Aggie athletics to take a bold step up to the Mountain West Conference
All sports except football will be leaving the Big West on July 1, 2026
Continuing its upward trajectory in intercollegiate athletics, UC Davis has accepted a formal invitation to join the Mountain West Conference beginning July 1, 2026 in all sports except football.
While football may yet one day be invited to play in the Mountain West, at this point the Aggies will remain in the Big Sky Conference and compete at the Football Championship Subdivision level. Mountain West schools compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision, the top level of college football.
On the flip side, this means the Aggies will be leaving the Big West Conference that includes five UC schools and five CSU schools, plus Hawaii, though Hawaii previously announced it will also be leaving for the Mountain West where it currently competes only in football.
“We are thrilled to join the Mountain West Conference and we look forward to an incredible experience for our student-athletes and for our fans,” said UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May.
“Our transition to this highly regarded conference will introduce our Aggie community to a broader audience in major metropolitan areas and through increased media coverage. It also provides us with an opportunity to align with universities that share similar academic strengths while also expanding our competitive presence in the western United States.”
Noted Director of Athletics Rocko DeLuca, "We are grateful to the Mountain West Conference membership for this incredible opportunity and for sharing our vision of academic and athletic excellence. Our campus leadership, students, Aggie alumni, fans, the Davis community and the broader Sacramento region all recognize the unique spirit of UC Davis and carry Aggie Pride with them each and every day. They have invested their time, talent and resources in supporting our growth, and the success of our fall sports is a clear reflection of those efforts. Now is the time to showcase Aggie Pride on a national stage, and the Mountain West’s brand and strategy align perfectly with our aspirations."
Added DeLuca, "They say that UC Davis is the best kept secret in America, and this will help to get the secret out to another part of the country where we have significant alumni. We are really excited about this opportunity to plant the UC Davis flag and tell our story."
With the exception of football, the Aggies will compete in all Mountain West Conference-sponsored sports. Men’s and women’s water polo as well as beach volleyball will seek to remain in the Big West through an affiliate membership, but are prepared to explore other options, if necessary. No changes will occur with membership agreements for equestrian, field hockey and lacrosse.
“Adding UC Davis further strengthens the trajectory of the Mountain West as it continues to build its brand that has proven to elevate institutions and student-athletes,” said MW Commissioner Gloria Nevarez.
“Chancellor Gary May and Director of Athletics Rocko Deluca have shared their strategic plan and financial vision for enhancing student-athlete development, welfare and competitive excellence, and I believe UC Davis brings a wealth of positives in the continuing growth of the Mountain West.”
The announcement comes on the heels of an historic fall sports season for the Aggies in which all eight varsity fall sports teams qualified for postseason competition.
Men’s soccer secured a Big West championship and a trip to the NCAA tournament. UC Davis football finished the regular season seeded fifth in the nation with a bye in the first round of the NCAA Division I Football Championship, followed by a win against Illinois State on Dec. 7. The Aggies will play at South Dakota on Saturday at noon in the quarterfinals.
Women’s soccer and women’s cross country ended the season in second place in the Big West Conference, with men’s water polo, men’s cross country and women’s indoor volleyball finishing third in the Big West and field hockey finishing sixth in the America East.
Additional costs to support the transition, including travel, staffing and support services, will be primarily offset by increased revenues from ticket sales, donations, multimedia rights and, for the first time, revenue distributions from the conference. A ramp-up period of three to four years is anticipated before revenues fully reach projected levels. The university does not plan to use existing institutional funds to support the transition.
Starting no later than the 2026-27 academic year, the Mountain West will feature the Air Force Academy, UC Davis, Grand Canyon, Hawaii, Nevada, UNLV, New Mexico, San José State, Nevada, Texas-El Paso and Wyoming.
UC Davis' profile has continued to grow since its long ago start as the University Farm for UC Berkeley. UCD is consistently ranked among the top 10 public universities in the nation and this year was listed third in the nation by The Wall Street Journal for the financial success of its graduates and No. 9 by U.S. News & World Report.
For the third consecutive year, UCD surpassed $1 billion in research funding. It raised $2.25 billion for student support, health research and care, sustainability, innovation and more during its most recent fundraising campaign, “Expect Greater: From UC Davis, for the World.”
According to UC Davis officials, joining the Mountain West will allow UCD to engage with schools having similar academic disciplines, such as agriculture, engineering, and sciences, while expanding its competitive footprint in the Western United States. The move also strategically elevates UCD's athletic program to a higher level of Division I athletics.
The current funding model through various student fees will remain unchanged. Over time, the additional revenue generated by the athletic program's conference change is likely to reduce reliance on UC Davis core funding.
Importantly, UC Davis students will continue enjoying free access to all UC Davis athletic events.
It's a foregone conclusion that community members, alumni and fans throughout the region will be excited about a significant uptick in the level of competition, therefore drawing more interest and greater attendance at games in a wide variety of sports.
Reach Bob Dunning at bobdunning@thewaryone.com
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Exciting, but as we depart from our UC siblings (and Cal Poly cousin) confused by comment “It also provides us with an opportunity to align with universities that share similar academic strengths…”
I wonder how much UC Davis athletes from California like that their family members can easily travel to see most away games in the current conference.