The UC San Diego men's soccer team will compete in the Pac-12 Conference next season as part of a "strategic partnership" involving three other California schools, officials said.
UCSD will join California Baptist, UC Riverside and Cal Poly as affiliate members of the Pac-12 for the 2026-27 season, the conference announced Monday.
The UCSD women's soccer team will not be part of the affiliation, a spokesman said Tuesday.
The Pac-12 and Big West Conference will also schedule crossover matches between member institutions of both conferences.
The partnership is "designed to strengthen and sustain Division I men's soccer opportunities across the western United States," officials said.
"We are very excited about this partnership and the opportunity to be a part of the Pac-12," UCSD men's soccer coach Jon Pascale said. "It allows us the opportunity to play a few new quality opponents and establish a cross-town rivalry with San Diego State."
San Diego State will officially become a Pac-12 school on July 1.
Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould said having affiliate teams advances the goal of "supporting competitive and viable Olympic sports."
SDSU men's soccer coach Ryan Hopkins said the collaboration "will provide West Coast student-athletes with more access to the NCAA tournament and ensuring stability for programs in the future."
UCSD will depart the Big West for the West Coast Conference beginning in fall 2027.
Two years ago, SDSU announced its departure from the Mountain West Conference for the Pac-12, which is now rebuilding following its virtual dissolution in 2024, as all schools except Oregon and Washington departed for other conferences and bigger TV revenue.
