This Week in Warrior Sports
Feb. 2–8

Special Events Planned for Home Basketball Weekend at the Fitz
Stan State Athletics will celebrate Stan State Night and City of Turlock Day this weekend at Fitzpatrick Arena as the Warriors host key conference match-ups. On Thursday, Feb. 5, Stan State Night highlights a doubleheader against Chico State, with women's basketball tipping off at 5:30 p.m. followed by the men at 7:30 p.m. At halftime of the women's game, the Stan State Department of Athletics will recognize its Fall State Honor Roll student-athletes. The celebration continues on Saturday, Feb. 7, with City of Turlock Day as the Warriors host Cal Poly Humboldt, with women's basketball at 1 p.m. and men's basketball at 3 p.m. The day also features the spring home opener for women's tennis, as the Warriors host Jessup University at noon at the Stan State Tennis Courts.

Men's Basketball Back in Playoff Hunt After 2–0 Road Weekend
Stan State men's basketball moved back into the CCAA playoff hunt with a perfect 2–0 road weekend, earning an 83–80 overtime win at Cal State San Marcos before closing the trip with an 86–81 victory at Cal State Monterey Bay. The Warriors improved to 6–8 in conference play, averaged 84.5 points per game while shooting 51.5 percent from the field, and extended their winning streak to two games. The weekend marked head coach Trevor's 200th career victory, while Malachi Johnson led the way with averages of 18.5 points and 7.0 rebounds, highlighted by a season-high 27 points at CSUMB. Stan State now sits one game out of fourth place.

Baseball Opens 2026 Season with 3–0 Start
Stan State baseball opened the 2026 season with a perfect 3–0 record at Warrior Field, outscoring opponents 20–3 while hitting .343 as a team and posting a 1.00 ERA over the opening weekend. Austin Balentine anchored the pitching staff in the season opener, earning the win with six scoreless innings while facing the minimum, allowing no hits and no walks, with the lone baserunner reaching on an error and never advancing past first base. Pierce Sailer and Eli Blurton also picked up wins, while Payton Hawkinson recorded the team's first save. Offensively, Kian Sanchez hit .900 (9-for-10) with a home run and five RBI, Mason Kelley added a home run and five RBI, and the Warriors limited opponents to a .155 batting average. Stan State will travel to Vanguard for a three-game series Friday and Saturday, Feb. 6–7, in Costa Mesa, Calif.

Indoor Track & Field Recap (UW Invite / Mile City)
Stan State Indoor Track & Field delivered a strong weekend of competition in Seattle at the UW Invite and Mile City meets, highlighted by school records, all-time performances, and NCAA provisional qualifying marks. Mila Real broke a 22-year-old Stan State school record in the 400 meters with a time of 55.88, provisionally qualifying for the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships and ranking 25th nationally. Alexis Nino continued her record-breaking season by improving her own school record in the shot put with a mark of 46-7¼ (14.20m), requalifying for NCAA indoors and ranking 17th in the nation, while also adding a fourth all-time mark in the weight throw. Annie Wild delivered a national-caliber performance in the mile at the Mile City Meet, running 4:41.94 to provisionally qualify for NCAA indoors and ranking fourth nationally.

Women's Basketball Returns Home After Road Tests
Stan State women's basketball opened conference play with a pair of road games at Cal State San Marcos and Cal State Monterey Bay, gaining valuable experience early in the CCAA schedule. The Warriors were led offensively by Mila Sarai Tau, who averaged 10.0 points per game over the two contests, while Eryn Gardner and Alyssa Premo each added 8.5 points per game, with Gardner also averaging 8.0 rebounds. Stan State will look to build on the opening weekend as the Warriors return home to host Chico State on Thursday, Feb. 5 at 5:30 p.m., before welcoming Cal Poly Humboldt on Saturday, Feb. 7 at 1 p.m.

Softball Begins Season This Friday–Sunday, Feb. 6–8 in Lake Elsinore, Calif.
Stan State softball opens the 2026 season this weekend at the D2 West Coast Challenge in Lake Elsinore, Calif., beginning Friday, Feb. 6, with a 9 a.m. matchup against Western Oregon followed by a 2:30 p.m. game versus Biola. Tournament play continues Saturday, Feb. 7, as the Warriors face Concordia at 2:30 p.m. before closing the day against Azusa Pacific at 5 p.m., and the opening weekend wraps up Sunday, Feb. 8, with a 9 a.m. contest against Lubbock Christian. Following the West Coast Challenge, Stan State will return home to host the Stan State Invitational from Feb. 12–15 at Warrior Softball Field.

Women's Tennis Returns to Action This Saturday, Feb. 7
Stan State women's tennis returns to competition Saturday, Feb. 7, opening PacWest play by hosting Jessup University at the Stan State Tennis Courts in the Warriors' spring home opener. The match marks the first opportunity for the Warriors to compete at home during the spring season and begins a PacWest slate that features a balanced mix of home, road, and neutral-site matches.

Men's Golf Begins Spring Season
Stan State men's golf opens spring play Feb. 9–10 at the CSUSM Fujikura Invitational in Vista, Calif., as the Warriors return to competition following a strong fall campaign. Entering the spring season ranked 11th in the region, Stan State will face quality regional and national fields as it works toward postseason positioning. The spring schedule includes multiple tournaments designed to prepare the Warriors for conference and NCAA postseason play, with the regular season culminating later this spring at the Jim Hanny Stanislaus Invitational.

Outdoor Track & Field Schedule Set
Stan State outdoor track & field will open the spring season Feb. 21 at the Sunbird Invitational in Fresno, Calif., before returning home March 6–7 to host the Kim Duyst Invitational at Al Brenda Track at Warrior Stadium. The Warriors will compete throughout the spring at several key meets before closing conference action at the CCAA Track & Field Championships, April 30–May 2, in San Marcos, Calif., and advancing to the NCAA Division II National Championships in May.

Cross Country Earns National Academic Honors
Stan State men's and women's cross country earned national academic recognition as both programs were named USTFCCCA NCAA Division II All-Academic Teams for the 2025 season. Mason Oliveira earned USTFCCCA All-Academic Athlete honors on the men's side after meeting the academic and competitive benchmarks required for the award, while Nina Furtado, Crystal Hernandez, Stevie Holguin, and Annie Wild received All-Academic Athlete recognition on the women's side. The honors capped strong seasons for both programs, as the men placed fourth at the CCAA Championships for the fifth consecutive year and the women finished 12th at the NCAA Division II Championships, matching the best national finish in program history, with Wild earning All-America honors.

Keep Up with All Warrior Action on FloCollege
FloCollege is the home for live and on-demand coverage of Warrior Athletics throughout the season, with all Stan State CCAA contests streamed live along with select non-conference events.

Crab Feed Set for February 28, 2026
Warrior Athletics will host its annual Crab Feed on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, with proceeds benefiting Warrior Athletics scholarships and student-athlete support.

Donna Pierce Warriors of the Week
Austin Balentine, Malachi Johnson, Alexis Nino, Mila Real, Kian Sanchez, and Annie Wild were named Donna Pierce Warriors of the Week following standout performances across baseball, men's basketball, and indoor track & field.

Austin Balentine anchored the Stan State pitching staff in the 2026 season opener, earning the win in a 5–0 shutout of Central Washington at Warrior Field. The right-hander delivered six scoreless innings while facing the minimum number of batters, allowing no hits and no walks, with the lone baserunner reaching on a defensive error and never advancing past first base. Balentine struck out four batters on just 65 pitches, showcasing elite command, efficiency, and poise as he set the tone for the Warriors' opening weekend.

Malachi Johnson powered Stan State men's basketball to a perfect 2–0 road weekend at Cal State San Marcos and Cal State Monterey Bay, helping lift the Warriors back into the CCAA playoff hunt. Johnson averaged 18.5 points and 7.0 rebounds while shooting 57.7 percent from the field, highlighted by a season-high 27-point performance at CSUMB. He delivered key baskets during a decisive second-half run and closed the game by scoring the Warriors' final four points, providing leadership and timely scoring throughout the weekend.

Alexis Nino continued her record-breaking indoor season by improving her own Stan State school record in the shot put with a mark of 46-7¼ (14.20m). The throw requalified her for the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships and currently ranks 17th nationally. Nino also added a fourth all-time performance in the weight throw, further solidifying her place in the program record book.



Mila Real delivered one of the top performances of the indoor season by breaking a 22-year-old Stan State school record in the 400 meters with a time of 55.88. The mark provisionally qualified her for the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships and currently ranks 25th in the nation. Real also posted the second-fastest 60-meter hurdles time in program history, demonstrating her versatility and impact across multiple events.


Kian Sanchez made an immediate impact in his first weekend as a Warrior, helping lead Stan State baseball to a 3–0 opening series. The junior first baseman hit .900 (9-for-10) with five RBI, four runs scored, a stolen base, and a .917 on-base percentage while delivering extra-base hits in multiple games. Sanchez was also flawless defensively, recording 26 putouts, one assist, and a double play while posting a perfect fielding percentage at first base.


Annie Wild capped a national-caliber indoor weekend by running 4:41.94 in the mile at the Mile City Meet in Seattle. The performance provisionally qualified her for the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships and currently ranks fourth nationally. Wild's mark highlighted a strong showing by the Stan State distance crew and continued her emergence as one of the top middle-distance runners in Division II.



Upcoming Week in Warrior Sports
Thursday, Feb. 5
Women's Basketball vs. Chico State – 5:30 p.m.
Men's Basketball vs. Chico State – 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 6
Indoor Track & Field at Wolf Pack Classic (Reno, Nev.)
Softball at D2 West Coast Challenge (Lake Elsinore, Calif.)
vs. Western Oregon – 9 a.m.
vs. Biola – 2:30 p.m.
Baseball at Vanguard – 2 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 7
Indoor Track & Field at Wolf Pack Classic (Reno, Nev.)
Baseball at Vanguard (DH) – 11 a.m.
Women's Tennis vs. Jessup – Noon
Women's Basketball vs. Cal Poly Humboldt – 1 p.m.
Men's Basketball vs. Cal Poly Humboldt – 3 p.m.
Softball at D2 West Coast Challenge (Lake Elsinore, Calif.)
vs. Concordia – 2:30 p.m.
vs. Azusa Pacific – 5 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 8
Softball at D2 West Coast Challenge (Lake Elsinore, Calif.)
vs. Lubbock Christian – 9 a.m.