San Diego isn't just a beach town. It's quietly become one of the best cities in America for women's sports, pro and college, year-round. Whether you've lived here for years or you're visiting for the weekend, here's what you should know.
San Diego Wave FC: Pro Soccer, Top of the Table
The San Diego Wave joined the NWSL in 2022 and hasn't looked back. In 2026, they're sitting at the top of the league standings.
The bigger story? Alex Morgan, two-time World Cup champion, Olympic gold medalist, and one of the most recognizable athletes in the world, retired from playing in 2024 and came back as a minority investor in the Wave. She also co-founded TOGETHXR, a media company focused on women's sports, and invested in Unrivaled, the 3-on-3 women's basketball league. Morgan isn't just a former player. She's building the business side of women's sports, and she's doing it from San Diego.
USD Volleyball: A Perennial Powerhouse
If you haven't been to a USD Toreros volleyball match, you're missing out. Head coach Jennifer Petrie is in her 28th season and has built one of the most consistent programs in the country. 538 wins, a .740 career winning percentage, and 23 NCAA Tournament appearances in the last 27 years. In 2025, USD went 25-5 and swept the West Coast Conference at 18-0.
Petrie was named AVCA Coach of the Year, and the program was even selected to represent Team USA at the 2026 FISU America Games. This isn't a scrappy underdog. USD volleyball is elite.
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UCSD Women's Basketball: From D2 to the Dance
Here's a story that doesn't get enough attention. UC San Diego transitioned from Division II to Division I in 2020, sat out four years of postseason play due to NCAA rules, and then made the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back seasons (2025 and 2026). They won the Big West tournament both years and also claimed a share of their first regular-season title in 2026.
Head coach Heidi VanDerveer has been leading this program since 2012. And yes, she's the younger sister of Tara VanDerveer, who retired from Stanford in 2024 as the winningest coach in NCAA basketball history (men's or women's) with 1,216 career wins. Basketball runs in the family, and Heidi is writing her own chapter in San Diego.
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San Diego State Softball: Olympic Pedigree on the Bench
Stacey Nuveman Deniz coaches San Diego State softball, and her resume speaks for itself. Three Olympic Games, two gold medals (2000, 2004), one silver (2008), and an NCAA record 90 home runs during her playing days at UCLA. She's been with the Aztecs since 2008 and took over as head coach in 2021. The team went 31-20 in 2025 and 38-19 in 2026, competing against some of the best programs in the country.
If you want to watch softball coached by a legitimate legend, Aztec Softball Stadium is your spot.
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SDSU Women's Basketball: Back in the Tournament
San Diego State women's basketball made the 2025 NCAA Tournament as a 14-seed after winning the Mountain West Conference tournament in triple overtime. Their first trip to the Big Dance since 2012. Head coach Stacie Terry-Hutson has been building this program for over a decade, and 2025 was a breakthrough moment. Keep an eye on the Aztecs.
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The Bottom Line
San Diego has a pro soccer team leading its league, a volleyball program that's been nationally elite for decades, two basketball programs making NCAA Tournament runs, and a softball team coached by an Olympic gold medalist. This city delivers year-round women's sports, and most people don't even know it.
Now you do.