Pioneer Preview: Sept. 3-9
On Thursday, the 2025-26 athletic year officially commences for Cal State East Bay. Building on what was a phenomenal year in 2024-25, three of the Pioneer teams start action on the road looking to make their bold mark in NCAA Division II and the CCAA. Women's Volleyball, Women's Soccer and Men's Soccer will each chase a repeat appearance in the CCAA Tournament and perhaps go for more.
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WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL |
CAL STATE EAST BAY at HAWAII CHALLENGE
Thursday, September 4 – Saturday, September 6
Honolulu, Hawaii
Thursday, September 4
Cal State East Bay at Hawai'i Pacific (0-2) –– 12 p.m. HST (3 p.m. Pacific) - WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
Played at HPU Shark Tank - Honolulu, Hawaii
Cal State East Bay vs. UH Hilo –– 10 a.m. HST (1 p.m. Pacific) - WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
Played at HPU Shark Tank - Honolulu, Hawaii
Cal State East Bay at No. 9 Chaminade –– 7 p.m. HST (10 p.m. Pacific) - WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
Played at McCabe Gym - Honolulu, Hawaii
Saturday, September 6
Cal State East Bay vs. UC Colorado Springs - 2 p.m. HST (5 p.m. Pacific) - WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
Played at McCabe Gym - Honolulu, Hawaii
The Pioneers' first three opponents include a trio of Hawaii teams from the PacWest as part of the Hawaii Challenge, most notably No. 9 Chaminade, and wrap up their matches in the tournament against UC Colorado Springs. The first two matches for East Bay take place at HPU Shark Tank (Thursday and Friday's first match) and the second two take place at McCabe Gym (Friday evening and Saturday afternoon). In the CCAA Preseason Coaches' poll, East Bay was picked to finish sixth, which was the actual place for the team to finish the 2024 regular season and enough to qualify for the 2024 CCAA Volleyball Tournament.
The team includes a mix of returners and key newcomers. Setters Pi'ilani Carvalho and Jada Stone return for their junior season along with libero Kale'a Kuamo'o. Middle Blocker Fane Paua returns for her senior season. Some important newcomers include outside hitters Barakat Adekola and Makaiya Gerhardt.
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WOMEN'S SOCCER |
(RV) CAL STATE EAST BAY at UC COLORADO SPRINGS
Thursday, September 4
Mountain Lion Stadium | Colorado Springs, Colorado
Kickoff: 5 p.m. MT (4 p.m. Pacific)
WATCH | LIVE STATS
(RV) CAL STATE EAST BAY at DOMINICAN (CALIF.)
Sunday, September 7
Kennelly Field | San Rafael, California
Kickoff: 1 p.m.
WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
HAWAI'I PACIFIC at (RV) CAL STATE EAST BAY
Tuesday, September 9
Las Positas College | Livermore, California
Kickoff: 1 p.m.
WATCH | LIVE STATS
Can the Pioneers carry their strong finish to the 2024 season into 2025? A late season run propelled them into the No. 2 seed for the CCAA Tournament.
And East Bay was picked second in the 2025 CCAA Preseason Coaches Poll, only short of last season's NCAA Division II National Champion Cal Poly Pomona. Several starters return to the squad, four of which are on the CCAA Preseason Watchlist, including Abigail Kern, Jaeden Nelson, Morgan Pearson and Mika Sayfurahman.
Anne Whipple's second season at the helm for East Bay begins with a pair of road matches, starting Thursday at UC Colorado Springs then Sunday at Dominican (Calif.). Three matches in six days wraps up Tuesday with a home fixture against Hawai'i Pacific, which will be played at Las Positas College in Livermore, California.
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MEN'S SOCCER |
CAL STATE EAST BAY at MENLO
Thursday, September 4
Wunderlich Field | Atherton, California
Kickoff: 4 p.m.
WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
CAL STATE EAST BAY at DOMINICAN (CALIF.)
Saturday, September 6
Kennelly Field | San Rafael, California
Kickoff: 2 p.m.
WATCH | LIVE STATS | TICKETS
The third season for the Pioneers under the direction of head coach Mike Haswell begins with a pair of road fixtures in the Bay Area, starting with a showdown at Menlo on Thursday afternoon, then a matchup with Dominican on Saturday. Last season, East Bay defeated Menlo, 2-1 but lost to Dominican, 3-1.
Several Pioneers return to the lineup for 2025 from a historical 2024 season that saw them reach the CCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. East Bay was picked fourth in the CCAA Preseason Coaches Poll. On the CCAA Preseason Watchlist are Yuto Hatayama and Julian Valle.
Latest Women's Volleyball
- Pioneer Volleyball Wraps Up Hawaii Trip on SaturdayHONOLULU — Cal State East Bay volleyball battled point for point with UC Colorado Springs on Saturday afternoon but fell in three sets at McCabe Gym, as the Mountain Lions completed a sweep 25-22, 25-20, 30-28 in East Bay's final match of the 2025 Hawaii Challenge. The Pioneers showed resilience in the third set set, rallying from six points down to push the frame to extra points before UCCS pulled out the win.
- Pioneer Volleyball Loses Pair of Matches Friday in Hawaii ChallengeHONOLULU — Cal State East Bay women's volleyball continued play at the Hawai'i Challenge on Friday with a pair of tough matchups, falling in four sets to Hawai'i Hilo at the HPU Shark Tank in the morning and later dropping a three-set match to No. 9 Chaminade at McCabe Gym.
- Pioneers Sweep HPU to Open 2025 CampaignHONOLULU — Cal State East Bay opened the 2025 season in strong fashion Thursday afternoon, sweeping Hawai'i Pacific at the HPU Shark Tank. The Pioneers battled through tight stretches, including a dramatic second-set rally, before closing out a 25-20, 27-25, 25-12 win.
- Dr. Summer Jackson Named FARA's 2025 Division II Newcomer of the YearCOLUMBIA, Mo. - The Faculty Athletics Representatives Association (FARA) has announced that Cal State East Bay's Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR), Dr. Summer Jackson, has been named Division II Newcomer of the Year by the FARA Honors and Awards Committee.
- Pioneer Spotlight: Kaitea GalletesLeaving the Hawaiian Islands for the Bay Area is a big leap, but in just a short time on campus, freshman middle blocker Kaitea Galletes has embraced the change with courage, resilience, and gratitude. From her first days on campus, she felt she had found more than just a volleyball program. She had found a new community to call home.
- Volleyball Picked 6th in CCAA Preseason PollALISO VIEJO, Calif. - On Wednesday, the CCAA announced its 2025 Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll. Picked to finish sixth in the standings was Cal State East Bay.