Softball | 2/5/2026 12:30:00 PM
(St. George, Utah - Feb. 5, 2026) - The Trailblazers kick off the 2026 season this weekend playing five games over three days in Southern California.
Game 1
Who | Utah Tech (0-0) vs. Oregon State (0-0)
When | Friday, Feb. 6 / 11:30 a.m.
Where | LBSU Softball Complex / Long Beach, Calif.
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Game 2
Who | Utah Tech (0-0) at Long Beach State (0-0)
When | Friday, Feb. 6 / 4 p.m.
Where | LBSU Softball Complex / Long Beach, Calif.
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Game 3
Who | Utah Tech (0-0) at UC Riverside (0-0)
When | Saturday, Feb. 7 / 2 p.m.
Where | Amy S. Harrison Family Field / Riverside, Calif.
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Game 4
Who | Utah Tech (0-0) at Loyola Marymount (0-0)
When | Sunday, Feb. 8 / 11 a.m.
Where | Smith Field /Los Angeles, Calif.
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Game 5
Who | Utah Tech (0-0) vs. UC Santa Barbara (0-0)
When | Sunday, Feb. 8 / 1:30 p.m.
Where | Smith Field /Los Angeles, Calif.
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GLANCE AT OPENING WEEKEND IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
The Trailblazers kick off the 2026 season this weekend with five games split between three sites in Southern California
Utah Tech gets action started on Friday afternoon with contests against Oregon State and Long Beach State in Long Beach before heading to UC Riverside for a contest on Saturday afternoon.
The weekend wraps up with a pair of games on Sunday in Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount taking on host LMU and UC Santa Barbara.
TRAILBLAZERS SELECTED SIXTH IN WAC PRESEASON POLL
The Trailblazers were picked to finish seventh in the WAC preseason poll released on Jan. 29.
With 2025 WAC regular season and tournament champion Grand Canyon departing from the WAC, last season's regular season & tournament runner-up Tarleton State was picked first with 32 points along with four first-place votes.
California Baptist (27) was selected second with the poll rounded out by UT Arlington (24), Utah Valley (23), Southern Utah (19), Abilene Christian (16) and Utah Tech (6).
KAHAHAWAI-KEKONA & PAPPAS NAMED TO PRESEASON ALL-WAC TEAM
A two-time Second Team All-WAC selection in 2024 & 2025, senior infielder LB Kahahawai-Kekona enters her senior season after leading the Trailblazers last season hitting .351 from the plate and also topped the club in at-bats (148) & hits (52) while tying for the team lead in triples (3) & RBI (31).
The Wailuku, Hawai'i native has played in 145 career games while making 139 starts and is a career .327 hitter with 142 hits, 94 runs scored, 83 RBI and 31 stolen bases.
A Eugene, Ore. native, Pappas enters her sophomore season after starting 46 of the Trailblazers' 50 games in 2025, including 29 behind the plate.
Kinley Pappas led the Trailblazers in total bases with 70 & slugging percentage (.483), tied for second on the team in home runs (3) and ranked third on the team in batting average (.345), at-bats (145), runs (27), hits (50), doubles (7) & RBI (28).
ABOUT OREGON STATE BEAVERS
Oregon State is coming off a 24-23 overall record in 2025 and tied for third in the seven-team WCC with a 7-8 mark in conference.
Junior outfielder Jada Lewis was named to the WCC All-Preseason Team after earning First Team All-WCC honors last season and was the team leader in batting average (.383), runs (29) and stolen bases (16) & ranked fourth in the conference with a .483 on-base percentage.
In the circle, both Logan Hulon and Ellie Garcia graduated after combining to pitch over 300 innings, none of the team's pitchers entering the season having thrown a single pitch for the Beavers.
ABOUT LONG BEACH STATE BEACH
Long Beach State posted a 27-22 overall mark in 2025 and tied for second in the Big West with a 17-10 record falling to Hawai'i and UC Santa Barbara in the Big West Tournament.
The Beach were picked third in the Big West preseason poll behind UCSB and Fullerton and did not have anyone selected to the preseason coaches' team.
Junior catcher Brooklyn Lee is the top returning hitter for LBSU after hitting .304 with 41 hits, 14 runs & 28 RBI. In the circle, junior pitcher Kate Barnett is the top returning pitcher for the Beach with a 6-3 record & a 2.87 ERA tossing 61.0 innings.
ABOUT UC RIVERSIDE HIGHLANDERS
UC Riverside is coming off a 21-29 overall record in 2025 and tied for seventh in the Big West with a 12-15 mark.
The Highlanders were picked ninth in the Big West preseason poll and senior infielder Rebecca Cabezas was selected to the conference's preseason coaches' team.
Cabezas is the top returning hitter for UCR after recording a .350 average and led the the Highlanders in hits (50) and total bases (66). A whole new staff of pitchers will have to take on opponents this season for UCR with only 12.1 innings returning from Lauren Mendez with three freshmen and pair of transfers arriving from New Mexico (Alina Ortiz) and Stanislaus State (Bree Barner).
ABOUT LOYOLA MARYMOUNT LIONS
Loyola Marymount went 22-31 overall in 2025 and tied with Oregon State for third in the WCC regular season standings with a 7-8 mark.
Picked fourth in the WCC preseason poll, a pair of Lions were named to the WCC preseason team in senior catcher Izzy Jamgotchian and junior utility player Justine Lambert.
Lambert and Jamgotchian are the top two returning hitters for the Lions after each started all 53 games with Lambert leading the way with 67 hits and 15 stolen bases.
In the circle, three of LMU's five pitchers return, but they lose a majority of their innings pitched (287.2 innings) and strikeouts (169).
ABOUT UC SANTA BARBARA GAUCHOS
UC Santa Barbara went 36-26 overall in 2025 and tied for second in the Big West last season with a 17-10 mark.
The Gauchos rallied from losing the opening game at last season's Big West Tournament to win six straight and advance to the UCLA Regional in the NCAA Tournament winning a pair of games.
Picked to win the Big West title this season, a pair of Gauchos were named to the Big West preseason team in senior infielder Bella Fuentes and senior pitcher Malaya Johnson.
Fuentes hit .298 last season and led the team last season with 11 home runs, 62 RBI, 105 total bases & a .559 slugging percentage.
Johnson is coming a 24-12 overall record while making 42 appearances and 34 starts. The Roseville, Calif. native threw 223.1 innings & 122 strikeouts.
SERIES HISTORY VS. OPPONENTS & WCC/BIG WEST OPPONENTS
- vs. Oregon State - 1-0 (2023)
- vs. Long Beach State - 0-1 (2025)
- vs. UC Riverside - 4-1 (2021, 2025)
- Loyola Marymount - 2-0 (2007, 2025)
- UCSB - 1-4 (2023, 2024)
- The Trailblazers are 10-16 against the seven current WCC programs, including Oregon State & LMU, and 16-27 all-time vs. the 10 current Big West teams (LBSU, UCR & UCSB).
TOP RETURNERS
In addition to Kahahawai-Kekona and Pappas, the Trailblazers also bring back 13 returners.
Leading the way is five more seniors in pitcher
Sauren Garton (seven wins, 26 starts) and position players
Sadie Phillips (.300 avg, 19 starts),
Brooklyn Dowdle (.263),
Baylee Howley (.333, 39 starts) &
Abby Mitchell.
Five juniors are highlighted by
Maka Sonognini (.270, 33 starts),
Gabi Giroux (.279, 27 starts),
Jayda Gleave,
Drew McKown and pitcher
Riley Price (six wins, 17 starts).
The returners are rounded out by three sophomores in outfielder
Kennedy Embrey (.235) and pitchers
Lexie Wilson (two wins, four starts) &
Cemryn Pickett (three starts).
SIX NEWCOMERS IN 2026
The Trailblazers welcome six freshmen to the fold this season in outfielder
Abby Davidson (Auburn, Calif.), infielders
Lauren Jones (Fresno, Calif.) &
Kamryn Caldwell (Highland, Calif.), catchers
Naya Taylor (Cypress, Calif.) &
Summer Sanderson (Riverside, Calif.) and pitcher
Delaney Wright (Boise, Idaho).
WAC RANKINGS IN 2025
The Trailblazers finished the 2025 season leading the WAC in triples with 15 (32nd nationally) and ranked second in batting average (.303), on base percentage (.379) and stolen bases (61).
Utah Tech also ranked third in the conference in scoring (5.16) & sacrifice flies (15) and fourth in runs (258), sacrifice bunts (36) & walks (160).
Individually, Kahahawai-Kekona tied for second in the WAC in triples (3), seventh in sacrifice bunts (7) and ranked ninth in batting average (.351)
In the circle, Garton ranked second in the WAC in complete games (10) tied for third in starts (26), tied for fourth in appearances (33), fifth in innings pitched (135.2) & seventh in strikeouts (81).
LOOK AT THE 2026 SCHEDULE
The Trailblazers return to California next week for five games in San Diego before returning back home for the following two weekends to host the Lyman Classic (5 games) on Feb. 20-22 and Beehive Classic (4 games) on Feb. 26-March 1.|
Non-conference action wraps up with five games at the UNLV Red & Black Classic (March 6-8) and three more contests at the Trailblazer Classic (March 13-14) before WAC action starts at Utah Valley (March 20-21).
The Trailblazers host Southern Utah (March 27-28) and will also see home series against UT Arlington (April 17-18) & Abilene Christian (May 1-2) with two more road WAC series at California Baptist (April 3-4) & Tarleton State (April 24-25).
SIMKINS ENTERS YEAR 18 AT UTAH TECH
Head coach Rany Simkins enters his 18th season at Utah Tech this season with a 590-284 (.675) overall record.
After coaching the Trailblazers as a junior college in 2004, Simkins returned in 2010 and led UT to 10 straight Division II tournaments, including the 2015 DII College World Series.
In five seasons in Division I, Simkins has earned 107 wins and helped the Trailblazers win the 2023 WAC regular season title.
TRAILBLAZERS IN THE NCAA ERA
Utah Tech is 644-326 (.664) overall in its 19 seasons in the NCAA era.
In his 16 seasons leading the Trailblazers in the NCAA era, Simkins is 541-278 (.661).
NEUTRAL SITE MARK
Utah Tech is 119-74 overall at neutral sites in the NCAA era.
The Blazers are 83-61 at a neutral site under Simkins.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Utah Tech is 205-133 overall on the road in the NCAA era.
The Trailblazers are 178-112 on the road under Simkins.
UP NEXT
The Trailblazers return to California next week to take on UC San Diego in a pair of games on Thursday, Omaha & Colorado State on Friday and Weber State on Saturday.
