. The Mustangs return 16 letterwinners from that squad that made the program’s first appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 21 years. In addition to the crop of experienced returners, Cal Poly added nine talented transfers over the offseason to join six incoming freshmen, bolstering its roster to make another run at the NCAA Tournament.
- On Monday, Director of Athletics Carter Henderson announced Jake Stewart, who led the Gonzaga women’s track and cross country programs to unprecedented success over the last eight years, will serve as Cal Poly’s Director of Track & Field and Cross Country. Stewart’s appointment is contingent on the successful completion of all background checks.
- Stewart, who was named the Director of Track and Cross Country in waiting at Gonzaga in April 2026, brings 20 years of experience coaching collegiate runners to Cal Poly, including 15 years as a head coach.
- You can read the full release HERE.
- Men’s soccer completes regular season preparations with a Saturday, Aug. 15 exhibition at No. 9 Stanford. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. The Mustangs then open the year at Denver (Thursday, Aug. 20) and UC Davis (Sunday, Aug. 23).
- Cal Poly football recently embarked on its third week of preseason camp, with the team set to open its 2026 season at home on Friday, Aug. 28 against Idaho. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. and the game will be nationally broadcast on ESPN as the Mustangs play in front of the newly-opened John Madden Football Center for the first time.
- You can purchase tickets to Cal Poly’s season opener HERE.
- Senior linebacker Mikey D’Amato has been racking up the preseason accolades, earning Preseason First Team All-American honors from both Stats Perform FCS and FCS Football Central. D’Amato was also named to the Buck Buchanan Award Preseason Watch List and received a Big Sky Preseason All-Conference nod.
- Fellow linebacker Kenny Olson also garnered some praise, earning Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-American Third Team honors and a spot on the Big Sky Preseason All-Conference Team.
Thursday, August 13
Monday, November 24
Friday, October 24
Sunday, October 12
