On Oct. 31, University of Denver Athletics announced that it would be switching from the Summit League to the West Coast Conference (WCC) at the start of the 2026-27 season.
This move means a conference switch for Denver men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s tennis, and women’s volleyball. Swim and dive will transition from the Summit League at a later date.
For Denver, this decision means moving their nationally recognized athletics into a conference that better reflects their level of competition and institutional profile. The current WCC teams that Denver will be joining are Loyola Marymount University, University of the Pacific, Pepperdine University, University of Portland, Saint Mary’s College, University of San Diego, University of San Francisco, Santa Clara University and Seattle University with UC San Diego joining for the 2027-28 season.
“We are joining nationally recognized, nationally reputational universities that look like us, that we aspire to be more like,” said University of Denver Chancellor Jeremy Haefner.
Among Denver’s teams, there is a lot of excitement brewing for the switch.
“It’s really exciting and I think it’s a great opportunity for the whole program of Denver athletics, especially for the soccer programs and women’s soccer. To be able to compete in a premier conference with top schools, and especially top other high academic schools,” said women’s soccer Head Coach Julianne Sitch.
Women’s soccer has won nine Summit League regular season titles and four tournament titles. The men’s team has won 11 regular season titles and eight Summit League Tournament titles since joining in 2013. They also made it to the semifinal of the national championship last season.
The WCC would mean tougher competition for both soccer teams, with the top two men’s teams, Oregon State and University of San Diego, currently ranked No. 13 and No. 9 in the nation, respectively.
Denver women’s soccer, who currently lead the Summit League, are outranked by three teams in the WCC — Pepperdine, St. Mary’s and Seattle.
The WCC is also a hotspot for basketball, a sport in which Denver has historically struggled. They will now be competing against teams such as St. Mary’s, who has made 13 appearances in the men’s March Madness tournament, and Oregon State, whose women’s team has made 23 appearances and won two national championships.
WCC Commissioner Stu Jackson sees the upcoming development of Denver basketball as a key factor in their joining the WCC.
“Denver’s commitment to elevate men’s and women’s basketball to a level which matches its nationally recognized success in other sports, while maintaining a focus on student-athlete development and experiences, is among the foundational pillars to this expansion,” Jackson said.
The Crimson and Gold’s men’s team has a new coach this year, with Tim Bergstraser. Both the men and women’s teams are in the midst of major roster rebuilds. The women’s basketball team fell to UC San Diego and Loyola Marymount, while the men’s team lost to Seattle University — all future WCC opponents.
Denver’s hockey, lacrosse, gymnastics and ski teams will remain in their respective conferences, already competing against some of the strongest competition in the nation.
With tougher competition comes more exposure for Denver athletics. The WCC partners with ESPN and CBS, finally putting Denver sports on national TV.
As Denver hunts for their final successes in the Summit League, be ready to watch WCC matchups coming right around the corner.
