UC Davis to join Mountain West Conference as non-football member in 2026

DAVIS, Calif. (AP) — UC Davis is joining the Mountain West Conference as a non-football member in 2026.

The Aggies will compete in 16 conference-sponsored sports, including men's and women's basketball.

The football team will remain in the Football Championship Subdivision, playing as an affiliate member in the Big Sky Conference. The Aggies play at South Dakota in the FCS playoffs on Saturday.

The Aggies are the fourth new member of the Mountain West, joining UTEP, Hawaii — already a football-only member — and Grand Canyon, which doesn’t have football. The Mountain West is losing Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State to the newly re-formed Pac-12 in 2026.

The Aggies' water polo and beach volleyball teams plan to remain in the Big West through affiliate membership, but are prepared to explore other options, the school said. There will be no changes in membership agreements for equestrian, field hockey and lacrosse.

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