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- CBU Hall of Fame
- National Championship Teams
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- National Players of the Year
Athletics Department Historical Overview
After solidifying itself as a dominant force in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), California Baptist University took on a new challenge in 2013-14, becoming a full member in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II that year. The Lancers began a transition to Division I and the Western Athletic Conference in 2018-19. Prior to the NCAA, CBU had been an NAIA member since 1969.
In the Division II era (2013-14 to 2017-18), the Lancers qualified 70 percent (66 of 94) of their eligible teams for the NCAA postseason. CBU has won a total of seven individual NCAA national championships, with four in swimming (three women, one men) and three in wrestling. The Lancers also showed a steady climb in the D-II Learfield Directors' Cup rankings, debuting at No. 26 in 2013-14 and climbing to 16th, fourth and second in the following years until winning the Directors' Cup in 2017-18.
CBU won its first two national titles in 1999 and embarked on a historic run of success from there. It captured 22 NAIA championships over a 13-year span (1999-2011) and over 16 years (1996-2011) the Lancers racked up 149 individual national championships in the NAIA.
California Baptist University looked to build on its success by entering the application process to the NCAA in the summer of 2010 after the school had undergone continual growth, in enrollment and academic offerings, since 1994.
During its transition to the NCAA, the Lancers dominated the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA). CBU won nine team and seven individual NCCAA championships and secured 62 All-American awards over 2011-12 and 2012-13.
Today, 18 of the Lancers' 21 intercollegiate sports (nine men and 11 women) compete in the NCAA. STUNT is now an NCAA Emerging Sport, while cheerleading and dance are not NCAA-sanctioned sports. Sixteen of the 18 NCAA programs began its transition to in Division I in 2018-19, while men's and women's water polo compete at the National Collegiate level, which is made up of all NCAA programs (Divisions I-III). CBU underwent a four-year transition where it was not eligible for the NCAA postseason until 2022-23.
Coinciding with the move to Division II, CBU transitioned from the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) to primarily the Pacific West Conference (PacWest) in 2011-12, while swim and dive and wrestling joined the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC). The Lancers will became primary members of the Western Athletic Conference in 2018-19. CBU had been members of the GSAC since 1987 and had reaped 28 conference crowns over their 25 years in the GSAC. While CBU is a primary member of the WAC, with 15 of its programs in the conference, its water polo and men's wrestling teams are members of different conferences. Men's and Women's water polo are members of the West Coast Conference (WCC) and Golden Coast Conference (GCC), while the wrestling team is a member of the Big 12 conference.
Athletics Department Mission Statement
Honoring Christ through excellence in Athletics (Romans 12:1)
- We are dedicated to helping build a university committed to the Great Commission.
- We are committed to help each student-athlete be academically prepared.
- We are committed to help the student-athlete be equipped to serve.
- We are committed to competing for conference and national championships.
