UC Davis Joins Mountain West in Most Sports, Leaving Big West After 19 Years
Updated
Updated · Davis Enterprise · Jul 1
UC Davis Joins Mountain West in Most Sports, Leaving Big West After 19 Years
3 articles · Updated · Davis Enterprise · Jul 1
Summary
July 1 made UC Davis an official Mountain West member in most sports, completing the move it announced in December 2024; football stays in the Big Sky.
Eight conference opponents across seven states will replace the Aggies’ mostly Southern California Big West slate, a shift athletic director Rocko DeLuca said is meant to widen UC Davis’ reach and create new rivalries.
Women’s volleyball offers the first clear look at the transition, opening Mountain West play at UNLV on Sept. 24 and 26 before hosting Air Force on Oct. 1 and 3.
18 months of preparation included travel planning and facility upgrades, with new lights at Dobbins Stadium and seating improvements at the University Credit Union Center.
A separate $50 million stadium project under the broader $265 million Aggie Ascent plan could eventually support talks about moving football from FCS to FBS.