California Baptist Officially Begins Big West Era
7/1/2026 8:00:00 AM | Baseball, General, Men's Basketball, Men's Water Polo, Softball, Women's Basketball, Women's Golf, Women's Soccer, Women's Volleyball, Women's Water Polo, Cross Country & Track
IRVINE, CA --- Effective Wednesday, July 1, 2026, California Baptist University (CBU) has become an official member of the Big West Conference. The Lancers will begin competing in the Big West this fall as one of three new institutions calling it their home.
CBU is joined by Sacramento State and Utah Valley, who celebrate July 1 as the beginning of their new eras.
"On behalf of the conference, our institutions, our coaches, our administrators, our fans, and particularly our student-athletes, we are excited to welcome California Baptist University to the Big West Conference," said Big West Commissioner Dan Butterly.
The move to the Big West ends CBU's nine-year tenure in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). CBU celebrated its best season as a Division I member in their final year of WAC membership, winning nine conference championships and a STUNT national title. Those conference championships included men's cross country, women's cross country, men's soccer (regular season), women's soccer (tournament), men's basketball (tournament), women's basketball (regular season and tournament), and softball (regular season and tournament).
CBU's success included trips to the NCAA Tournament in women's soccer, men's basketball, women's basketball, and softball. The national tournament appearances in men's basketball and softball were both the first in the program's Division I era. Men's cross country also sent athletes to the NCAA Championship race in Missouri.
"We've been very blessed to have a lot of success because we have great administrative support here," said CBU Vice President of Athletics, Dr. Micah Parker. "This past year, we won ten championships… We feel like we're on the upward trajectory to enter a great conference like the Big West."
CBU sponsors 16 NCAA Division I sports, and 13 of those will compete in the Big West. The Lancers will begin their Big West era in the fall with men's and women's cross country, men's water polo, women's soccer, and women's volleyball taking center stage. The winter will see the Big West debuts of men's and women's basketball. The spring will bring on the championship seasons of baseball, men's and women's track, softball, women's golf, and women's water polo.
With the addition of CBU, Sacramento State, and Utah Valley, Big West membership now stands at 12 schools for the 2026-27 academic year. Returning Big West members include Cal Poly, CSU Bakersfield, Cal State Fullerton, CSUN, Long Beach State, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UC San Diego, and UC Santa Barbara.
Visit the Big West Conference's official website to learn more about CBU's new conference home.
CBU is joined by Sacramento State and Utah Valley, who celebrate July 1 as the beginning of their new eras.
"On behalf of the conference, our institutions, our coaches, our administrators, our fans, and particularly our student-athletes, we are excited to welcome California Baptist University to the Big West Conference," said Big West Commissioner Dan Butterly.
The move to the Big West ends CBU's nine-year tenure in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). CBU celebrated its best season as a Division I member in their final year of WAC membership, winning nine conference championships and a STUNT national title. Those conference championships included men's cross country, women's cross country, men's soccer (regular season), women's soccer (tournament), men's basketball (tournament), women's basketball (regular season and tournament), and softball (regular season and tournament).
CBU's success included trips to the NCAA Tournament in women's soccer, men's basketball, women's basketball, and softball. The national tournament appearances in men's basketball and softball were both the first in the program's Division I era. Men's cross country also sent athletes to the NCAA Championship race in Missouri.
"We've been very blessed to have a lot of success because we have great administrative support here," said CBU Vice President of Athletics, Dr. Micah Parker. "This past year, we won ten championships… We feel like we're on the upward trajectory to enter a great conference like the Big West."
CBU sponsors 16 NCAA Division I sports, and 13 of those will compete in the Big West. The Lancers will begin their Big West era in the fall with men's and women's cross country, men's water polo, women's soccer, and women's volleyball taking center stage. The winter will see the Big West debuts of men's and women's basketball. The spring will bring on the championship seasons of baseball, men's and women's track, softball, women's golf, and women's water polo.
With the addition of CBU, Sacramento State, and Utah Valley, Big West membership now stands at 12 schools for the 2026-27 academic year. Returning Big West members include Cal Poly, CSU Bakersfield, Cal State Fullerton, CSUN, Long Beach State, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UC San Diego, and UC Santa Barbara.
Visit the Big West Conference's official website to learn more about CBU's new conference home.
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