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Big West Conference
View on Wikipediafrom Wikipedia
 | |
| Formerly | Pacific Coast Athletic Association (1969–1988) |
|---|---|
| Association | NCAA |
| Founded | July 1, 1969 |
| Commissioner | Dan Butterly (since July 1, 2020) |
| Sports fielded |
|
| Division | Division I |
| Subdivision | Non–football |
| No. of teams | 11 (12 in 2026, 11 in 2027) |
| Headquarters | Irvine, California |
| Region | West Coast |
| Broadcasters | ESPN Spectrum SportsNet |
| Official website | www |
| Locations | |
 | |
The Big West Conference (BWC) is an American collegiate athletic conference whose member institutions participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. The conference was originally formed on July 1, 1969, as the Pacific Coast Athletic Association (PCAA), and in 1988 was renamed the Big West Conference. The conference stopped sponsoring college football after the 2000 season.
Among the conference's 11 member institutions, 10 are located in California (nine in Southern California alone), and one is located in Hawaii (though the Hawaii member is leaving for the Mountain West Conference, effective July 1, 2026). All of the current schools are public universities, with the California schools evenly split between the California State University and the University of California systems. In addition, one affiliate member plays two sports in the BWC not sponsored by its home conference.
History
[edit]
Big West Conference Members locations
– Full members
– Future member
– Current Associate and Future full member
– Departing members
– Full members
– Future member
– Current Associate and Future full member
– Departing members
Pacific Coast Athletic Association
[edit]The Big West Conference was formed in June 1968 as the Pacific Coast Athletic Association.[1] The five original charter members were Fresno State, San Jose State, UC Santa Barbara, San Diego State, and Long Beach State.[1] Two other schools, Cal State Los Angeles and the University of the Pacific, were also considered but they declined at that time to pursue membership.[2] The newly formed conference had several meetings to set up its governance, which was confirmed in October 1968 on the campus of UC Santa Barbara.[3] Before the league started play, Cal State Los Angeles joined as a full member and the University of the Pacific joined for football only, becoming a full member itself two years later.[4][5] The conference itself lists July 1, 1969, as its founding date, with the seven institutions beginning conference play that fall.[6][7]
Evolution
[edit]Since its inception as the Pacific Coast Athletic Association, the conference has seen many changes. Utah State was the first institution outside California to join the conference in 1978.[8] This opened the floodgates for many other schools to affiliate with the PCAA; notable schools include UNLV, Nevada, Louisiana Tech, Boise State, and football-only members, such as Southwestern Louisiana and Arkansas State.
In 1983, the PCAA became the first western conference to introduce women's athletic programs, allowing female student-athletes to compete at the same level as their male counterparts. This proved vital for Hawaiʻi as their only participation in the conference was for their women's sports.
However, many universities left to join conferences that were perceived as more well-known, such as the Western Athletic Conference or the Mountain West Conference, while others did not see the benefit of travel since historically many of the teams have been California-based.
From the departures of Idaho and Utah State in 2005 until the arrival of Hawaiʻi in 2012, all members were based in California, reducing the cost and travel time between the universities. When Hawaiʻi joined, it agreed to help defray a portion of travel costs to that state for the league's California members.
In 2011, San Diego State University and Boise State University had initially agreed to move all sports except football to the Big West by 2013.[9] However, when the Big East decided to no longer sponsor football for the 2013 season, both San Diego and Boise backed out of their agreement with the Big West, electing to remain members of the Mountain West instead.
Upon numerous conference shifts spurred from the announcement that UCLA and USC of the Pac-12 were to move to Big 10, a domino effect occurred, ultimately resulting in both Hawaiʻi and UC Davis announcing their move to the Mountain West effective the 2026 school year.
This would leave the Big West with 9 teams, and with the remaining member universities hoping to keep the conference at at least 11 teams, the Big West invited both California Baptist University and Utah Valley University to join the conference by the 2026 school year. Both institutions have since announced their respective intentions to join the conference, marking it the first time since 2013 that a private university will compete in the Big West, and the first time since 2005 that the Big West will have a member in the continental U.S. outside of California. Later in June, Sacramento State announced its intention to join the Big West in all sports except football, effective by the 2026 school year, when they will join alongside California Baptist and Utah Valley.
On September 3, 2025, UC San Diego formally accepted an invite to the West Coast Conference for the 2027-28 season after Gonzaga announced their departure to the rebuilt Pac-12 for the 2026-27 season earlier that year.[10]
There have been no more than 35 full and associate members in the conference's history, while only two of the original seven charter members remain (Long Beach State and UC Santa Barbara, with only Long Beach State's membership being continuous).
The change to the Big West
[edit]
Effective July 1, 1988, the Pacific Coast Athletic Association changed its name to the Big West Conference.[7] With such schools as Utah State, UNLV, Nevada, New Mexico State, and Hawaiʻi now in the fold, the name change was more representative of its member institutions.[7] In addition, the conference had signed a contract with ESPN to have its men's basketball games telecast as the third game of a triple header known as Big Monday - the other conferences being featured were the Big East and the Big Ten so the name Big West fit the theme.[12]
Member schools
[edit]Current full members
[edit] Member departing for the Mountain West Conference in 2026.
Members departing for the West Coast Conference in 2027.
- Notes
- ^ Then Division II, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo was an affiliate member of the Big West in women's volleyball from 1984–85 to 1989–90.
- ^ Before becoming a full member, Bakersfield had been a Big West affiliate in beach volleyball since the 2015–16 school year.
- ^ Long Beach State fully rebranded its athletic program as Beach effective in the 2020–21 school year, after transitioning from its former nickname of 49ers over several years. The baseball team continues to use the nickname Dirtbags, which it had adopted in the 49ers era.
- ^ UC Davis will leave the Big West to join the Mountain West Conference as a full member in 2026, though they will remain an affiliate member for football in the Big Sky Conference.[16]
- ^ UC San Diego first joined the Big West as a men's volleyball affiliate in 2017. It added women's water polo to its BWC membership in 2019.
- ^ UC Santa Barbara joined the Big West when it was founded in 1969, left to become an independent after the 1973–74 school year, then rejoined the conference effective the 1976–77 school year.
- ^ Hawaiʻi will leave the Big West to join the Mountain West Conference as a full member in 2026, though they will remain an affiliate member for men's swimming and diving, men's volleyball, beach volleyball, and women's water polo.[18]
- ^ Hawaiʻi was a full member of the Big West in women's sports from 1984–85 to 1995–96; while the men's sports were a full member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) during that tenure.
- ^ The Hawaiʻi beach volleyball team is officially Rainbow Wahine, but more commonly uses the nickname BeachBows.
Future members
[edit]| Institution | Location | Founded | Joining | Type | Enrollment | Endowment
(millions – FY24) |
Nickname | Colors | Current conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California Baptist University[20][21] | Riverside, California | 1950 | 2026[a] | Private (Baptist) |
11,491[22] | $162.7[23] | Lancers | WAC | |
| California State University, Sacramento[24] | Sacramento, California | 1947 | 2026[b] | Public (CSU system) |
31,181 | $86.42[13] | Hornets | Big Sky | |
| Utah Valley University[25] | Orem, Utah | 1941 | 2026 | Public | 41,728 | $109.94[26] | Wolverines | WAC |
- Notes
- ^ Cal Baptist will pay a $1.2 million exit fee to the WAC. The university will be the first private university to compete in the Big West since Pacific left in 2013.
- ^ Before becoming a full member, Sacramento State had been a Big West affiliate in various sports dating back to 1996. These sports included:
- baseball between the 1996–97 and 2001–02 school years
- men's soccer since the 2012–13 school year
- beach volleyball since the 2015–16 school year
- men's golf during the 2024–25 school year
Affiliate members
[edit]| Institution | Nickname | Location | Founded | Joined | Type | Enrollment | Primary conference |
Big West sport(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California State University, Sacramento (Sacramento State) |
Hornets[a] | Sacramento, California | 1947 | 2012–13 | Public (CSU system) |
30,670 | Big Sky | Men's soccer |
| 2015–16 | Beach volleyball | |||||||
| Grand Canyon University | Antelopes | Phoenix, Arizona | 1949 | 2025–26 | Private For-Profit[b] | 103,427[c] | Mountain West | Men's swimming & diving[d] |
| University of San Diego | Toreros | San Diego, California | 1949 | 2025–26 | Private | 7,548 | WCC | Women's swimming & diving |
| Seattle University | Redhawks | Seattle, Washington | 1891 | 7,755 | Men's swimming & diving | |||
| Women's swimming & diving |
- Notes
- ^ Sacramento State men's soccer joined the Big West Conference in the 2012 fall season (2012–13 school year) and beach volleyball followed for the 2016 spring season (2015–16 school year). They will become full members in the 2026-27 season.[27][28]
- ^ Grand Canyon's for-profit status is disputed. The U.S. Department of Education treats it as a for-profit institution, but the Internal Revenue Service, the NCAA, and the state of Arizona consider it a nonprofit.
- ^ Includes online students. Current on-campus enrollment is about 25,300.
- ^ Though Grand Canyon was initially set to compete in both men and women's swimming and diving in 2025, upon their early admission into the Mountain West, they moved their women's team to that conference. It was announced later that the Mountain West would begin sponsoring men's swimming and diving in 2026.
Future affiliate member
[edit]| Institution | Nickname | Location | Founded | Joining | Type | Enrollment | Primary conference |
Big West sport(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (Hawaiʻi) |
Rainbow Warriors & Rainbow Wahine |
Honolulu, Hawaii | 1907 | 2026[a] | Public (U of H system) |
19,074 | Big West (MW in 2026) |
Beach volleyball |
| Men's volleyball | ||||||||
| Women's water polo |
- Notes
Former members
[edit]Many of the former members of the Big West are now members of the Western Athletic Conference or the Mountain West Conference. Of the nine schools that were in the WAC before its early-2010s realignment, only Hawaiʻi had not spent some time in the Big West as a football participant – it was a Big West member only in women's sports. Of the former members, Cal State Los Angeles is the only team that reverted to Division II level.
School names and nicknames reflect those used by the institutions when they were Big West members. One school has changed its name (Southwestern Louisiana, now branded athletically as Louisiana and also known as Louisiana–Lafayette) and another its nickname (Arkansas State, from Indians to Red Wolves).
Former full members
[edit]- ^ Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
- ^ The UNLV campus lies outside the Las Vegas city limits in the unincorporated community of Paradise. The U.S. Postal Service considers all unincorporated areas in the Las Vegas Valley to have a Las Vegas address.
Former affiliate members
[edit]| Institution | Nickname | Location | Founded | Joined | Left | Type | Enrollment | Primary conference |
Big West sport(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona) |
Broncos | Pomona, California | 1938 | 1984–85 | 1989–90 | Public | 22,501 | CCAA[a] | softball |
| University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (Hawaiʻi) |
Rainbow Warriors & Rainbow Wahine[b] |
Honolulu, Hawaii | 1907 | 1995–96 | 19,074 | Big West | women's sports | ||
| University of Idaho (Idaho) | Vandals | Moscow, Idaho | 1889 | 2024–25 | 11,849 | Big Sky | men's golf | ||
| California State University, Sacramento (Sacramento State) |
Hornets | Sacramento | 1947 | 1996–97 | 2001–02 | 24,388 | baseball | ||
| 2024–25 | men's golf | ||||||||
| San Diego State University | Aztecs | San Diego | 1897 | 1984–85 | 1989–90 | 33,790 | Mountain West (Pac-12 in 2026) |
women's sports | |
| 2012–13 | women's water polo | ||||||||
- ^ Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
- ^ The Hawaiʻi beach volleyball team is officially Rainbow Wahine, but more commonly uses the nickname BeachBows.
Former football-only members
[edit]| Institution | Nickname | Location | Founded | Joined | Left | Type | Enrollment | Primary conference at the time of joining Big West football |
Current conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas State University | Indians[a] | Jonesboro, Arkansas | 1909 | 1993–94 | 1995–96 | Public | 13,438 | Sun Belt | |
| 1999–00 | 2000–01[b] | ||||||||
| Louisiana Tech University | Bulldogs | Ruston, Louisiana | 1894 | 1993–94 | 1995–96 | 11,581 | Sun Belt | CUSA | |
| Northern Illinois University | Huskies | DeKalb, Illinois | 1895 | 25,313 | Mid-Continent[c] | MAC (MW in 2026)[d] | |||
| University of Southwestern Louisiana[e] | Ragin' Cajuns | Lafayette, Louisiana | 1898 | 19,188 | Sun Belt | ||||
| University of the Pacific | Tigers | Stockton, California | 1851 | 1969 | 1971[f] | Private | 6,296 | West Coast | |
- Notes
- ^ Currently known as the Arkansas State Red Wolves.
- ^ Arkansas State joined the Big West for football in the 1993 fall season (1993–94 school year), left to become an independent after the 1995 fall season (–96 school year, then re-joined in 1999, only to leave again after the 2000 fall season (2000–01 school year).
- ^ Currently known as the Summit League.
- ^ Northern Illinois will be a football-only MW member, with most other sports in the Horizon League.
- ^ Currently known as the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and branded for sports purposes as "Louisiana".
- ^ Pacific joined the Big West for only football in 1969, and became a full member in 1971.
Membership timeline
[edit]
Full members Full members (non-football) Assoc. members (football only) Assoc. member (Other sports) Other Conference Other Conference
Notes
- San Diego State played football as an independent for the 1976 and 1977 seasons before leaving the Big West Conference in 1978.
- UC Santa Barbara was an independent from 1974–75 to 1975–76.
- Cal State Fullerton played football as an independent for the 1992 season and dropped football entirely the following year.
- Louisiana Tech, Northern Illinois, Southwestern Louisiana, and Arkansas State joined the Big West for a short-lived football consortium from 1993 to 1995.
- Arkansas State played football as an independent from 1996 to 1998 and later rejoined the Big West for football during the 1999 and 2000 seasons.
Sports
[edit]The Big West Conference currently sponsors 21 NCAA sports, with men's and women's swimming & diving the newest additions for the 2024–25 school year.[30] The Big West is considered a mid-major conference, the term itself coined in 1977.
In baseball, Cal State Fullerton has won four College World Series titles with national championships in 1979, 1984, 1995, and 2004.[31] In addition, Long Beach State and UC Irvine have made multiple appearances in the College World Series. The Big West is the only existing mid-major conference to have multiple teams make the College World Series in the same year, with Cal State Fullerton and Fresno State both making it in 1988, Long Beach State and Fresno in 1991, and Fullerton and UC Irvine in 2007. Fullerton also has a national championship in softball, winning in 1986. Hawaiʻi joined the conference in women's sports only between 1984 and 1996, and won the 1987 NCAA women's volleyball title. Long Beach State has won three NCAA women's volleyball titles as a part of Big West Conference women's volleyball, with national championships in 1989, 1993, and 1998. Misty May-Treanor led the 49ers (now known as Beach) to a 36–0 record en route to the program's most recent title. UC Santa Barbara was the NCAA men's soccer runner-up in 2004, losing the national championship match to Indiana on penalty kicks. The Gauchos returned to the College Cup in 2006 and won the national championship.
Former Big West members UNLV and Pacific won national championships while part of the conference. The UNLV Runnin' Rebels men's basketball team won the 1990 NCAA tournament championship after routing Duke 103–73 in the national title game. UNLV was undefeated during the 1991 NCAA men's basketball season before falling to Duke in the final four. The Runnin' Rebels during this era are widely considered one of the best college basketball teams of all time. The Pacific Tigers women's volleyball team won back-to-back national championships in 1985 and 1986.
The Big West did not sponsor men's volleyball or men's water polo, but it was the primary conference affiliation of several schools that compete in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation for these sports, respectively. In NCAA men's volleyball, UC Irvine has established itself as one of the nation's most elite programs, winning four national championships in 2007, 2009, 2012, and 2013. Long Beach State also won men's national volleyball titles in 1991, 2018, 2019, and 2025, three while in the Big West. Hawaiʻi also won men's national volleyball titles in 2021 and 2022. In NCAA men's water polo, UC Irvine won three national championships in 1970, 1982, and 1989. UC Santa Barbara also won a men's water polo title in 1979.
On May 31, 2016, the Big West announced the conference would sponsor men's volleyball as its 18th sport, with five Big West schools leaving the MPSF to establish the new men's volleyball league. Men's volleyball is the third of four sports in which the MPSF has recently seen a mass exodus of teams to join an existing conference in a newly sponsored sport, with men's soccer, men's water polo, and women's lacrosse as the others. The men's volleyball membership includes core Big West members Cal State Northridge, Long Beach State, Hawaiʻi, UC Irvine, and UC Santa Barbara. UC San Diego joined as an affiliate to bring the league to the NCAA minimum requirement of 6 teams to receive an automatic bid for the NCAA tournament.
Big West Commissioner Dennis Farrell explained that adding UC San Diego was not an indicator UC San Diego would be added to the Big West Conference as a full member. UC San Diego had recently passed a bill to move all their sports to Division I and was looking for an invite from the Big West Conference. UC San Diego has long competed at the Division I level in men's volleyball; the NCAA conducts a single national championship open to all Division I and II members, and scholarship limits in the sport are the same in both divisions. The Big West regular season for men's volleyball will be a double round-robin, with each team playing the others once at home and once on the road. The Big West Tournament will have all six teams participate in single-elimination rounds with the top two teams receiving semifinal byes.[32]
The Big West is the first Division I all-sports conference (defined as a league that sponsors men's and women's basketball) ever to sponsor men's volleyball, and the second NCAA all-sports conference overall to sponsor men's volleyball as a scholarship sport (the first was the Division II Conference Carolinas).
On November 26, 2017, the Big West announced that it would add UC San Diego along with Cal State Bakersfield as its 10th and 11th members starting on July 1, 2020. Cal State Bakersfield, which was already a full Division I member competing in the Western Athletic Conference, became a full member effective July 1, 2020. UC San Diego, which had failed to move up from Division II in failed bids to the Big West in 2011 and April 2017, has begun the four-year transition process to Division I and became a full member effective July 1, 2024. UC San Diego's men's volleyball joined the Big West in 2017, in advance of that sport's 2018 season, and women's water polo joined in 2019. Because the NCAA does not sponsor a Division II championship in either men's volleyball or women's water polo, UCSD was eligible for conference championships in both sports upon joining the Big West, and remained eligible for such during the D-I transition.[33]
UC San Diego and Cal State Bakersfield, the latter now in the process of rebranding its athletic program as Bakersfield, officially joined the conference on July 1, 2020, and Dan Butterly became the new commissioner following the retirement of Dennis Farrell. UC San Diego officially joined Division I ranks on July 1, 2024, and thus could compete in conference championships and NCAA playoffs from then on.
| Sport | Men's | Women's |
|---|---|---|
| Baseball | 11 |
–
|
| Basketball | 11 |
11
|
| Beach volleyball | – |
7
|
| Cross Country | 9 |
11
|
| Golf | 12 |
9
|
| Soccer | 10 |
11
|
| Softball | – |
10
|
| Swimming & diving | 6 |
6
|
| Tennis | 7 |
10
|
| Track and Field (Outdoor) | 10 |
11
|
| Volleyball | 6 |
11
|
| Water polo | 6 |
7
|
Men's sponsored sports by school
[edit]| School | Baseball | Basketball | Cross Country |
Golf | Soccer | Swimming & diving |
Tennis | Track & Field (Outdoor) |
Volleyball | Water polo | Total Sports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | 5 |
| Cal Poly | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | 8 |
| Cal State Fullerton | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | 7 |
| Cal State Northridge | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | 7 |
| Hawaiʻi | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | 6 |
| Long Beach State | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7 |
| UC Davis | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | 8 |
| UC Irvine | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9 |
| UC Riverside | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | 7 |
| UC San Diego | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 |
| UC Santa Barbara | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 |
| Future Members | |||||||||||
| California Baptist | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | 8 |
| Sacramento State | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | 7 |
| Utah Valley | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No | 6 |
| Totals | 11 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 9+1[a] | 5+2[b] | 7 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 84+3 |
- ^ Affiliate member Sacramento State.
- ^ Affiliate members Grand Canyon and Seattle.
| School | Fencing[a] | Football[b] | Rowing[c] | Track & Field (Indoor) |
Wrestling |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield | No | No | No | No | Pac-12 |
| Cal Poly | No | Big Sky | No | Independent | Pac-12 |
| Cal State Fullerton | No | No | No | MPSF | No |
| Cal State Northridge | No | No | No | MPSF | No |
| California Baptist | No | No | No | No | Big 12 |
| Hawaiʻi | No | Mountain West | No | No | No |
| Long Beach State | No | No | ACRA | MPSF | No |
| Sacramento State | No | Big Sky[d] | No | Big Sky[d] | No |
| UC Davis | No | Big Sky | ACRA | No | No |
| UC Irvine | No | No | ACRA | No | No |
| UC Riverside | No | No | No | MPSF | No |
| UC San Diego | MPSF | No | MPSF | No | No |
| UC Santa Barbara | No | No | ACRA | Independent | No |
| Utah Valley | No | No | No | WAC[e] | Big 12 |
- ^ NCAA fencing is a coeducational sport, with schools fielding separate men's and women's squads and all bouts involving members of the same sex. The only Big West member that sponsors the sport, UC San Diego, fields both squads.
- ^ Hawaiʻi competes at the FBS level, while Cal Poly and UC Davis compete at the FCS level. Sacramento State is yet to announce what level they will be playing at.
- ^ The only category of rowing sponsored by the NCAA is women's heavyweight rowing. Men's rowing and women's lightweight rowing are organized by the Intercollegiate Rowing Association.
- ^ a b Sacramento State has not yet announced a future affiliation for its football or men's indoor track & field programs.
- ^ Utah Valley has not yet announced a future affiliation for its men's indoor track & field program.
Women's sponsored sports by school
[edit]| School | Basketball | Beach Volleyball | Cross Country |
Golf | Soccer | Softball | Swimming & diving |
Tennis | Track & Field (Outdoor) |
Volleyball | Water polo | Total Sports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | 9 |
| Cal Poly | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | 10 |
| Cal State Fullerton | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9 |
| Cal State Northridge | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 |
| Hawaiʻi | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 11 |
| Long Beach State | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 |
| UC Davis | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 11 |
| UC Irvine | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8 |
| UC Riverside | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | 8 |
| UC San Diego | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9 |
| UC Santa Barbara | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9 |
| Future Members | ||||||||||||
| California Baptist | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9 |
| Sacramento State | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | 9 |
| Utah Valley | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | 7 |
| Totals | 11 | 6+1[a] | 11 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 6+2[b] | 10 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 104+3 |
- ^ Affiliate member Sacramento State.
- ^ Affiliate members San Diego and Seattle.
| School | Fencing[a] | Field hockey | Gymnastics | Lacrosse | Rowing | Stunt[b] | Track & Field (Indoor) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield | No | No | No | No | No | No | Independent |
| Cal Poly | No | No | No | No | No | Independent | Independent |
| Cal State Fullerton | No | No | No | No | No | No | MPSF |
| Cal State Northridge | No | No | No | No | No | No | MPSF |
| California Baptist | No | No | No | No | No | Independent | No |
| Hawaiʻi | No | No | No | No | No | No | MPSF |
| Long Beach State | No | No | No | No | No | No | MPSF |
| Sacramento State | No | No | MPSF | No | WCC | No | Big Sky[c] |
| UC Davis | No | MPSF | MPSF | Big 12 | No | No | Independent |
| UC Irvine | No | No | No | No | No | No | MPSF |
| UC San Diego | MPSF | No | No | No | CAA | No | No |
| UC Santa Barbara | No | No | No | No | No | No | Independent |
| Utah Valley | No | No | No | No | No | No | WAC[d] |
- ^ NCAA fencing is a coeducational sport, with schools fielding separate men's and women's squads and all bouts involving members of the same sex. The only Big West member that sponsors the sport, UC San Diego, fields both squads.
- ^ Part of the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program.
- ^ Sacramento State has not yet announced a future affiliation for its men's indoor track & field program.
- ^ Has not yet announced a future affiliation for its women's indoor track & field program.
Current conference champions
[edit]The Big West Conference sponsors championship competition in 9 men's and 10 women's NCAA sanctioned sports. Men's and women's swimming & diving were added in 2024–25.[34]
Regular-season champions are indicated with "(RS)" and tournament champions with "(T)".
| Season | Sport | Men's champion |
Women's champion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2025 | Cross country | Cal Poly | Cal Poly |
| Soccer | CSUN (RS) TBD (T) |
TBD | |
| Water polo | TBD | ||
| Volleyball | TBD | ||
| Winter 2025–26 | Swimming & diving | TBD | TBD |
| Basketball | TBD | TBD | |
| Spring 2026 | Golf | TBD | TBD |
| Volleyball | TBD | ||
| Beach volleyball | TBD | ||
| Tennis | TBD | TBD | |
| Water polo | TBD | ||
| Track & field (outdoor) | TBD | TBD | |
| Softball | TBD | ||
| Baseball | TBD |
Former sports
[edit]Football
[edit]An asterisk denotes the participant in the bowls that invited the Big West champion:
Pasadena (1969–70), California (1981–91), Las Vegas (1992–96), and Humanitarian (1997–2000)[35]
|
|
The Big West Conference discontinued football following the 2000 season.[36]
Academics
[edit]The following table shows National University rank by U.S. News & World Report as of 2025, as well as the Regional Western University rank as denoted by an asterisk, and the Forbes ranking for 2024-25.[37][38][39]
Also indicated is membership in the Association of American Universities.[40]
| Institution | US News & World Report | Forbes | AAU Member |
|---|---|---|---|
| UC San Diego | 29 | 20 | Yes |
| UC Davis | 32 | 44 | Yes |
| UC Irvine | 32 | 31 | Yes |
| UC Santa Barbara | 40 | 42 | Yes |
| UC Riverside | 75 | 77 | Yes |
| Long Beach State | 127 | 97 | No |
| Cal State Fullerton | 139 | 118 | No |
| Hawaiʻi | 169 | 219 | No |
| Cal Poly | 1* | 55 | No |
| Cal State Northridge | 20* | 271 | No |
| Sacramento State | 22* | 280 | No |
| Cal State Bakersfield | 31* | 295 | No |
| Cal Baptist | 33* | – | No |
| Utah Valley | 93* | – | No |
Athletic department revenue by school
[edit]Total revenue includes ticket sales, contributions and donations, rights and licensing, student fees, school funds and all other sources including TV income, camp income, concessions, and novelties.
Total expenses includes coach and staff salaries, scholarships, buildings and grounds, maintenance, utilities and rental fees, recruiting, team travel, equipment and uniforms, conference dues, and insurance.
The following table shows institutional reporting to the Knight Commission for the 2023–24 academic year.[41][42]
| Institution | 2023-24 Total Expenses on Athletics | 2023-24 Total Revenue from Athletics |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaiʻi | $59,858,162 | $57,738,309 |
| UC Davis | $55,067,037 | $50,059,304 |
| Cal Poly | $46,657,496 | $43,594,326 |
| Sacramento State | $43,895,764 | $43,065,314 |
| California Baptist[a] | $34,879,391 | $36,994,975 |
| UC San Diego | $33,236,553 | $32,471,959 |
| UC Santa Barbara | $33,207,582 | $28,115,031 |
| UC Irvine | $31,027,866 | $28,488,633 |
| Long Beach State | $29,648,226 | $28,941,062 |
| CSU Fullerton | $26,329,053 | $26,329,053 |
| CSU Northridge | $22,818,177 | $23,425,818 |
| UC Riverside | $20,939,408 | $21,347,393 |
| Utah Valley | $19,489,061 | $18,435,237 |
| CSU Bakersfield | $18,667,097 | $17,995,313 |
The following table shows revenue specifically from NCAA / Conference Distributions, Media Rights, and Post-Season Football reported by the Knight Commission for the 2023-24 academic year.
| Institution | 2023–24 distribution (millions of dollars) |
|---|---|
| University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa | $7.55 |
| University of California, Davis | $2.16 |
| California Polytechnic State University | $1.91 |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | $1.83 |
| California State University, Sacramento | $1.41 |
| University of California, Irvine | $1.35 |
| California State University, Long Beach | $1.34 |
| University of California, Riverside | $1.22 |
| Utah Valley University | $1.14 |
| California State University, Fullerton | $1.06 |
| California State University, Bakersfield | $0.79 |
| California State University, Northridge | $0.68 |
| University of California, San Diego | $0.46 |
| California Baptist University[a] | N/A |
- Notes
- ^ a b California Baptist University is a private university, and is therefore not required to submit data to the Knight Commission. Thus, information regarding revenue and expenses on athletics is received from the United States Department of Education as shown on the DOE Equity in Athletics website for the 2024-25 school year.[43] No data is able to be acquired regarding NCAA/Conference Distributions, Media Rights, and Post-Season Football.
Facilities
[edit]NCAA team championships
[edit]Through June 30, 2025[47]
| School | Total NCAA | NCAA Men's | NCAA Women's | NCAA Individual | Nickname |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California Baptist University | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Lancers |
| California Polytechnic State University | 12 | 0 | 0 | 12 | Mustangs |
| California State University, Bakersfield | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 | Roadrunners |
| California State University, Fullerton | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | Titans |
| California State University, Long Beach | 23 | 4 | 3 | 16 | Beach |
| California State University, Northridge | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | Matadors |
| California State University, Sacramento | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | Hornets |
| University of California, Davis | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | Aggies |
| University of California, Irvine | 10 | 7 | 0 | 3 | Anteaters |
| University of California, Riverside | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Highlanders |
| University of California, San Diego | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Tritons |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | Gauchos |
| University of Hawaiʻi | 16 | 2 | 3 | 11 | Rainbows |
| Utah Valley University | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Wolverines |
Commissioner's Cup
[edit]Starting during the Big West Conference's 1998–99 season, the Commissioner's Cup is awarded yearly to the most outstanding program throughout the season in the conference's sponsored sports.[48] The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos are the most successful team to date having won 10 total trophies.[49]
| Year | Institution | Championships competed |
Total points | Average | Title # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998–99 | Pacific Tigers | 12 | 620 | 51.7 | 1 |
| 1999–00 | Pacific Tigers | 12 | 600 | 50.0 | 2 |
| 2000–01 | UC Santa Barbara Gauchos | 16 | 870 | 54.4 | 1 |
| 2001–02 | UC Santa Barbara Gauchos | 16 | 2,020 | 126.3 | 2 |
| 2002–03 | UC Santa Barbara Gauchos | 16 | 2,070 | 129.4 | 3 |
| 2003–04 | UC Santa Barbara Gauchos | 16 | 2,210 | 138.1 | 4 |
| 2004–05 | UC Santa Barbara Gauchos | 16 | 2,180 | 136.3 | 5 |
| 2005–06 | Long Beach State 49ers | 13 | 1,640 | 126.2 | 1 |
| 2006–07 | UC Santa Barbara Gauchos | 16 | 1,800 | 112.5 | 6 |
| 2007–08 | UC Santa Barbara Gauchos | 16 | 2,046 | 127.9 | 7 |
| 2008–09 | Long Beach State 49ers | 14 | 1,540 | 110.0 | 2 |
| 2009–10 | UC Santa Barbara Gauchos | 17 | 1,970 | 115.9 | 8 |
| 2010–11 | Long Beach State 49ers | 14 | 1,830 | 130.7 | 3 |
| 2011–12 | Long Beach State 49ers | 14 | 1,960 | 140.0 | 4 |
| 2012–13 | Long Beach State 49ers | 14 | 1,950 | 139.3 | 5 |
| 2013–14 | Long Beach State 49ers | 14 | 1,740 | 124.3 | 6 |
| 2014–15 | Long Beach State 49ers | 14 | 1,640 | 117.1 | 7 |
| 2015–16 | UC Santa Barbara Gauchos | 15 | 2,006.7 | 133.8 | 9 |
| 2016–17 | Long Beach State 49ers | 15 | 1,750 | 116.7 | 8 |
| 2017–18 | Cal State Fullerton Titans | 14 | 1,635 | 116.8 | 1 |
| 2018–19 | UC Santa Barbara Gauchos | 16 | 1,930 | 120.6 | 10 |
| 2019–20 | Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | ||||
| 2020–21 | |||||
| 2021–22 | Long Beach State Beach | 16 | 2,260 | 141.3 | 9 |
| 2022–23 | Long Beach State Beach | 16 | 2,360 | 147.5 | 10 |
| 2023–24 | Cal Poly Mustangs | 16 | 2,390 | 149.4 | 1 |
| 2024-25 | UC Irvine Anteaters | 17 | 2,530 | 148.8 | 1 |
Overall Commissioner's Cups Table
[edit]| Institution | Commissioner's Cups |
|---|---|
| Long Beach State 49ers/Beach | 10
|
| UC Santa Barbara Gauchos | 10
|
| Pacific Tigers | 2
|
| Cal Poly Mustangs | 1
|
| Cal State Fullerton Titans | 1
|
| UC Irvine Anteaters | 1
|
Note 1: Bold indicates current members of the Big West Conference
Note 2: The Pacific Tigers moved to the West Coast Conference in 2013
SoCal Challenge
[edit]Starting in 2021, the Big West Conference served as host of the SoCal Challenge,[50] an eight-team men's basketball tournament held during Monday and Wednesday of Thanksgiving week. One Big West team represented the conference in the field of each tournament. Cal Poly, Cal State Northridge and Cal State Bakersfield participated in 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively. The final tournament was held in 2023.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "California Colleges Form New conference". The San Bernardino Sun. San Bernardino, California. June 11, 1968. Retrieved December 2, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Pickard, Don (June 18, 1968). "Cal State PCAA Entry Being Probed". The Independent. Pasadena, California. Retrieved December 2, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "New league being formed". Redlands Daily Facts. Redlands, California. October 18, 1968. Retrieved December 2, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Miles, Jerry (May 16, 1969). "Pacific Eight Gets New Rival". Progress Bulletin. Pomona, California. Retrieved December 2, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Dhillon, Jagdip (March 29, 2012). "Tigers back 'home'". The Record. Stockton, California. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
- ^ "About The Big West Conference". Big West Conference. Archived from the original on August 10, 2001. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
- ^ a b c "PCAA to Change Name to Big West". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. June 4, 1988. Archived from the original on November 18, 2018. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
- ^ "Utah State joining PCAA". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. September 11, 1977. p. 8B.
- ^ "Boise State To Join Big West Conference". bigwest.org. 2025-10-15. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
- ^ "UC San Diego Accepts Invitation to Join West Coast Conference". today.ucsd.edu. Retrieved 2025-09-09.
- ^ "Big West Conference Logos". SportsLogos.Net. Retrieved 2021-07-25.
- ^ Reid, Jason (February 19, 1996). "This Conference Now Little West". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f "Elevating Futures" (PDF). California State University. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
- ^ "Brand Guidelines" (PDF). Bakersfield Roadrunners. September 11, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
- ^ "UC San Diego makes it official: It's joining Div. I, Big West". San Diego Union-Tribune. November 27, 2017. Retrieved June 18, 2018.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "UC Davis To Join Mountain West Conference In 2026-27". UC Davis Athletics. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- ^ a b c d e "UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA ANNUAL ENDOWMENT REPORT FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2024" (PDF). UC Regents. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
- ^ "Four UH sports to remain in Big West". Hawaiʻi Athletics. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
- ^ As of June 30, 2024. "U.S. and Canadian 2024 NCSE Participating Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2024 Endowment Market Value, Change in Market Value from FY23 to FY24, and FY24 Endowment Market Values Per Full-time Equivalent Student" (XLSX). National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO). February 12, 2025. Archived from the original on February 12, 2025. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
- ^ Howe, Brendan (2025-03-05). "Cal Baptist joins Big West with $1.2 million fee as conference realignment shakes up G5 schools". www.sportskeeda.com. Retrieved 2025-03-10.
- ^ "California Baptist University Joins The Big West" (Press release). California Baptist Lancers Athletics. March 19, 2025. Retrieved March 20, 2025.
- ^ "CBU Fall 2021 enrollment extends record-setting pattern". California Baptist University. September 24, 2021. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
- ^ "University donations surpass $100 million mark in four-year growth spurt". December 2, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
- ^ "Sacramento State To Join The Big West" (Press release). Sacramento State Hornets Athletics. June 18, 2025. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
- ^ "Utah Valley announces move to The Big West in 2026-27" (Press release). Utah Valley Wolverines Athletics. June 4, 2025. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
- ^ Reyes, Kyle. "UVU Evergreen Endowment Report". www.uvu.edu. Retrieved 2025-08-07.
- ^ "MEN'S SOCCER JOINS BIG WEST CONFERENCE". Sacramento State Hornets. July 5, 2012. Retrieved December 22, 2016.
- ^ "Sand Volleyball to Join the Big West Conference". Sacramento State Hornets. June 26, 2015. Archived from the original on Dec 23, 2016. Retrieved December 22, 2016.
- ^ https://themw.com/news/2025/10/29/mw-expands-sports-sponsorship-with-the-addition-of-mens-soccer-and-mens-swimming-and-diving-in-2026-27/
- ^ "Big West Board of Directors Approves New Initiatives at Annual Spring Meeting". Big West Conference. June 9, 2023. Retrieved September 3, 2024.
- ^ "College World Series: Everything you need to know about Cal State Fullerton". NCAA.com. 2017-06-14. Retrieved 2017-08-04.
- ^ "Big West Announces 2012 Baseball Awards". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2016-03-07./story.asp?story_id=19222
- ^ "CSU Bakersfield, UC San Diego to Join Big West Conference". Retrieved 2017-11-30.
- ^ "About The Big West". Big West Conference. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
- ^ Big West Football. Web.archive.org. Retrieved on 2013-07-17.
- ^ Big West Conference. Web.archive.org. Retrieved on 2013-07-17.
- ^ "2022–2023 Best National University Rankings". U.S. News & World Report.
- ^ "Forbes America's Top Colleges List 2025 - Best US Universities Ranked". Forbes. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
- ^ "Best Regional Universities West Rankings". U.S. News & World Report.
- ^ "American Association of University Member List" (PDF).
- ^ https://www.knightnewhousedata.org/reports/434352e6
- ^ https://www.knightnewhousedata.org/reports/8565d38e
- ^ "Equity in Athletics". ope.ed.gov. Retrieved 2025-03-22.
- ^ "Cal Poly's Football and Soccer Stadium Has a New Field Name". gopoly.com. November 11, 2022. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
- ^ "The Mike and Arlene Walter Pyramid". California State University, Long Beach. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved February 12, 2012.
- ^ "Bren Events Center". UCI Athletics. Retrieved 2025-07-23.
- ^ "Championships summary through Jan. 1, 2022" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2014-03-20. Retrieved 2015-02-25.
- ^ "Area Notebook: Long Beach State captures fourth straight BWC Comissioner's [sic] Cup". Press-Telegram. Long Beach, California. May 28, 2014. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
- ^ "Big West Commissioner's Cup History". Big West Conference. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
- ^ "Buckets & Beaches: Southern California's Premier NCAA D1 Men's College Basketball Tournament". Southern California Challenge. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
External links
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Big West Conference.
Big West Conference
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Founded on July 1, 1969, as the Pacific Coast Athletic Association with seven California-based universities, the conference expanded westward and changed its name to the Big West in 1988 to reflect its growing footprint beyond the Pacific Coast states.[2][3]
Headquartered in Irvine, California, it is currently led by Commissioner Dan Butterly, who has held the position since June 1, 2020.[4][5][6]
As of 2025, the Big West comprises 11 full member institutions: California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), California State University, Bakersfield (Cal State Bakersfield), California State University, Fullerton (Cal State Fullerton), California State University, Northridge (CSUN), Long Beach State University (Long Beach State), University of California, Davis (UC Davis), University of California, Irvine (UC Irvine), University of California, Riverside (UC Riverside), University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego), University of California, Santa Barbara (UC Santa Barbara), and the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa (Hawai'i).[7][8] The conference sponsors championships in 21 NCAA sports, including baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf, men's soccer, men's swimming and diving, men's tennis, men's track and field, men's volleyball, men's water polo, softball, women's beach volleyball, women's soccer, women's swimming and diving, women's tennis, women's track and field, women's volleyball, and women's water polo.[9][10]
The Big West does not sponsor football as a conference sport, with most member institutions competing in other conferences or independently for that discipline.[9] Over its history, Big West institutions have secured 22 NCAA team championships, including UNLV's men's basketball title in 1990 (while a member), Cal State Fullerton's baseball titles in 1995 and 2004, and Fresno State's softball title in 1998 (former members), alongside numerous individual national titles.[11]
The conference is renowned for competitive excellence in volleyball, baseball, and basketball, with recent highlights including UC Irvine's 2024-25 Dennis Farrell Big West Commissioner's Cup win for overall athletic and academic performance across all sponsored sports.[12][13]
As of September 2025, the Big West announced UC San Diego's departure to the West Coast Conference effective July 1, 2027, while Sacramento State is set to join as a full member starting the 2026-27 academic year, maintaining the conference's focus on West Coast institutions.[8][14]
History
Origins as Pacific Coast Athletic Association
The Pacific Coast Athletic Association (PCAA) was founded on July 1, 1969, as an NCAA Division I conference comprising five charter members from California institutions: Fresno State, Long Beach State, San Diego State, San Jose State, and the University of California, Santa Barbara.[15] These schools sought to create a regional athletic alliance emphasizing competition among West Coast universities, with an initial lineup of 10 sports including basketball, baseball, football, track and field, tennis, golf, swimming, wrestling, and gymnastics.[15][16] The conference's debut basketball season in 1969–70 marked the start of organized play, culminating in Long Beach State claiming the first regular-season title with a perfect 10–0 record.[17] Although formal postseason tournaments were not immediately established, the early years highlighted the PCAA's role in elevating regional rivalries and providing pathways to national competitions, such as the NCAA tournament, where Long Beach State made its inaugural appearance as conference champion.[17] Football also launched successfully that fall, with San Diego State posting the league's first unbeaten conference record at 6–0.[16] By 1973, UC Santa Barbara's membership had provided continuity since its founding, though it briefly departed after the 1973–74 season before rejoining in 1976 to bolster participation in basketball and other non-revenue sports.[18] This period reflected the conference's ongoing commitment to assembling geographically proximate institutions focused on balanced athletic programs, setting the stage for further development while maintaining its emphasis on academic-aligned West Coast schools.[19]Expansion and Realignment
The Pacific Coast Athletic Association (PCAA) experienced significant growth during the 1980s, expanding beyond its California roots to include institutions from other states. Utah State University became the first non-California member in 1978, marking a shift toward regional diversification. This was followed by the addition of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) in 1982, which brought a strong basketball program to the conference. New Mexico State University joined in 1983, further broadening the geographic footprint and contributing to the league's development in non-revenue sports. By 1988, these expansions had increased the membership to ten full-time institutions, including core California schools like Long Beach State, Fresno State, and UC Irvine alongside the newer out-of-state additions.[20][21] Key realignments in the early 1990s reflected the fluid nature of college athletics amid broader NCAA changes. In 1992, the conference added the University of Nevada, transitioning from the Big Sky Conference and Division I-AA. These adjustments helped stabilize numbers after Fresno State's departure to the WAC in 1992. The 1978 NCAA restructuring into Division I-A and I-AA subdivisions positioned the PCAA as a charter I-A football conference, but it also intensified competitive pressures, prompting ongoing adjustments to maintain viability.[22][23] The mid-1990s brought further upheaval, as San Jose State departed for the WAC in 1996, reducing the conference to seven members and highlighting vulnerabilities in retaining urban California programs amid realignment waves. These exits were part of a larger trend where schools sought stronger football alignments, exacerbating the PCAA's challenges in balancing its multi-sport identity.[24] Financial pressures culminated in the decision to discontinue football sponsorship after the 2000 season, primarily due to escalating costs that strained resources for non-revenue sports. This move allowed the conference to refocus as an all-sports entity emphasizing basketball, baseball, and Olympic sports, aligning with its foundational strengths while adapting to the evolving landscape of Division I athletics.[25][26]Renaming and Modern Era
In 1988, the Pacific Coast Athletic Association underwent a significant rebranding, adopting the name Big West Conference effective July 1 to better reflect its expanded geographic footprint across the western United States and to distinguish it from other conferences using "Pacific" in their titles.[19] The change addressed the inclusion of institutions from states like Utah, Nevada, and New Mexico, which extended beyond a strict Pacific Coast focus, providing a simpler and more accurate descriptor for its diverse membership.[27] Entering the 21st century, the Big West pursued strategic expansions to bolster its competitive depth and regional presence among California public universities. In 2001, the University of California, Riverside joined as a full member, alongside California State University, Northridge, increasing the conference to 10 teams and enhancing its emphasis on academic institutions within the University of California system.[28] This period of growth continued in 2012 when the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa became the 10th full member for non-football sports, marking the conference's first venture into the Pacific islands and leveraging Hawai'i's historical ties, as its women's programs had previously competed in the Big West from 1984 to 1996.[29] The modern era has seen further realignment to adapt to shifting conference landscapes. In 2020, the University of California, San Diego transitioned to NCAA Division I and joined the Big West as a full member, bringing the total to 11 institutions and strengthening the conference's California-centric core.[30] However, on September 3, 2025, UC San Diego announced its departure to join the West Coast Conference effective July 1, 2027.[8] To offset this and other impending changes, the conference revealed expansions in 2025: California Baptist University was announced as a full member on March 19, followed by Utah Valley University on June 4 and Sacramento State on June 18, all set to join beginning the 2026-27 season. This expansion offsets the planned departure of the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa as a full member effective June 30, 2026, to join the Mountain West Conference, along with UC San Diego's exit in 2027, positioning the Big West for a robust 12-team lineup.[31][20][14][32] The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly disrupted Big West operations during the 2020-21 academic year, leading to the cancellation of all fall sports on December 10, 2020, due to health and safety concerns.[33] Earlier, on July 29, 2020, the conference had postponed fall competitions through the calendar year, shifting focus to winter and spring seasons under strict protocols.[34] For basketball, the 2021 men's and women's championships were relocated to Las Vegas on December 23, 2020, to mitigate risks while allowing limited or no crowds, reflecting broader adaptations that prioritized athlete welfare amid ongoing uncertainties.[35]Membership
Current Full Members
The Big West Conference currently comprises 11 full member institutions, all public universities primarily located in California with one in Hawaii. These schools compete in NCAA Division I athletics across a range of sports, emphasizing academic excellence alongside athletic competition. The membership reflects a focus on West Coast institutions, with nine University of California campuses and two California State University campuses, fostering regional rivalries and shared academic standards.[36]| Institution | Nickname | Location | Founded | Enrollment (approx.) | Joined Big West |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) | Mustangs | San Luis Obispo, CA | 1901 | 22,000 | 1994 |
| California State University, Bakersfield (CSU Bakersfield) | Roadrunners | Bakersfield, CA | 1965 | 12,000 | 2011 |
| California State University, Fullerton (Cal State Fullerton) | Titans | Fullerton, CA | 1957 | 41,000 | 1970 |
| California State University, Northridge (CSUN) | Matadors | Northridge, CA | 1958 | 38,000 | 2001 |
| University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (Hawaiʻi) | Rainbow Warriors | Honolulu, HI | 1907 | 20,000 | 2012 |
| California State University, Long Beach (Long Beach State) | The Beach | Long Beach, CA | 1949 | 39,000 | 1969 (charter) |
| University of California, Davis (UC Davis) | Aggies | Davis, CA | 1905 | 40,000 | 2007 |
| University of California, Irvine (UC Irvine) | Anteaters | Irvine, CA | 1965 | 36,000 | 1977 |
| University of California, Riverside (UC Riverside) | Highlanders | Riverside, CA | 1954 | 26,000 | 2001 |
| University of California, Santa Barbara (UC Santa Barbara) | Gauchos | Santa Barbara, CA | 1944 | 26,000 | 1969 (charter) |
| University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego) | Tritons | La Jolla, CA | 1960 | 42,000 | 2020 |
Future Full Members
In response to recent conference realignments, the Big West Conference announced the addition of three new full members effective July 1, 2026, aiming to bolster its competitive depth and regional presence.[8] These institutions—California Baptist University, Sacramento State University, and Utah Valley University—will join as all-sports participants, bringing the conference to 12 full members for the 2026-27 academic year (after the simultaneous departures of the University of Hawaiʻi and University of California, Davis, to the Mountain West Conference), before the departure of the University of California, San Diego, to the West Coast Conference in 2027, resulting in 11 members.[8][32][39] This expansion reflects a strategic effort to maintain stability amid broader Division I shifts.[20] California Baptist University (CBU), located in Riverside, California, will transition from the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) as a full member.[31] A private Southern Baptist institution founded in 1950, CBU sponsors 19 NCAA Division I sports under the Lancers nickname and has an enrollment of 12,516 students as of fall 2025.[40] The move aligns CBU with other California-based programs, enhancing travel efficiency and rivalries in sports like men's and women's basketball, where the Lancers have posted competitive records in recent WAC seasons.[31] Sacramento State University, based in Sacramento, California, will depart the Big Sky Conference for full membership in all non-football sports, with its football program remaining in the Big Sky.[14] As a public institution established in 1947, the university fields 21 varsity teams as the Hornets and enrolls 31,307 students in fall 2025, making it one of the larger public universities in the conference footprint.[41] This addition strengthens Northern California representation and introduces programs like men's soccer, which has prior Big West affiliate ties since 2012, to full integration across disciplines.[14] Utah Valley University (UVU), situated in Orem, Utah, will leave the WAC to become a full member, expanding the conference's reach into the Intermountain West.[20] This public university, originally founded in 1941 and elevated to university status in 2008, competes in 15 NCAA Division I sports as the Wolverines and reports an enrollment of approximately 47,000 students as of fall 2024.[42] UVU's inclusion brings established programs in wrestling and men's volleyball, the latter a Big West staple, while fostering new geographic diversity for cross-country and track events.[20] The strategic rationale for these additions centers on offsetting membership losses and optimizing the conference's structure for long-term viability.[8] By reaching 11 full members after UC San Diego's exit, the Big West enhances its geographic footprint from California to Utah, reducing travel costs for non-Western teams and appealing to media partners with a larger, more cohesive West Coast-centric audience.[43] This expansion also elevates average institutional enrollment and competitive balance, positioning the conference as a key non-football league in the Western U.S. while prioritizing non-football sports alignment.[43]Current Affiliate Members
The Big West Conference maintains affiliations with select institutions that compete in specific sponsored sports without full membership, enhancing competition and championship viability in those disciplines. As of the 2025-26 academic year, these affiliates primarily participate in beach volleyball, men's soccer, and swimming & diving. This arrangement allows the conference to sustain robust leagues in niche or emerging sports while the affiliates' primary athletic programs align with other conferences.[1] Sacramento State, a member of the Big Sky Conference for most sports, has been an affiliate member of the Big West in beach volleyball since 2015 and in men's soccer since 2012. These affiliations enable the Hornets to compete at a high level in West Coast-centric sports, contributing to conference depth; for instance, Sacramento State's beach volleyball team has helped maintain a competitive eight-team league. The university is scheduled to transition to full Big West membership in the 2026-27 academic year, but its current ties underscore the conference's strategy for sport-specific expansion.[14][44] In swimming & diving, the Big West added three affiliates in September 2024 to support its newly sponsored programs starting in the 2025-26 season, ensuring at least seven teams for men's events and eight for women's to qualify for NCAA postseason eligibility. Grand Canyon University, transitioning to full membership in the Mountain West Conference for most sports in 2025-26, affiliates in both men's and women's swimming & diving; this move bolsters the men's side, where the Lopes' competitive programs—highlighted by recent national qualifiers—help sustain viable championships before the Mountain West launches its own in 2026-27. Seattle University, primarily in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), joins as an affiliate in both men's and women's swimming & diving, adding Pacific Northwest depth and aligning with the Redhawks' emphasis on aquatic sports development. The University of San Diego, a full member of the West Coast Conference (WCC), affiliates solely in women's swimming & diving, leveraging the Toreros' strong tradition— including multiple All-American honors—to elevate conference-wide performance.[45][46][47][48] Notably, UC Davis, which is departing the Big West for full Mountain West membership effective July 1, 2026, will affiliate its men's water polo and beach volleyball programs with the WCC starting in 2026-27 rather than remaining in the Big West, preserving regional rivalries elsewhere. Following its full membership departure effective July 1, 2026, the University of Hawai'i will continue as an affiliate in men's volleyball, men's swimming & diving, women's beach volleyball, and women's water polo.[49][50][51]Former Members
The Big West Conference, originally founded as the Pacific Coast Athletic Association in 1969, has experienced several membership changes due to conference realignments, the discontinuation of football sponsorship in 2000, and institutions seeking alignments with conferences offering stronger competition or historical ties.[52] Former full members include charter institutions that departed early, as well as later additions that left during major shifts in the 1990s and 2000s.| Institution | Years as Full Member | Reason for Departure |
|---|---|---|
| California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA) Golden Eagles | 1969–1974 | Dropped football and transitioned to Division II status, leading to exit from Division I competition.[53] |
| Fresno State Bulldogs | 1969–1991 | Joined the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) to access better football bowl opportunities and regional alignment.[54] |
| San Diego State Aztecs | 1969–1978 | Departed for the WAC to pursue stronger athletic competition, particularly in football.[55] |
| San Jose State Spartans | 1969–1996 | Left during the 1996 realignment wave to join the WAC for enhanced media exposure and competitive balance.[56] |
| University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Runnin' Rebels | 1982–1996 | Exited as part of the 1996 WAC expansion amid broader conference instability and pursuit of national visibility.[24] |
| University of Nevada Wolf Pack | 1992–2000 | Departed to the WAC in 2000 following the Big West's discontinuation of football sponsorship.[22] |
| University of the Pacific Tigers | 1969–2013 | Returned to the West Coast Conference to reconnect with its private school heritage and reduce travel costs within a California-focused league.[57] |
| Utah State Aggies | 1979–2005 | Transitioned to the WAC after the Big West discontinued football, seeking a full all-sports home including FBS football.[58] |
Membership Timeline
The Big West Conference, originally founded as the Pacific Coast Athletic Association in 1969 with seven charter members, has undergone numerous membership changes over its history, reflecting shifts in collegiate athletics realignment, particularly in the western United States. Key milestones include the addition of the University of Hawai'i in 2012, which expanded the conference's geographic footprint, and recent announcements in 2025 confirming the departures of the University of Hawaiʻi and UC Davis effective July 1, 2026, alongside the additions of California Baptist University, Utah Valley University, and Sacramento State beginning that same date; UC San Diego's planned exit to the West Coast Conference follows on July 1, 2027.[52][8][14][31][20][60][61] The following table summarizes the entry and exit years for all full members of the conference from its inception through projected changes to 2027, based on official records and announcements. Present memberships extend to the current date unless otherwise noted, with future additions marked as projected.| School | Joined | Left |
|---|---|---|
| Cal State Los Angeles | 1969 | 1975 |
| Fresno State | 1969 | 1992 |
| Long Beach State | 1969 | Present |
| Pacific | 1969 | 2013 |
| San Diego State | 1969 | 1978 |
| San Jose State | 1969 | 1996 |
| UC Santa Barbara | 1969 | Present |
| Cal State Fullerton | 1970 | Present |
| UC Irvine | 1977 | Present |
| New Mexico State | 1978 | 1985 |
| Utah State | 1980 | 2005 |
| UNLV | 1982 | 1996 |
| Nevada | 1992 | 2000 |
| Cal State Northridge | 2001 | Present |
| UC Riverside | 2001 | Present |
| Idaho | 2001 | 2005 |
| UC Davis | 2007 | 2026 |
| Cal State Bakersfield | 2011 | Present |
| Hawai'i | 2012 | 2026 |
| UC San Diego | 2020 | 2027 |
| California Baptist (projected) | 2026 | - |
| Utah Valley (projected) | 2026 | - |
| Sacramento State (projected) | 2026 | - |
Sports
Men's Sponsored Sports
The Big West Conference sponsors 10 men's sports, providing competitive opportunities for student-athletes across its member institutions while awarding automatic bids to NCAA Championships for conference champions in each discipline.[9] These sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field (indoor and outdoor), volleyball, and water polo. Championship formats vary by sport, typically involving regular-season competition followed by postseason tournaments or meets that determine the conference title and NCAA qualifier.[62] Baseball features 11 teams competing in a 30-game conference schedule, with the top five advancing to a double-elimination tournament held over four days in late May, hosted by the regular-season champion or a predetermined site; the winner receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.[63][64] Basketball includes 11 teams in a 20-game double round-robin schedule from January to March, culminating in an eight-team single-elimination tournament over four days at a neutral site in Henderson, Nevada; the champion earns an NCAA Tournament berth.[65][66] Cross country involves 11 teams in regional meets during the fall, leading to a conference championship meet with an 8K race for men on the last Friday in October, hosted rotationally; the team and top individual qualify for the NCAA Championships.[62][67] Golf has 10 teams playing a series of dual and multi-team matches in the spring, followed by a 54-hole stroke-play championship over three days in late April at a rotating West Coast venue; the winning team and low individual not on that team advance to NCAA Regionals.[68][9] Soccer comprises 10 teams in a nine-game conference slate from October to November, with the top six seeds entering a single-elimination tournament starting with quarterfinals on the top seeds' home fields and semifinals/finals at the highest seed's site; the titleholder gains an NCAA Tournament spot.[69][70] Swimming and diving, newly sponsored by the conference starting in the 2024-25 academic year, features six teams in dual meets throughout the winter, leading to a three-day championship meet in February at a neutral aquatic center; the champion qualifies for the NCAA Championships.[71][9] Tennis includes seven teams in a round-robin schedule during the spring, with all seven competing in a single-elimination draw over three days in late April at a host campus facility; the winner secures an automatic NCAA bid.[72][73] Indoor track and field draws 11 teams for invitation-style meets in the winter, culminating in a two-day championship in early March at a rotating indoor facility; top performers advance to the NCAA Indoor Championships via qualifying standards.[74][9] Outdoor track and field also involves 11 teams in spring invitationals, followed by a three-day conference meet in mid-May hosted by a member institution; qualifiers proceed to NCAA Regionals and potential national competition.[75][76] Volleyball consists of six teams in an 18-match double round-robin from January to April, with all six advancing to a single-elimination tournament over three days in late April at a neutral or host site; the champion receives an NCAA automatic qualification.[77][78] Water polo features six teams—comprising full conference members and affiliates—in a 15-game schedule through November, ending with a six-team single-elimination championship over three days at a host aquatics center; the winner earns an NCAA Tournament bid, reflecting the sport's affiliate-driven growth since its sponsorship began in 2023.[79][80]Women's Sponsored Sports
The Big West Conference sponsors 11 women's sports at the NCAA Division I level: beach volleyball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field (encompassing both indoor and outdoor seasons), volleyball, and water polo.[1] These offerings align with the conference's commitment to gender equity in athletics, providing opportunities for over 1,500 female student-athletes across its member institutions as of the 2024-25 academic year.[81] Unlike the men's sports program, which includes baseball and lacks equivalents for beach volleyball and softball, the women's lineup features these two sports exclusive to female competitors, highlighting distinct developmental pathways for women in the conference.[1] Several women's sports incorporate specialized championship formats to accommodate the full membership and ensure competitive balance. For instance, the softball championship involves the top five teams from the regular season, beginning with a single-elimination matchup between the No. 4 and No. 5 seeds, followed by integration into a four-team double-elimination bracket hosted over four days at a rotating campus site.[62] Similarly, beach volleyball employs a revamped structure since 2024, starting with modified pool play among all participating teams on the first day to narrow the field, then advancing the top six into a single-elimination bracket over two days, allowing every squad multiple matches for evaluation.[82] These formats promote broad participation while culminating in decisive postseason events. Beach volleyball stands out for its rapid expansion within the conference since the Big West began sponsoring it in 2016, coinciding with the sport's inaugural NCAA Championship that year, which has driven increased investment and roster sizes across member schools.[83] The sport's unique two-player-per-side format on sand courts emphasizes endurance and versatility, differing from the six-player indoor variant also sponsored for women. To bolster certain programs, the conference incorporates affiliate members; for example, Grand Canyon University and Seattle University joined as affiliates for women's swimming and diving starting in the 2024-25 season, expanding competition without requiring full membership.[46] No emerging sports such as rowing are currently sponsored.[9]Participation by School
The Big West Conference's current full members vary in their varsity sponsorship of the conference's 21 sponsored sports, with most institutions offering a broad range of men's and women's programs while some specialize in select disciplines due to facilities, budgets, or strategic focus. Participation is determined at the varsity level for NCAA Division I competition, and all full members compete in core sports like basketball and track & field. The following tables summarize participation for the 11 current full members as of the 2025-26 academic year.[1]Men's Sports Participation
| School | Baseball | Basketball | Cross Country | Golf | Soccer | Swimming & Diving | Tennis | Track & Field | Volleyball | Water Polo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cal Poly | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Cal State Bakersfield | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Cal State Fullerton | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Cal State Northridge | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hawaii | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Long Beach State | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| UC Davis | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| UC Irvine | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| UC Riverside | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| UC San Diego | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| UC Santa Barbara | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Women's Sports Participation
| School | Basketball | Beach Volleyball | Cross Country | Golf | Soccer | Softball | Swimming & Diving | Tennis | Track & Field | Volleyball | Water Polo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cal Poly | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Cal State Bakersfield | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Cal State Fullerton | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Cal State Northridge | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hawaii | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| Long Beach State | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| UC Davis | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| UC Irvine | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| UC Riverside | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| UC San Diego | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| UC Santa Barbara | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Conference Championships
The Big West Conference awards championships in its 21 sponsored sports, primarily through regular-season standings or postseason tournaments that determine the title winner and, in many cases, the automatic bid to the NCAA Championships. Tournament formats vary by sport: for instance, the men's and women's basketball tournaments feature an eight-team single-elimination bracket held at a neutral site, the Lee's Family Forum in Henderson, Nevada, while the baseball tournament employs a six-team double-elimination structure hosted by a member institution.[86][87] In the 2024-25 season, several programs claimed conference titles across fall, winter, and spring sports. UC San Diego dominated men's basketball, capturing both the regular-season crown with an 18-2 record and the tournament championship by defeating UC Irvine 75-61 in the final. Cal Poly won the baseball tournament in a double-elimination format at Goodwin Field, overcoming UC Irvine in back-to-back games for the title, though UC Irvine secured the regular-season championship. Other notable winners included Cal Poly in men's cross country, Long Beach State in men's water polo (defeating UC San Diego 10-8 in the final), and UC Santa Barbara in both men's and women's swimming & diving. For the 2025-26 season (as of November 2025), Cal Poly won the men's cross country championship on October 31, 2025, hosted by Hawaii.[88][64][89][90][10][91]| Sport | Regular-Season Champion | Tournament Champion | Site/Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men's Cross Country (2025-26) | N/A | Cal Poly | Queen Kapi'olani Regional Park, Honolulu, HI; October 31, 2025; hosted by Hawaii[90] |
| Men's Basketball (2024-25) | UC San Diego | UC San Diego | Lee's Family Forum, Henderson, NV; March 12–15, 2025; single-elimination[88] |
| Baseball (2024-25) | UC Irvine | Cal Poly | Goodwin Field, San Luis Obispo, CA; May 22–25, 2025; double-elimination[64][89] |
| Men's Water Polo (2024-25) | N/A | Long Beach State | Hosted by UC San Diego; April 2025; single-elimination final[10] |
| Men's Swimming & Diving (2024-25) | UC Santa Barbara | UC Santa Barbara | Hosted by UC Santa Barbara; February 2025[10] |
| Women's Swimming & Diving (2024-25) | UC Santa Barbara | UC Santa Barbara | Hosted by UC Santa Barbara; February 2025[10] |
Discontinued Sports
The Big West Conference sponsored football as a sport from 1969 through the 2000 season at the NCAA Division I-AA (now FCS) level, initially under its prior name as the Pacific Coast Athletic Association.[55] The program featured competitive play among West Coast institutions, with notable conference champions including the UNLV Rebels in 1990, who finished the regular season undefeated at 10-0-1 and advanced to the NCAA playoffs. Other standout title winners included the San Diego State Aztecs in 1969 and 1970, Long Beach State 49ers in 1971, and Utah State Aggies multiple times in the 1990s.[55] The conference discontinued football sponsorship after the 2000 season primarily due to escalating operational costs, low attendance at games, and the progressive withdrawal of member schools from the sport, which reduced participation to unsustainable levels.[94] By the late 1990s, only a handful of members like Boise State, Idaho, and North Texas continued fielding teams, prompting those programs to realign to other conferences such as the Sun Belt and Western Athletic Conference.[95] This shift marked the end of Big West football after 32 seasons, during which the league produced 23 bowl participants but struggled with financial viability amid broader changes in college athletics.[55] Beyond football, the Big West has discontinued sponsorship of other sports at various points due to similar issues of limited participation and budget constraints. Wrestling, for instance, was dropped after the 2010-11 season when Cal State Fullerton eliminated its program after 43 years, leaving Cal Poly as the sole sponsor and making conference-wide competition unfeasible.[96] Men's gymnastics faced a similar fate in the late 1980s and early 1990s, as multiple members including UC Santa Barbara (1988) and UC Davis (1987) cut the sport to comply with Title IX gender equity requirements and reduce expenses, effectively ending its status as a conference offering.[97] The elimination of these programs reinforced the Big West's evolution into a basketball- and Olympic sports-centric conference, allowing resources to concentrate on non-revenue sports and fostering a distinct identity among Division I leagues without football.[94] This transition has enabled sustained success in areas like men's basketball, where UNLV captured an NCAA title in 1990, and women's volleyball, while avoiding the realignment pressures that plagued football-dependent conferences.[55]Achievements
NCAA National Championships
The Big West Conference's member institutions have collectively won 25 NCAA national championships in team sports as of 2025. These titles reflect the league's historical strength in Olympic sports, particularly volleyball, where member teams have dominated at the national level. The championships span multiple disciplines, with a focus on collective achievements rather than individual school dominance in every category.[11] Men's volleyball has been the conference's flagship sport for national success, with 10 titles won by member programs. Women's volleyball has added 6 championships, while softball accounts for 2 more. Baseball has contributed 2 titles (with Cal State Fullerton securing both in 1995 and 2004), men's water polo 3, women's golf 3, men's soccer 1, and men's basketball 1. These victories highlight the Big West's emphasis on West Coast athletic traditions and coaching excellence.[11][98][99][100][101][102][103][104] The distribution of titles by school underscores Long Beach State's preeminence, with 7 championships across volleyball. UC Irvine follows with 6 (4 in men's volleyball, 2 in men's water polo), while Cal State Fullerton has 5 (2 baseball, 1 softball, 2 others if applicable but standard count 3 core). Hawai'i has 3 (2 men's volleyball, 1 women's volleyball), UCSB 2 (1 men's water polo, 1 men's soccer), and UNLV 1 in basketball. This spread demonstrates how the conference's competitive environment has fostered multiple powerhouses.[11][105]| Sport | Year(s) | School | Score(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men's Water Polo | 1979 | UC Santa Barbara | 7-6 vs. UCLA |
| Men's Water Polo | 1982 | UC Irvine | 9-7 vs. California |
| Women's Volleyball | 1985 | Pacific | 3-0 vs. Nebraska |
| Softball | 1986 | Cal State Fullerton | 3-0 vs. Texas A&M |
| Women's Volleyball | 1986 | Pacific | 3-2 vs. Texas A&M |
| Women's Golf | 1987 | San Jose State | 1,143 vs. Florida |
| Women's Volleyball | 1987 | Hawai'i | 3-0 vs. Penn State |
| Women's Volleyball | 1989 | Long Beach State | 3-0 vs. UCLA |
| Men's Water Polo | 1989 | UC Irvine | 9-8 (OT) vs. Stanford |
| Women's Golf | 1989 | San Jose State | 1,143 vs. Arizona State |
| Men's Basketball | 1990 | UNLV | 103-73 vs. Duke |
| Men's Volleyball | 1991 | Long Beach State | 3-2 vs. UCLA |
| Women's Volleyball | 1993 | Long Beach State | 3-1 vs. Penn State |
| Women's Golf | 1992 | San Jose State | 1,152 vs. Arizona State |
| Softball | 1998 | Fresno State | 1-0 vs. Washington |
| Baseball | 1995 | Cal State Fullerton | 11-5 vs. USC |
| Men's Soccer | 2006 | UC Santa Barbara | 2-1 vs. UCLA |
| Men's Volleyball | 2007 | UC Irvine | 3-1 vs. IPFW |
| Baseball | 2004 | Cal State Fullerton | 11-10 vs. Texas |
| Men's Volleyball | 2009 | UC Irvine | 3-2 vs. USC |
| Men's Volleyball | 2012 | UC Irvine | 3-0 vs. USC |
| Men's Volleyball | 2013 | UC Irvine | 3-0 vs. BYU |
| Men's Volleyball | 2018 | Long Beach State | 3-2 vs. UCLA |
| Men's Volleyball | 2019 | Long Beach State | 3-1 vs. Hawai'i |
| Men's Volleyball | 2021 | Hawai'i | 3-0 vs. BYU |
| Men's Volleyball | 2022 | Hawai'i | 3-0 vs. Long Beach State |
| Women's Volleyball | 1998 | Long Beach State | 3-0 vs. Penn State |
| Men's Volleyball | 2025 | Long Beach State | 3-0 vs. UCLA |
Commissioner's Cup
The Dennis Farrell Big West Commissioner's Cup is an annual all-sports trophy awarded to the conference member institution demonstrating the highest overall success in Big West-sponsored sports for men and women. Named in honor of former commissioner Dennis Farrell, who led the league for 28 years until his 2020 retirement, the award recognizes comprehensive athletic department performance rather than individual sport dominance. It was first presented following the 1998–99 academic year, with no awards issued for 2019–20 or 2020–21 due to disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic.[12][106][107] Points are allocated based on a school's finish in each sport's regular-season standings or conference tournament results, whichever yields the higher placement; the total is then averaged across all applicable sports to determine the winner. In a typical sport, the first-place finisher earns points equal to the number of participating teams (e.g., 11 points for 11 teams), with subsequent places receiving one fewer point each, ensuring equitable scaling regardless of varying team counts per sport. This system emphasizes consistent excellence, as schools compete in a mix of 19–21 sports annually depending on membership and sponsorship. Ties in the final average are resolved by comparing head-to-head sport results, though none have occurred in the award's history.[12][108][106] Long Beach State holds the record with 9 victories, underscoring its historical dominance in the conference. UC Santa Barbara follows with 7. Recent competition has seen greater parity, with first-time winners like Cal Poly in 2023–24 and UC Irvine in 2024–25, the latter posting 148.8 points—the second-highest total ever. The 2024–25 results highlighted UC Irvine's balanced performance, including strong finishes in basketball and volleyball, securing the cup by nearly 18 points over runner-up Cal Poly.[12][109][13]| Academic Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 1998–99 | Pacific |
| 1999–2000 | Pacific |
| 2000–01 | UC Santa Barbara |
| 2001–02 | UC Santa Barbara |
| 2002–03 | UC Santa Barbara |
| 2003–04 | UC Santa Barbara |
| 2004–05 | Long Beach State |
| 2005–06 | Pacific |
| 2006–07 | Pacific |
| 2007–08 | UC Irvine |
| 2008–09 | UC Santa Barbara |
| 2009–10 | UC Santa Barbara |
| 2010–11 | Long Beach State |
| 2011–12 | Long Beach State |
| 2012–13 | Long Beach State |
| 2013–14 | Long Beach State |
| 2014–15 | Long Beach State |
| 2015–16 | UC Irvine |
| 2016–17 | Long Beach State |
| 2017–18 | Cal State Fullerton |
| 2018–19 | UC Santa Barbara |
| 2019–20 | Not awarded |
| 2020–21 | Not awarded |
| 2021–22 | Long Beach State |
| 2022–23 | Long Beach State |
| 2023–24 | Cal Poly |
| 2024–25 | UC Irvine |
Operations
Academics
The Big West Conference adheres to NCAA Division I eligibility standards for its student-athletes, requiring incoming freshmen to achieve a minimum 2.3 GPA in 16 core high school courses, along with standardized test scores on a sliding scale, to qualify for initial participation. Continuing eligibility mandates full-time enrollment (at least 12 credit hours per term), satisfactory academic progress toward a degree (typically 40% by sophomore year, 60% by junior year, and 80% by senior year), and maintenance of a cumulative GPA that meets institutional and NCAA benchmarks, often starting at 1.8 in the first year and rising to 2.0 thereafter. The conference monitors team performance via the Academic Progress Rate (APR), a metric scoring eligibility, retention, and graduation on a 1,000-point scale; NCAA penalties, such as postseason bans, apply to multi-year APRs below 930 or single-year scores under 900, though Big West teams have avoided such sanctions by consistently surpassing these thresholds.[114] Academic honors in the Big West emphasize scholastic achievement alongside athletic participation. The annual Commissioner's Honor Roll recognizes student-athletes who complete a full academic year at their institution and maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00, divided into three tiers: Honor Roll (3.00-3.20), With Honors (3.21-3.50), and Highest Honors (3.51-4.00). In the 2024-25 academic year, a record 2,741 student-athletes from the conference's 11 full members earned this distinction, reflecting broad commitment to academic excellence.[81] Sport-specific All-Academic Teams further honor top performers, requiring a 3.00 GPA, one full year of enrollment, and significant athletic contribution; for instance, 90 winter sport athletes were recognized in 2022 for meeting these criteria.[115] Graduation success rates among Big West student-athletes remain among the highest in Division I, with the conference's overall NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR)—measuring six-year completion for cohorts entering since 2017—reaching 91% as of the 2024 data release, holding steady from the prior year and matching the national average of 91%.[116] Multi-year APR scores reinforce this trend, with the conference's 189 teams averaging above the national 984 in 2025, including 116 squads (61.3%) at or exceeding that benchmark and 89 programs scoring 990 or higher; standout performers include UC Davis, which has led the conference in APR for multiple years with numerous perfect 1,000 scores across sports.[114] UC San Diego also excels, posting a 93% four-year graduation rate for its 2017-18 athletic cohort, topping public universities nationwide.[117] To foster academic achievement, the Big West supports initiatives like the NCAA Degree Completion Award Program, established in 1989, which provides postgraduate scholarships to eligible former student-athletes pursuing unfinished degrees, helping maintain high retention and graduation metrics.[118] Member institutions collaborate through the conference's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) on programs integrating academic advising, tutoring, and life skills training to balance athletics and scholarship demands.[119]Facilities
The Big West Conference's athletic facilities encompass a range of on-campus arenas and stadiums primarily located in California and Hawai'i, supporting competition across sponsored sports such as basketball, baseball, and track and field. These venues, hosted by member institutions, provide modern infrastructure for regular-season games and conference events, emphasizing accessibility and spectator experience.[1] Key basketball arenas include the Bren Events Center at UC Irvine, which seats approximately 5,000 and serves as the home for the Anteaters' men's and women's teams, featuring amenities like premium seating and event spaces. At UC Riverside, the Student Recreation Center (SRC) Arena, often referred to as The Pavilion, accommodates up to 3,168 spectators and hosts Highlanders basketball and volleyball contests within a multifaceted recreation complex. For baseball, UC Santa Barbara's Caesar Uyesaka Stadium, with a capacity of around 1,000, offers oceanfront views and has undergone recent enhancements to support postseason play, including improved lighting and dugouts.[120][121][122] Conference championships utilize rotating host sites among member facilities to promote equity and regional engagement. The 2025 Big West Outdoor Track & Field Championships, for instance, were held at Long Beach State's Jack Rose Track, a versatile venue equipped for multis and field events, with future meets scheduled at sites like Cal State Fullerton's Anderson Family Field. Basketball tournaments have shifted to neutral off-campus locations, with the 2025 men's and women's events contested at the 5,567-seat Lee's Family Forum in Henderson, Nevada, providing advanced production capabilities and proximity to member travel routes.[75][9][123] Recent upgrades have addressed maintenance challenges at prominent venues, enhancing safety and functionality. Long Beach State's Walter Pyramid, a 4,000-seat multi-sport arena iconic for its pyramid design, completed major entrance renovations and cosmetic repairs following a 2025 ceiling collapse incident, restoring full operations by late January and enabling resumed hosting of volleyball and basketball events. These improvements, part of ongoing facility management, ensure the pyramid remains a cornerstone for conference activities despite prior roof leak issues dating to 2023.[124][125]Athletic Department Revenue
The athletic departments of Big West Conference member institutions generate revenue primarily through student fees, institutional support, ticket sales, media rights, and contributions, with total operating revenues for the 11 full members reaching approximately $306 million in fiscal year 2022.[126] This figure reflects the conference's non-football status, which limits earnings from high-revenue sources like major bowl games and large broadcast contracts compared to Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) conferences, though it supports a balanced emphasis on Olympic sports and basketball. Public institutions, including the University of California and California State University campuses, rely heavily on subsidies from general funds and student fees, accounting for 70-80% of budgets in many cases, while the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa benefits from higher ticket and media income but faces elevated travel expenses due to its geographic isolation.[126][127] Revenue trends show modest growth driven by expanded media exposure, notably the Big West's 2021 multi-year agreement with ESPN, which increased conference media distributions six-fold through ESPN+ streaming and linear broadcasts, boosting per-school payouts for basketball and other sports.[128][129] For instance, Hawaiʻi's athletic revenue rose from $49.4 million in FY2022 to $57.7 million in FY2024, per the latest available audited figures, partly from enhanced media and ticket sales, though expenses exceeded revenues by $2.1 million amid rising operational costs.[126][127] Disparities persist, with UC Davis and Hawaiʻi leading due to stronger basketball attendance and donor support, while smaller programs like UC Riverside depend more on institutional allocations, highlighting the challenges of maintaining competitiveness without football-generated funds.[126][130]| School | Total Revenue (FY 2022) | Primary Sources (Approximate Shares) |
|---|---|---|
| University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa | $49,422,827 | Student fees (21%), contributions (9%), ticket sales (4%)[126] |
| UC San Diego | $28,899,588 | Institutional support (75%), contributions (10%)[126] |
| UC Davis | $44,275,782 | Institutional support (80%), contributions (5%)[126] |
| Cal Poly | $37,134,737 | Institutional support (74%), student fees (10%)[126] |
| UC Irvine | $24,937,907 | Institutional support (82%), contributions (8%)[126] |
| UC Santa Barbara | $21,720,136 | Institutional support (77%), student fees (12%)[126] |
| Cal State Fullerton | $21,983,747 | Institutional support (79%), ticket sales (3%)[126] |
| Long Beach State | $21,434,487 | Institutional support (78%), contributions (6%)[126] |
| Cal State Northridge | $21,090,545 | Institutional support (80%), student fees (11%)[126] |
| UC Riverside | $17,692,802 | Institutional support (81%), media rights (2%)[126] |
| Cal State Bakersfield | $17,216,224 | Institutional support (85%), student fees (8%)[126] |