San Diego Toreros (0-0, 0-0 WCC) • UC Davis (0-0, 0-0 Big West) • Cal Poly (0-0, 0-0 Big West) • Colorado State (0-0, 0-0 MW)
La Rue Field (300) • Davis, California | Shea Stadium (912) • Sacramento, California
Live Streaming • ESPN+ (Friday only) | Live Statistics • UCDavisAggies.com
Social • Twitter.com/USDBaseball • Instagram.com/USDBaseball
DAVIS, Calif. — College softball season will begin for the Toreros at La Rue Field this weekend, with San Diego (0-0, 0-0 WCC) beginning its season by traveling up north to take part in the 2026 NorCal Kickoff, where they will face off against UC Davis (0-0, 0-0 Big West), Cal Poly (0-0, Big West), and Colorado State (0-0, Mountain West) for a total of five games.
First pitch on Friday is set for 12:05 p.m. against the Aggies, which is followed by a 2:30 first pitch against the Mustangs. On Saturday the Toreros will begin play bright and early against Colorado State at 9:30 a.m., with the second game of the day beginning at 12 p.m. against UC Davis. San Diego will conclude the trip on Sunday with another game against the Mustangs, with the first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m.
San Diego's opening game of the tournament against UC Davis will be broadcasted on ESPN+ with Gregory Wong on the call, and live statistics will be available on UCDavisAggies.com
ALL TIME SERIES AGAINST UC DAVIS
• The Toreros are 3-5 against the Aggies all-time, with the two teams' most recent meeting coming on March 3, 2019, when San Diego dropped a close 2-1 decision to UC Davis at the USD Softball Complex.
• Prior to the 2019 matchup with the Aggies, the Toreros had won three straight games over UC Davis, with a 7-6 win in San Diego in 2017, a 5-2 win in Las Vegas as part of the Sportco Kick Off Classic in 2014, and another 7-6 win in San Diego in 2012.
• San Diego and UC Davis' first-ever meeting came in 1989, when the Aggies defeated USD by an 8-0 margin in Hayward, Calif.
ALL TIME SERIES AGAINST CAL POLY
• The Toreros are 3-9 against the Mustangs all-time, with the two teams' most recent meeting coming three seasons ago on February 24, 2023, when San Diego dropped a close 6-5 decision to Cal Poly in extra innings at the Mary Nutter Classic in Cathedral City, Calif.
• San Diego last defeated the Mustangs two seasons before that in 2020, when they took down Cal Poly by a 4-3 margin in Los Angeles.
• San Diego and Cal Poly's first-ever meeting came in 1989, when the Mustangs defeated USD 7-0 in Hayward, Calif.
ALL TIME SERIES AGAINST COLORADO STATE
• The Toreros are 3-6 against the Rams all-time, with the two teams' most recent meeting coming two seasons ago on Feb 18, 2024, when San Diego dropped a close 4-3 decision to Colorado State at the USD Softball Complex.
• Prior to the 2024 matchup with the Rams, the Toreros had won three straight games over Colorado State, with a 2-1 win in Fullerton in 2022, a 7-2 win in San Diego in 2018, and a 3-1 win in San Diego in 2009.
• San Diego and Colorado State's first-ever meeting came in 2003, when the Rams defeated USD by a 5-1 margin in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
USD PICKED SIXTH IN 2025 WCC PRESEASON POLL
• San Diego was picked sixth in the WCC Coaches Preseason Poll the West Coast Conference announced on Wednesday afternoon as part of its 2026 Softball Preseason Honors.
• USD took home the sixth spot in the league's 2026 poll with 11 points, putting it four points ahead of Portland, which was picked seventh. San Diego placed fifth in the poll in 2025 and was tied for second in 2024.
2026 WCC SOFTBALL COACHES PRESEASON POLL
1. Santa Clara - 36 points (6)
2. Saint Mary's - 31 points (1)
3. Oregon State – 22 points
4. LMU – 21 points
5. Seattle U – 19 points
6. San Diego – 11 points
7. Pacific – 7 points
2026 WCC SOFTBALL PRESEASON TEAM (POSITION PLAYERS)
• Amanda Bricker, Pacific
• Sam Buckley, Saint Mary's
• Taryn Clements, Santa Clara
• Cairah Curran, Santa Clara
• Taylor Fitch, Seattle U
• Hazyl Gray, Santa Clara
• Izzy Jamgotchian, LMU
• Justine Lambert, LMU
• Jada Lewis, Oregon State
• Mikee Morris, Seattle U
• Olivia Silvestre, Pacific
• Karen Spadafora, Seattle U
2026 WCC SOFTBALL PRESEASON TEAM (PITCHERS)
• Cari Ferguson, Santa Clara
• Mia Nishikawa, Saint Mary's
• Berkley Vance, Seattle U
• Odhi Vasquez, Saint Mary's
PROVEN RETURNERS
#1 Kaitlyn Wynia | OF | JR | Torrance, CA | Torrance High School
• Appeared and started in 38 of her team's games in 2025 as a sophomore
• Hit for a slash line of .328/.391/.379 with 9 RBI; led USD in batting average
• Totaled 11 multi-hit games last season, notching three in one game on three occasions
• With more walks (11) than strikeouts on the season, her on-base percentage of .391 was third on the team and 23rd across the WCC
#14 Taylor Johnson | UT | SR | Seal Beach, CA | Los Alamitos High School
• Appeared in 47 games and started in 45 as the team's primary first baseman in 2025
• Posted a slash line of .321/.400/.575, and led the team in slugging with a percentage of .575, aided by her seven doubles and team-leading nine home runs and 37 RBI
• Was the 2024 WCC Batting Champion and a 2024 WCC First Team selection as a sophomore in 2024
#5 Michelle Delgado | INF | JR | Santa Ana, CA | Segerstrom High School
• Appeared and started in 45 games as the team's primary third baseman in 2025
• Posted a slash line of .318/.396/.409, and her .805 OPS was second best on the team, along with her SLG at third best and OBP at second best
• Led the team in assists with 84 and had a fielding percentage of .976 at the hot corner
#10 Shawnese Hogue-Lacy | C/UT | SR | Fairfield, CA | Vanden High School
• Appeared in 36 games and started in 33 as the team's primary catcher in 2025
• Broke out by posting a slash line of .313/.340/.434, boosted by six total extra base hits on the season, hitting two doubles, two triples, and two home runs, along with six RBI
• Had a fielding percentage of .975, making only four errors in 160 chances and threw out six runners attempting to steal a base
#6 Kelsey Tadlock | LHP | SR | San Marcos, CA | San Marcos High School
• Pitched in 33 games and started in 13 in 2025
• Threw a team leading four complete games amassing 105 innings pitched
• Struck out a team-high 87 batters while accumulating a 3.47 ERA
WORKING THE PORTAL
• San Diego picked up a pair of transfers in the portal this season from Miami (OH), and Sonoma State.
Those players are:
#9 Kaylee Oh | OF | JR | Miami (OH) | Oregon State
• Oh, a Murrieta, California native, heads to USD after spending her Sophomore year at Miami (OH), and her freshman season at Oregon State.
• Oh excelled during the 2025 season competing for Miami (OH) as she started in all 61 of her team's games and was selected to the MAC All-Tournament team.
• Providing a great spark at the top of the lineup, she posted a .307 batting average to go along with six home runs and 32 RBIs while also showcasing her speed with 17 stolen bases.
• Her time with the RedHawks featured numerous highlights including her first collegiate home run against Georgia State, 15 multi-hit games, a three-hit performance against Ball State in the MAC Tournament and a pair of hits in a victory over North Carolina in the 2025 NCAA Regionals.
#21 Charlie Johnson | RHP | SR | Sonoma State
• Johnson, a San Diego native who attended nearby Del Norte High School, comes to the Toreros after spending the last three seasons competing for Division II Sonoma State in the Bay Area, where she made 94 career appearances, posting a 37-23 overall record to go along with a microscopic 1.86 ERA in 388.2 innings.
• During her time at Sonoma State she earned five CCAA Pitcher of the Week awards and was a First Team All-Region and All-Conference honoree during the 2025 season.
• Not afraid to pitch deep into games, Johnson threw 23 complete games in 29 starts during her junior season at Sonoma State. Pitching in relief in her final appearance this last season, Johnson kept her team in the game by throwing 5.1 innings and allowing just one unearned run against Concordia.
RISING TOREROS
• Head coach MJ Knighten brought in six first-year players as part of USD's 2025 freshman class.
Those players are:
#7 Liliana Esparza | UT | Las Vegas, NV | Green Valley High School
• Played for head coach AJ Coleman and Green Valley High School and for Ken Briggs on the BSC Bengals 18U club team
• Two-time Nevada 5A state champion (2021 and 2022)
• Also played basketball, soccer, volleyball and flag football
#12 Seleny Chavez | UT | Nipomo, CA | St. Joseph High School
• Played for head coach Anthony Razo at St. Joseph High School and for Rob Weil on the Wildcats Fastpitch club team
• 2024 All CSO First Team selection, 2024 CIF Central Section champions
• Grew up in a small farming community and was raised and shaped by the legacy of her parents and grandparents as strawberry farmers
#22 Adiah Fountain | C/UT | Northridge, CA | Notre Dame High School
• Played for head coach Justin Siegel at Notre Dame High School and for Ray Gurule at the BSC Bengals Gurule club team
• Clubbed 34 home runs during her high school career and posted a 1.75 catcher pop time
#23 Analesse "Peanut" Garcia | RHP | Chula Vista, CA | Mater Dei High School
• Played for head coach Liz Centrullo at Mater Dei High School and for Bobby Labs on the Breakers Lab 18U Gold Bobby club team
• Her last two years of high school she posted a 14-3 record a 1.58 ERA and 99 strikeouts
• Is related to San Diego Padres pitching coach Ruben Niebla
#25 Ava Rojas | OF | Benicia, CA | Benicia High School
• Played for head coach Kristen Grubbs at Benicia HS and for the Lady Magic club team under head coach Steve Walling
• Four year varsity player at Benicia HS and has played for her travel ball team since she was seven years old
• Has two older cousins, Madison and Aysle Rojas who played softball at UC Davis
#26 Abrielle Diaz | INF | Riverside, CA | Grand Terrace High School
• Competed at Grand Terrace High School and for the California Lite 18U club team
• Four year varsity softball player and served as team captain her senior year
• Posted a .431 batting average her junior season
HOMETOWN HEROES
• Eight players on the 2025 USD roster hail from the San Diego area and attended local high schools.
Those players are:
• INF Hailey Mulligan | San Diego, CA | El Capitan High School
• LHP Kelsey Tadlock | San Marcos, CA | San Marcos High School
• LHP Alex Riggs | San Diego, CA | Academy of Our Lady of Peace
• OF Dalia Powell | San Diego, CA | University City High School
• UT Mallory Axline | San Diego, CA | Cathedral Catholic High School
• RHP Charlie Johnson | San Diego, CA | Del Norte High School
• RHP Analesse "Peanut" Garcia | Chula Vista, CA | Mater Dei High School
• P/UT Emma Giaime | San Diego, CA | Del Norte High School
2026 SCHEDULE NOTES:
• 51 games
• 28 home games
• 22 away games
• 18 WCC games
• 33 non-conference games
• 9 home WCC games
• 9 away WCC games
• 19 home non-conference games
• 6 away non-conference games
• 8 neutral-site games
• 43 games in California
• 28 games in San Diego
• 5 games in Arizona
• 3 games in Oregon
