Both teams enter league play with identical 10-3 overall records, having wrapped up non-conference schedules last week. Utah Valley closed the preseason slate with a 109-48 home win over Bethesda, extending its winning streak to five games and improving to a perfect 6-0 at home this season.

The Wolverines have been one of the nation’s most balanced teams through 13 games, ranking among the national leaders in assists, blocks, field goal percentage, scoring margin, and scoring defense. Utah Valley averages 83.8 points per game while allowing just 64.0, owns a +19.8 scoring margin, and enters WAC play riding an 18-game home winning streak, the seventh-longest active streak in the nation.

Individually, Utah Valley is led by redshirt sophomore forward Jackson Holcombe, who averages 15.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game while shooting 58.8% from the field. Holcombe has recorded five double-doubles this season and was recently named to the Lou Henson Award Watch List, which honors the nation’s top mid-major player. Trevan Leonhardt ranks among the national leaders in assists at 6.8 per game, while Tyler Hendricks enters the week shooting 50.7% from three-point range.

California Baptist also brings momentum into conference play after closing non-league action on a three-game winning streak. The Lancers went a perfect 6-0 at home during non-conference play and are one of the nation’s top rebounding teams, averaging more than 41 rebounds per game with a +9.4 rebounding margin.

CBU is led by Dominique Daniels Jr., the Preseason WAC Player of the Year, who ranks among the nation’s top scorers at 20.8 points per game. Martel Williams adds 15.2 points per contest, while Thomas Ndong anchors the frontcourt at 8.0 rebounds per game.

Monday’s matchup features the top two teams from the WAC Preseason Coaches Poll, with California Baptist picked first and Utah Valley second. Utah Valley holds an 11-4 all-time advantage in the series and has won seven of the last eight meetings, including a 74-69 road win in Riverside last season.

Utah Valley enters the week ranked No. 56 in the NCAA NET rankings, the top mark among current WAC programs, and is also featured in multiple national mid-major polls. The Wolverines are ranked No. 8 in the Field of 68 Mid-Major Top 25, while California Baptist checks in at No. 12.

Monday’s game will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and over the airwaves on ESPN The Fan.

Baseball schedule all set

The Wolverines will play 26 games at UCCU Ballpark during the 2026 season, with BYU, California Baptist, Cincinnati, and Utah highlighting the home slate. Road matchups include a four-game series at Stanford’s Sunken Diamond Field.

Utah Valley opens on the road in Northern California with a four-game series at Pacific from Feb. 13-16 before traveling to the reigning Mountain West Conference champions, Nevada, from Feb. 19-23. The Wolf Pack finished 34-23 last season but did not receive an NCAA Tournament bid.

The Wolverines’ home schedule begins with future Big West opponent UC Riverside, opening a 13-game homestand that spans more than half of March. Northern Colorado visits Orem from March 6-9 for a five-game series at UCCU Ballpark. Colorado Mesa finished 42-14, won an RMAC title, and made an NCAA D2 regional a season ago and will travel to Orem on March 11. UVU will host one NCAA tournament team from 2025 when Cincinnati visits on March 16-17. The Bearcats competed in the Knoxville Regional last season, including upsetting Wake Forest.

Utah Valley will face four teams from the Power 4 ranks during the season, including a March four-game road series at Stanford. The Cardinal, one of college baseball’s most storied programs, will host the Wolverines in a four-game series on Mar. 21-23.

The nonconference schedule concludes with a home series against Division II Cal State San Bernardino from March 27-29 before the Wolverines visit future Big West foe Cal State Bakersfield from April 2-4.

Utah Valley and BYU will play twice in 2026, starting with a home date for the Wolverines on Tuesday, Apr. 7, before they return to Provo in the final week of the regular season (May 12). UVU will play one midweek road series during conference play, traveling to Air Force from April 13-14.

Western Athletic Conference play begins after Easter weekend with a road series at Sacramento State from April 10-12. The Wolverines will also make two trips to Texas during conference play, visiting Tarleton State from April 24-26 and Abilene Christian from May 5-8.

Utah Valley opens its home conference slate with the Old Hammer Rivalry against Utah Tech from April 17-19. California Baptist visits from May 1-3, and UT Arlington will close the regular season at UCCU Ballpark from May 14-16.

The 2026 University Credit Union WAC Baseball Tournament will return to Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Ariz., from May 20-23. The tournament champion will earn the WAC’s automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

Holcombe makes Henson Award Watch List

BOSTON–Utah Valley men’s basketball redshirt sophomore forward Jackson Holcombe has been named to the 2025-26 Lou Henson Award Watch List, as announced by CollegeInsider.com.

The Lou Henson Award is presented annually to the top player in mid-major Division I men’s basketball and honors the late Lou Henson, the former Illinois and New Mexico State head coach who won 775 games over 41 seasons and led two different programs to the NCAA Final Four.

Holcombe has established himself as one of the nation’s most complete mid-major players this season. The 6-foot-7 forward leads Utah Valley at 15.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game while shooting 58.8% from the field. He has recorded five double-doubles, ranking 26th nationally, and leads the Wolverines in total rebounds (104), blocked shots (20), and steals (28).

Holcombe’s all-around production has helped Utah Valley to a 10-3 overall record, including an unbeaten mark at home. He has started all 13 games for the Wolverines and has been a key factor in Utah Valley’s strong start on both ends of the floor.

The Lou Henson Award recipient will be announced in Indianapolis, Indiana, the site of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. The award is selected by a 10-member voting committee consisting of current and former head coaches, along with senior staff members from CollegeInsider.com.