HS States 2026

Menu

2026 California High School State

California Ultimate Association is excited to host California High School States on May 16-17, 2026 in Fresno, California. After a 7 year gap we are returning to moving the pinnacle of the high school season around the state to help encourage growth statewide. Make sure your team pays for at least 10 players by April 12th so we can lock in which divisions will be competing this year.

STEP 1 | Pay for 10 Players to Lock in Your Team

Upcoming Coach Certifications

2025 Girlsx Results

2025 Open Results

STEPS 2 | Register & Roster Through USAU

Eligibility Exception Application

USAU Youth Guidelines

Become a Chaperone

EVENT DETAILS

Date:  May 16-17, 2026

Time Expectations (subject to change, and not including warm-up before games start):

• Saturday - 8:30AM-5:30PM
• Sunday - 8:30AM-3:30PM
• Award Ceremony - 2:30PM-4:00PM

Field Site:

• Regional Sports Complex, 1707 W Jensen Ave, Fresno, CA 93706

Divisions: Gx DI, Open DI, Open DII

Expectations: Field lines, water, a trainer, and player swag for those paid for by April 12, 2026

USAU Membership Updates: HS States now only requires an Affiliate Membership ($20). Teams still must adhere to all USAU coach and chaperone requirements.

REGISTRATION & PAYMENT DETAILS

EVENT FEES

CUA is now using a Pay What You Can pricing structure for youth events for greater accessibility. Read more about Pay What You Can pricing below or click here. This event is valued at $60 per player value ($30 if the division only plays one day). We require an upfront and nonrefundable payment for 10 players to secure each team's spot, then ask for the remainder of player fees closer to the event.

ROUGH TIMELINE FOR TEAM ADMINS

• April 12 - Team registration closes - register by paying for at least 10 players
• April 13 - CUA announces viable divisions and field site(s) to be used
• April 21 - Last day to submit player eligibility exception forms
• April 30 - Final event roster must be submitted through the USAU system and remaining/all player fees must be paid
• May 13 - Schedules posted
• May 16-17 - 2026 CA High School States
• May 16 @ 6:00-9:00PM - California Ultimate organizers meeting (location TBD)

STEPS FOR TEAM ADMINS

STEP 1 | REGISTER BY PAYING FOR 10 PLAYERS BY APRIL 12TH

STEP 2 | SET UP TEAM & ROSTER THROUGH USAU

STEP 3 | ADD MORE PLAYERS BY APRIL 30, 2026

BOOK YOUR HOTEL ROOMS

REFUND POLICY

Player fees (beyond the 10 upfront) can be refunded until April 30th. If a division is not viable by April 12th then those teams' full deposits will be refunded. If unforeseen conditions cause the event to be cancelled, CUA will refund as much as possible after covering sunk costs.

FINANCIAL AID

CUA now uses a Pay What You Can pricing structure for youth events to make events affordable for all. To ease financial barriers to USAU membership and/or getting coaches certified, check out these great programs:

• RAD Grant - Covers select costs for Non-Binary, Women, & BIPOC coaches
• Delrico Johnson Fund - Covers membership costs for BIPOC athletes
• Play It Forward - covers Affiliate or Youth Membership costs for an individual or team from an underserved area
• Email us prior to registering for the event so we can seek and provide the support your team needs

Frequently Asked Questions About Pay What You Can Pricing

What does Pay What You Can pricing mean?

We will advertise the full cost of a program registration, for example $50, and then when you register you will be given the option to pay a discounted or fully subsidized registration, as well as the option to ‘Pay It Forward’ with a donation. In addition, you can consider volunteering into your decision on what to pay. We highly encourage volunteering for your program registration!

1. Pay the suggested price
2. Pay less than the suggested price if needed
3. Pay it forward and add a donation if you can
4. Volunteer in exchange for paying less if you are able

How do I know what I should pay?

Consider the difference between financial sacrifice and financial hardship when deciding what price to pay:

• If paying for a program might be difficult, but not detrimental, it qualifies as a financial sacrifice. If paying full price would be a financial sacrifice, consider paying a slightly discounted registration.
• If paying for a program would lead to a harmful impact on your life, such as not being able to put food on the table, pay rent, or pay for your transportation to get to work, then you are dealing with hardship. If paying full price would be a financial hardship consider paying a substantially or completely discounted registration. 
• If paying full price would be neither a financial hardship or a financial sacrifice, we ask you to consider paying full price and/or Pay It Forward with an additional donation.

While we have provided some suggestions to consider when deciding what price you can pay, we recognize that everyone’s financial means are unique, so we do not ask for any documentation and do not cast judgement on anyone’s ability or choice to pay.

If I want to cover someone else's registration costs what should I do?

Discounted and fully subsidized registrations are made possible by donations from community members like you! Consider making a one time donation today, or setup a recurring monthly donation to support registrations every season, or select an additional Pay It Forward donation with your program registration.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

Where do Pay It Forward donations go to?

California Ultimate’s ability to use Pay What You Can as a tool for accessibility is only made possible by the generous support of donations. Pay It Forward donations support California Ultimate’s efforts to further our mission, supporting the following:

• Covering the costs of participants who do not have the means to pay full price
• Paying coach and volunteer development expenses, such as background checks, safe sport training, & coach certifications
• Supporting our partnership with Up2Us and our Americorps coaches and program coordinators
• Supporting Project Disc Go which gives discs to under-resourced youth; each disc is stamped with a QR code that links that youth to helpful beginner skill videos and more Ultimate programs

Why is States valued at $60 per player?

For CA High School State Championships, $60 is the estimated full program cost that is needed to cover all of California Ultimate’s expenses. This includes field expenses, services/amenities, discs, administration, and supplies including official USAU trophies. California Ultimate always strives to provide a high quality experience to celebrate the pinnacle of these teams’ season.

How can I get involved?

California Ultimate highly encourages volunteering to both give back to the community, and also to better understand all of the work that goes into making an event run successfully. Email us to get connected to opportunities that fit your interest, abilities, and availability.

Where did this Pay What You Can sliding fee scale idea come from?

California Ultimate is excited to implement Pay What You Can as a tool to help us further our mission and level the playing field, however this concept did not originate from California Ultimate. Check out our amazing friends at Triangle Ultimate in North Carolina who embraced the idea from other local nonprofits and the book, The Sliding Scale: A Tool for Economic Justice by Alexis J. Cunningfolk.