LA JOLLA, Calif. – A new era is here! UC San Diego has begun its transition to NCAA Division I and the Big West Conference. As part of the move to Division I, UCSDtritons.com introduces our fans to the Big West and the other 10 members...our new conference foes!
We begin the series with an overview of the Big West Conference. Each weekday through July 15, we will get to know a new one of our rivals.
Meet Our New Competition: About the Big West
Founded: 1969 as Pacific Coast Athletic Association (renamed Big West in 1988)
Location: Irvine, Calif.
Commissioner: Dan Butterly (began June 1, 2020 following 28 years under the leadership of Dennis Farrell).
Member Institutions: California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; California State University, Bakersfield; California State University, Fullerton; California State University, Northridge; Long Beach State University; University of California, Davis; University of California, Irvine; University of California, Riverside; University of California San Diego; University of California, Santa Barbara; and the University of Hawai'i, Manoa.
Sports offered (18): baseball, men's basketball, women's basketball, men's cross country, women's cross country, men's golf, women's golf, men's soccer, women's soccer, softball, men's tennis, women's tennis, men's track & field, women's track & field, beach volleyball, men's volleyball, women's volleyball, women's water polo
Conference Championships Contested: men's basketball, women's basketball, men's cross country, women's cross country, men's golf, women's golf, men's soccer, women's soccer, men's tennis, women's tennis, men's track & field, women's track & field, beach volleyball, men's volleyball, women's water polo
National Championships Won: 19 team, 30 individual. Most recent: Long Beach men's volleyball, 2019
Broadcast Partner: ESPN Networks
Media Markets: No. 2 (Los Angeles/Orange County/Inland Empire); No. 20 (Sacramento/Stockton/Modesto); No. 29 (San Diego); No. 66 (Honolulu); No. 125 (Bakersfield); No. 126 (Santa Barbara/Santa Maria/San Luis Obispo)
Website: bigwest.org
Social: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
Meet Our New Rivals Series
Big West
Cal Poly (July 2)
Cal State Bakersfield (July 3)
Cal State Fullerton (July 6)
CSUN (July 7)
Long Beach State (July 8)
UC Davis (July 9)
UC Irvine (July 10)
UC Riverside (July 13)
UCSB (July 14)
Hawai'i (July 15)
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program begins a new era in 2020 as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions III and II and helped guide more than 1,300 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. More than 100 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 37 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.
