SUBJECT:

Triton Athletics Moves to Division I

Today, we celebrate a landmark announcement – UC San Diego has been invited to join the Big West Conference and move to NCAA Division I Athletics. We are pleased and honored to accept this invitation to join the Big West ranks.

The transition was made possible because of our students—who initiated and voted for a Division I referendum—our Academic Senate and faculty members who endorsed the move, as well as numerous staunch advocates over the years.

The Tritons will begin a full Big West competitive slate in the 2020-21 academic year. Following an NCAA-mandated 4-year reclassification period, UC San Diego will be a full member of the Big West Conference and eligible for all Big West Championships in NCAA Division I sports in Fall 2024.

The Big West Conference includes four other UC members—UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine, UC Davis and UC Riverside—as well as California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; Long Beach State University; California State University, Fullerton; California State University, Northridge; and the University of Hawai‘i, Manoa. California State University, Bakersfield also received an invitation to join the Big West Conference today.

UC San Diego’s move to Division I demonstrates our continued growth and trajectory as one of the world’s most influential universities. This move will significantly increase our visibility and align us with similar institutions with whom we already compete. It will help us elevate the student experience at UC San Diego, enhance our sense of community and belonging, and heighten our school pride and unity.

Read more about this exciting news at
http://ucsdnews.u csd.edu/pressrelease/division1 Go Tritons!

Pradeep K. Khosla Chancellor Earl W. Edwards Director of Athletics