UC Santa Barbara will join the West Coast Conference starting with the 2027-28 season, the league announced, expanding the WCC’s membership to 12 teams.
The move represents a conference change for the Gauchos and adds another program to a WCC footprint that spans the West Coast. The WCC will operate with 12 teams once UC Santa Barbara officially enters in 2027-28.
What it means
UC Santa Barbara’s addition increases the number of member schools in the conference and sets the stage for the league’s next alignment beginning in 2027-28. No additional details were provided in the announcement.