University of the Pacific will welcome UC San Diego as the West Coast Conference's newest member in 2027-28. The Tritons will move from the Big West to compete in 14 of the WCC's 16 sports, elevating the league's academic profile and intensifying competition for top West Coast talent.

“This is a monumental day for the West Coast Conference,” said University of the Pacific President and Chair of the West Coast Conference Presidents’ Council, Christopher Callahan. “Under the leadership of Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla, UC San Diego is a thriving institution and its recent transition to NCAA Division I competition is a national success story. I applaud Commissioner Stu Jackson, the Presidents’ Council and University of San Diego President James T. Harris for their outstanding efforts to identify expansion opportunities that bring great value and further position the West Coast Conference as a premier league.”

The Tigers have regularly competed against the Tritons in non-conference matches across several sports. Most recently, the women’s soccer team battled UC San Diego to a deadlocked 0-0 draw on Labor Day.

With the Tritons becoming full West Coast Conference members, Pacific will square off with them in men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s water polo, baseball, softball, men’s and women’s tennis and men’s golf.

“We continually identify valuable opportunities to expand our membership, and the addition of UC San Diego greatly aligns with the goals of the West Coast Conference,” said West Coast Conference Commissioner Stu Jackson. “UC San Diego’s meteoric rise during its recent NCAA Division I transition is the result of strong leadership, strategic investment and deliberate planning for postseason success. The Tritons align with our West Coast identity and serve to strengthen the academic profile of the conference. I appreciate the Presidents’ Council’s thorough evaluation of expansion opportunities and unified direction with the addition of UC San Diego.”

UC San Diego's addition keeps Pacific closer to home, with seven in-state opponents spanning California's major markets—LA, Bay Area, Sacramento, and San Diego—while maintaining exciting trips to Seattle and Portland.