Women’s Basketball and Head Coach Shanele Stires Announce 2026-27 Schedule
9/10/2026 12:45:00 PM | Women's Basketball
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — With another thrilling season on the horizon and training camp set to begin October 21, the Cal Poly women's basketball program and head coach Shanele Stires are excited to announce the 2026-27 Mustangs schedule.
After fighting through a testing 4-26 (2-18 Big West) season in 2025-26, the Mustangs have reloaded across the roster and are eager to begin the new season with an evenly split group made of eight returners and eight newcomers, including five transfers, four of them from Division I programs, as well as promising new assistant coach Ed Daniels.
The Mustangs will welcome a pair of NCAA Division II opponents to open and warm up the season with exhibitions.
Both are members of the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA): Cal State San Marcos is first up on October 21, with Cal State Monterey Bay following on October 29.
The 2026-27 season officially opens at home at Mott Athletics Center when the Mustangs host D-II UC Merced on November 2 at 5 p.m. before a November 5 matchup with Division III foe Whittier College.
Traveling on the road for the first time, the Mustangs head to Idaho State on November 9 before returning home for a clash against Seattle. Those opening Division I matchups lead into a pair of top-25 road trips to UCLA (Nov. 19) and Washington (Nov. 22), closing out the month. The Mustangs later also play high quality talent at Stanford on December 28.
Our non-conference schedule is very competitive. These early games against opponents from a variety of levels and skills, will give our entire roster chances to compete. The top-25 games will definitely challenge our players but more importantly give them the experience of playing against some of the very best student-athletes in the country, which they'll remember for the rest of their lives.Head Coach Shanele Stires
The non-conference schedule is broken up by a pair of home matches to start the Big West slate.
CSUN and UC Santa Barbara are first up on the Big West calendar, with the latter in its final Big West season, and those matches set for November 3 and 5.
The Big West season resumes right at the turn of the year, as the Mustangs welcome UC Riverside on New Year's Eve and one of three new conference counterparts, California Baptist, two days later.
Alongside the Highlanders, Cal Poly will play conference matches against the usual suspects in Long Beach State, Cal State Fullerton, Cal State Bakersfield, CSUN, UC Irvine, and reigning conference champion UC San Diego.
Also part of the fold with the Lancers are two more new opponents: Utah Valley and Sacramento State.
The 2027 Credit Union 1 Big West Basketball Championships will take place at Lee's Family Forum in Henderson, Nevada, from March 10-13.
Mustang season tickets are on sale now and can be purchased HERE!
As we round into the new year and conference season, we're actively playing some of the most competitive opponents in our region. This conference slate will be one of the strongest in my time here, especially with three brand-new Big West counterparts and growing individual talent throughout the conference.Head Coach Shanele Stires
