SACRAMENTO -- Sacramento State 13th-year head coach Lori Perez announced the team's 2026 schedule, which is comprised of 53 games, including 23 at Shea Stadium.

This year's regular season schedule, which also includes 20 road games and 10 at neutral sites, runs from Feb. 5 until May 1. The Hornets will play in four preseason tournaments, including a pair of annual home events - season-opening NorCal Kickoff (Feb. 5-8) and Capital Classic (Feb. 27-March 1).

The Big Sky Conference Tournament will take place in Pocatello, Idaho, on May 4-7, and should the Hornets win the title, they would compete at NCAA Regionals beginning May 15.

Sacramento State is coming off a 2025 season in which the team went 27-23 overall and 10-5 in the Big Sky (2nd place). The Hornets have finished first or second place each of the last four seasons, and have been a top three team in 10 of the 12 seasons the Big Sky has sponsored softball.

Sacramento State returns 19 players from a year ago, including five pitchers and eight positional starters. The Hornets welcome five newcomers to the program.

Of the Hornets' 38 non-conference games, 25 will be played in the state of California. The Hornets will travel to Phoenix, Ariz., for the GCU Invite (Feb. 13-15), Eugene for a tournament hosted by Oregon (March 6-8), and three-game series at Seattle (March 14-15). 

Sacramento State will play 17 non-league games at home, including two tournaments, and home dates with Pacific, Utah Valley, Boise State, San Diego and UC Davis. The San Diego games (March 21-22) are a three-game set the weekend before conference play begins. 

Sacramento State will play 15 Big Sky games featuring the usual three-game series format with doubleheaders on Friday and single games on Saturday between March 27 and April 25.

In conference play, the Hornets will host three-game series vs. Montana (April 10-11) and Portland State (April 24-25). Road series will take place at Northern Colorado (March 27-28), Weber State (April 3-4) and Idaho State (April 17-18).

NOTABLES
• Sacramento State is one of eight NCAA Div. I softball programs in Northern California. The Hornets will play six of those teams in non-league play: UC Davis, Pacific, Stanford, Saint Mary's, Santa Clara and San Jose State. Currently, Cal is not on the schedule.
• The Hornets are playing 23 games at home this season, after playing 27 games at Shea Stadium a year ago.
• Between the final day of conference play (April 25) and the beginning of the Big Sky Tournament (May 4), the Hornets will play once - May 1 regular season finale at Stanford.
• Senior Day will take place on Saturday, April 25, before the Hornets' game vs. Portland State at noon.
• Like seasons in the past, all home conference dates will begin at noon.
• Sacramento State's coaching staff remains the same from a season ago - head coach Lori Perez, associate head coach Vicky Rios, and assistant coaches Marina Demore and Lewa Day.
• Perez begins her 13th season as head coach, associate head coach Vicky Rios enters her ninth season as the team's hitting coach, and Demore begins her second season as the pitching coach.
• The Hornets are a combined 122-71 in Big Sky play during Perez's head coaching tenure. That includes conference championships in 2018 and 2023.
• Every home game (schedule permitting), and road games against a Big Sky opponent, will stream on ESPN+.