LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego Director of Athletics Earl W. Edwards announced that the Triton athletics program has officially submitted its intent to the NCAA to opt into the proposed settlement terms of House v. NCAA.
"When we reclassified to Division I the vision was to continue the pursuit of excellence in all that we do," Edwards said. "As intercollegiate athletics continues to evolve, UC San Diego strives to provide an elite scholar-athlete experience through our broad-based programming, top-rated academic experience and competitive excellence. Opting in positions UC San Diego Athletics to continue to build our foundation as we strive to become a best-in-class Division I program."
The UC San Diego athletic program officially completed its transition to Division I status and is now a full-fledged member of the Big West Conference. This milestone follows a four-year transition period that began in July 2020. With the transition complete, the Tritons are eligible to contend for titles and leave their mark on the conference.
If granted final court approval on April 7, the settlement will mark a significant step in concluding the House v. NCAA case, originally filed in 2020. The case involved student-athletes seeking compensation for past name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities. Under the settlement, participating institutions will be allowed to provide direct benefits to student-athletes beginning in the 2025-26 academic year.
In the coming months, UC San Diego will continue to share information with current students, alumni, donors and fans on how they can help to invest in Triton scholar-athletes.
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 began a new era in 2020 as a member of The Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 24-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 84 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 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 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in Divisions I and II.
