Riverside is getting its own version of a rivalry trophy, and it stretches across an entire academic year. The University of California, Riverside and California Baptist University are kicking off the newly formalized Crosstown Showdown, a 14-game, multi-sport competition that pits the city's two NCAA Division I schools against each other with a championship trophy on the line for whichever program racks up the most points.
According to MyNewsLA.com, the series opens with a women's soccer match at UCR on September 26, 2026, and runs through the following spring across men's soccer, women's volleyball, women's golf, men's and women's cross country and track, men's and women's basketball, softball and baseball. The university that accumulates the most points across all 14 games will be crowned the inaugural Crosstown Showdown champion and take home the newly created Crosstown Showdown championship trophy, per the same report. Additional match schedules for some sports remain to be determined, and MyNewsLA.com notes that published dates and match information are subject to change.
Two Campuses, Nine Miles, One New Trophy
The timing isn't a coincidence. California Baptist University officially joined the Big West Conference on July 1, 2026, according to CBU Athletics, putting the Lancers in the same primary conference as UC Riverside for the first time. CBU had spent its initial Division I seasons in the Western Athletic Conference after moving up from Division II in 2018. The two campuses sit roughly 9 miles apart within the city, according to UC Riverside.
The move turns what used to be scattered non-conference matchups into a season-long fight for local bragging rights. Riverside is now one of a select group of U.S. cities with two NCAA Division I universities competing in the same athletics conference, per the MyNewsLA.com report. Officials with the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce announced the competition, according to the outlet, and the Crosstown Showdown was launched jointly by CBU, UCR, the office of Riverside Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson, the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce and Visit Riverside.
Basketball Doubleheaders Anchor the Marquee Dates
Basketball Dates on the Calendar The calendar includes basketball games on December 5, 2026, at UCR, according to CBU Athletics. Another basketball date is set for February 20, 2027, at CBU's Fowler Events Center.
Other confirmed dates include volleyball at UCR on October 23, 2026, and at CBU the following night, men's soccer at CBU on October 10, 2026, and softball games at CBU on April 24 and 25, 2027, according to MyNewsLA.com. The series is designed to bring together students, alumni, families and fans throughout the academic year, the outlet reports, with full match information available at visitriverside.com/crosstown-showdown/.
A Rivalry Name With Deeper Roots
A Rivalry Name With Deeper Roots The Crosstown Showdown name appears in a 2025 UC Riverside men's soccer headline, according to UC Riverside Athletics. The newly announced competition spans all 14 events and includes a championship trophy.
Men's soccer has already built a track record as one of the rivalry's most-watched matchups. In their September 2025 meeting, UCR and CBU played to a 1-1 draw at UCR Soccer Stadium, according to UC Riverside Athletics. The Big West and Pac-12 conferences also announced a men's soccer partnership in March 2026, according to the Big West Conference.
CBU Holds the Head-to-Head Edge Since Going Division I
CBU Holds the Head-to-Head Edge Since Going Division I Since CBU transitioned to Division I during the 2018-19 academic year, the rivalry has included multiple varsity sports through the 2025-26 season. The rivalry also continued during the 2025-26 athletic year. In March 2026, CBU's men's basketball program earned its first NCAA Division I Tournament appearance, winning the Western Athletic Conference tournament title during a 25-win season behind guard Dominique Daniels Jr., as Hoodline previously reported.
UC Riverside and CBU are distinct institutions, with CBU described as a private faith-based institution. CBU was founded in 1950. Together with La Sierra University and Riverside City College, these institutions are part of Riverside's higher-education community, underscoring why local civic and business groups have thrown their support behind the new series.
The Crosstown Showdown aims to showcase Riverside's higher education presence, sports culture and business environment, according to MyNewsLA.com's reporting on the launch. Whether the series turns into a signature annual event for the Inland Empire, and how points will ultimately be allocated across sports without direct head-to-head formats like cross country and golf, remain open questions as the inaugural schedule gets underway this month.
