Long Beach State Sports : Re: 12 BW Members next season (2026)

Denver going to WCC, so not another UC for now. They will be at 11.

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Yes, you are correct. The good news is 11 BW home games this year and 11 going forward unless UCI or UCSB bolts from the conference.

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If they are leaving in 27 then next year will still have 12 teams.

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UCSD leaves the BW 7-1-27, so this year the BW has 12 teams, but next year, there will be 11.

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They are leaving the Big West party.

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What about UCSD????

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To summarize:

Out after this season:
UC Davis
U Hawaii

In after this season:

Cal Baptist (from WAC 3rd in conference - behind Utah Valley and Grand Canyon - in 24-25)

CS Sacramento (from Big Sky - last in conference in 24-25)

Utah Valley (from WAC - won WAC in 24-25)

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Thanks for reposting this. I was not really sure is SAC State had made the move or not.

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Old news. In case you missed it in June, the BW will have 12 members in 2026. Excerpt from the BW website.

"Director of Athletics Mark Orr added: “We are thrilled to become a full member of The Big West and are grateful for the invitation. Sacramento State strives to provide our student-athletes the opportunity to be in the best position to be nationally competitive, and The Big West for decades has been a conference that has enjoyed national success in several sports. We are eager to compete for championships, enhance existing rivalries, and develop new relationships with our peer conference members. "

The Hornets will officially join The Big West on July 1, 2026, joining a lineup that includes California Baptist, Cal Poly, Cal State Bakersfield, Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, CSUN, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, and Utah Valley.

The Big West has no current plans to expand beyond 12-member institutions. Sacramento State is the sixth largest campus in the California State University system and will be the seventh largest Big West institution upon arrival as a full member. With this addition, The Big West will be the largest intercollegiate athletic conference in the western United States."