On Monday, UC San Diego Athletics announced that men’s soccer will compete in the Pac-12 as an affiliate member for the 2026 season. This move is part of a broader partnership between the Big West and Pac-12; Big West members Cal Poly, UC Riverside, and Cal Baptist will also make the switch. While UCSD Athletics has confirmed that the Tritons will only play in the Pac-12 for the 2026 season, the duration of the two conferences’ agreement has not been confirmed.
“This partnership represents what can happen when conferences work together with purpose,” Big West Commissioner Dan Butterly said in the press release. “Our shared goal has been clear — protect opportunities for student-athletes, preserve Division I men’s soccer in the West, and ensure our institutions continue to have meaningful access to NCAA championship pathways. This collaborative approach reflects the strength of our partnership with the Pac-12 and our collective commitment to the future of the sport.”
The partnership comes as the Pac-12 rebuilds from the brink of collapse; 10 of its 12 member schools departed in 2024. Though the Pac-12 recruited seven new schools to join in 2026 and is set to relaunch as a multisport conference, Oregon State, Gonzaga, and San Diego State are the only schools in the new Pac-12 that sponsor men’s soccer. This left the conference short of the six teams needed to be recognized by the NCAA and receive an automatic bid to the NCAA championship. Adding four Big West members as affiliates will push the Pac-12 above that threshold. Each team will play a six-match round-robin conference schedule and three crossover games with teams in the other conference.
The announcement follows a difficult season for UCSD, which set a program record 18-game winless streak during the 2025 season. However, the Tritons won twice in their final three games, earning a surprising berth in the Big West Championship, where they fell 2-0 to No. 3 seed Cal Poly. Joining the Pac-12 will give UCSD the chance to take on new opponents, including nearby San Diego State.
“We are very excited about this partnership and the opportunity to be a part of the Pac-12,” head coach Jon Pascale said in the press release. “It allows us the opportunity to play a few new quality opponents and establish a crosstown rivalry with San Diego State.”
A spokesperson for UCSD Athletics confirmed to The UCSD Guardian that the Tritons will only play in the Pac-12 for the 2026 season; they will be joining the West Coast Conference in the 2027 season.
