The Wait Is Over: UC San Diego Athletics Officially Enters Year One of D1 Reclassification

LA JOLLA, Calif. – The Division I era is set to begin as UC San Diego Athletics has been notified by the NCAA that after review of its strategic plan and application, the Tritons have officially been advanced into year one of the reclassification process.   

#AllForOne

The NCAA Division I Strategic Vision and Planning Committee chair notified UC San Diego of the official start of the first year of the four-year reclassification process, following a review of the University’s Division I application and the UC San Diego Strategic Plan for Athletics. 

“We are very excited to receive approval from the NCAA of our Division I application and bold strategic plan”  UC San Diego Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Earl W. Edwards said. “The move to Division I and the Big West Conference is a great fit for UC San Diego.  We know that the students, alumni and San Diego community are looking forward to seeing us compete with other UC institutions, enhancing the overall campus experience and sense of belonging for all Tritons.”

The approval of the Division I application and strategic plan is a key step in a process that was put in motion in 2016, when the UC San Diego student body voted overwhelmingly to move to Division I and the Big West Conference.  The reclassification was also endorsed by UC San Diego’s Academic Senate. 

Moving to Division I aligns with UC San Diego’s student-centered vision and elevates the student experience.  It also helps with strengthening alumni connection to the University, and increasing community engagement, while amplifying the campus message and brand. 

As a Division I institution, UC San Diego joins fellow UC institutions: UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, and UC Santa Barbara in the Big West Conference, which also includes Cal Poly, CSU Bakersfield, CSU Fullerton, CSUN, Long Beach State, and Hawai‘i.

As part of the transition to Division I, UC San Diego Athletics undertook a comprehensive and collaborative process to develop the UC San Diego Strategic Plan for Athletics. Triton Athletics actively engaged strategic partners across the campus and select community members to develop the plan, which outlines Triton Athletics’ strategic goals in relation to its core values of excellence, integrity, inclusion, innovation and resilience. In all, more than 30 campus departments from seven Vice Chancellor areas provided their input. The student body was also an influential voice in the plan’s creation, as over 95% of 37,500 surveys distributed to gain input were sent to students.

UC San Diego’s move to Division I provides unprecedented new opportunities for Triton Athletics and the University as a whole. The 23 athletics teams at UC San Diego will strive to continue their national success in Division I, mirroring the success which the University’s undergraduate student population has achieved in national rankings.

“Competitively, we’ve been extremely successful at the Division II level, consistently in the top-10 of the Learfield IMG College Directors’ Cup, and now we will have the opportunity continue our success at the Division I level,” added Edwards.

Triton scholar-athletes will continue the proud tradition of academic and athletic excellence that is the hallmark of UC San Diego Athletics, with the opportunity to tell the story of the University through enhanced national broadcasting opportunities.  In addition, innovative, state-of-the-art facilities will be enjoyed by students, alumni, fans and the San Diego community. Year-round programming and experiences will enable scholar-athletes to thrive in all aspects at UC San Diego while developing a lifelong connection to the University. 

During the upcoming 2020-21 academic year, the Tritons will begin a full Big West competitive slate. Two UC San Diego teams have already been participating in the Conference as affiliate members. Men’s volleyball has competed in the Big West since 2017-18 and women's water polo began Conference play in 2019-20. 

The NCAA reclassification process, starting with the 2020-21 year, includes a mandated 4-year period before UC San Diego will be eligible for Division I championships in 2024-25.  The Big West Conference does not allow teams not eligible for NCAA Championships to compete for Big West Championships.  National Collegiate Sports (NCAA sports with only one combined division) remain eligible for NCAA Championships during the four-year reclassification process. Triton National Collegiate Sports include men's volleyball, men's and women's water polo and fencing. 

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 II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 37 have garnered 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.