UC San Diego was formally admitted to the West Coast Conference on Wednesday, expanding the conference to 10 teams beginning in the 2027 season.
“We continually identify valuable opportunities to expand our membership, and the addition of UC San Diego greatly aligns with the goals of the West Coast Conference,” commissioner Stu Jackson said in a statement. “UC San Diego’s meteoric rise during its recent NCAA Division I transition is the result of strong leadership, strategic investment and deliberate planning for postseason success.”
The Tritons completed their transition to NCAA Division I in 2024 and made history by qualifying both their men’s and women’s basketball teams for the NCAA tournament in their first year of eligibility.
The Tritons will compete in 14 of the WCC’s 16 sponsored sports, including men’s and women’s basketball, soccer, volleyball, baseball and softball.
UC San Diego sponsors 24 sports and will seek a conference affiliation for the remaining 10.
The addition of UC San Diego comes in the wake of Gonzaga’s decision to leave the WCC for the Pac-12, which will begin in 2026. Seattle officially joined the conference this year.
