New Conference, Rising Expectations: Sunbirds Ready for Fall 2026

A new era of Fresno Pacific Athletics begins this fall. After more than a decade in the PacWest Conference, the Sunbirds officially begin competition in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) during the 2026-27 academic year. For volleyball, men’s and women’s soccer, and cross country, the move brings new opponents, regional rivalries and the challenge of competing in one of NCAA Division II’s strongest conferences in the West. Men’s water polo, meanwhile, continues its pursuit of a Western Water Polo Association championship.

Fresno Pacific enters this new chapter with plenty of momentum. The fall of 2025 featured a historic volleyball season, postseason appearances in men’s soccer and men’s water polo, major progress in cross country and a strong finish from women’s soccer.

Now, returning experience and promising newcomers have the Sunbirds ready to see how far this momentum can carry them.

Volleyball: Raising the Standard

Few teams in the country enter 2026 with greater expectations than volleyball. Head Coach Kelsee Montagna’s Sunbirds went 27-2 in 2025, captured a share of the PacWest regular-season championship, won the conference tournament and advanced to the NCAA West Region championship match. FPU climbed as high as No. 8 nationally and finished No. 10 in the final AVCA Coaches Poll. After that breakthrough, the challenge is sustaining the standard.

“Our focus is simple: take advantage of every opportunity we have to get better,” Montagna said. “We are excited to build on the success of last season and make a strong statement in our first year in the CCAA.”

A talented group of newcomers will help, including Eastern Arizona College transfer Rylee Pitney, First Team All-PacWest selection Addisen Hamilton and San Jose State transfer Morgan Castaneda.

The Sunbirds are no longer simply trying to climb the West Region hierarchy. They enter 2026 ranked #11 in the nation and expect to remain part of the regional and national conversation.

Men’s Soccer: Built for the Challenge

Men’s soccer has spent the past two seasons reestablishing itself among the West Region’s postseason contenders, finishing among the PacWest’s top four in 2025 and qualifying for the conference tournament for the second consecutive season. That momentum now meets an even greater challenge.

“The CCAA is the premier conference in the country in men's soccer, and we are excited for the challenge,” Head Coach Cameron Shahrokhi said. “This group has a high ceiling, and I'm excited to see how much we can grow together throughout this season.”

A deep recruiting class adds talent across the field, including Xavier transfer Shogo Haraikawa and Central Valley standouts Nixon Hansen and Noah Naranjo. Several experienced transfers will also strengthen the Sunbirds defensively. This gives the Sunbirds a roster with intriguing depth as they enter a conference that will test them from the opening whistle.

An early sign of the team’s potential came in a 5-1 exhibition victory over Division I University of the Pacific.

Cross Country: Building on a Breakthrough

The first season under Head Coach Landon Miller provided plenty of reasons for optimism. The Sunbird men improved from fifth at the PacWest Championships in 2024 to runner-up in 2025, with six runners earning all-conference recognition. The women earned team victories at the Clovis Crush and UC Riverside invitationals, while 10 of FPU’s 14 runners recorded personal bests at the NCAA West Regional. Miller believes both teams can continue that growth.

“The guys were very consistent with their training over the summer, which puts them in a great place to thrive this fall in the CCAA and West Region,” he said.

Newcomers including California Baptist transfer Josh Griffin, junior college standouts Dylan Devine and Julian Valdivia, and freshmen Diego Ochoa and Mauricio Herrera bolster the men’s roster.

On the women’s side, freshmen Erin Solis and Chloe Ledieff join a smaller but dedicated group Miller believes could surprise teams around the conference.

Men’s Water Polo: Championship Ambitions

Men’s water polo enters year two under Head Coach Jon Miller with expectations on the rise. Last season, FPU reached the WWPA semifinals for the first time in program history before finishing fourth. This fall, a deep group of newcomers joins an experienced returning roster with an even bigger goal in mind.

“Our expectations are really high this year,” Miller said. “We brought back a lot of experience from last year's team and with our new additions we have a very competitive group from top to bottom.”

The 11-player incoming class includes Clovis West All-Americans Jesse Bryan and Ryder Stermer, international addition Giacomo Hernandez and junior college all-conference transfers Yanti Quijada and Ryan Scott.

With greater depth throughout the roster, the objective is clear: compete for the program’s first WWPA championship.

Women’s Soccer: Local Talent Leads New-Look Group

Women’s soccer enters its first CCAA season looking to build on an encouraging finish to 2025. After a difficult opening stretch last season, the Sunbirds went 4-1-3 over their final eight matches, including a victory over nationally ranked Concordia University Irvine. Head Coach Jaime Ramirez now welcomes a recruiting class blending collegiate experience with strong Central Valley ties.

“I have high hopes for this group of young ladies,” Ramirez said. “We combine a wealth of local talent with out-of-town players. That creates a good blend of talented players that will surprise many of our opponents.”

Graduate transfer Julianna “Nia” Hernandez returns to Fresno after four seasons at Division I UC Riverside, while local standouts Meghan Connolly, Kimberly Garcia, Royce Kilby and Alessandra Mendoza add to a young roster looking to establish itself in its new conference.

A New Chapter Begins

The opponents will change. The road trips will change. For several programs, even the path to the postseason will look different. The expectations, however, are only getting higher.

Fresno Pacific enters fall 2026 with a nationally established volleyball program, a men’s soccer roster ready for the challenge of one of Division II’s deepest leagues, an ascending cross country program, a men’s water polo team pursuing its first WWPA championship and a women’s soccer program looking to build on last season’s late surge.

In 2025, the Sunbirds built momentum. In 2026, the next chapter begins—and with it comes an opportunity to show exactly where they belong.