Rising program set to join WCC in 2027-28, according to report

UC San Diego could backfill the WCC in 2027-28 after Gonzaga's departure

Close-up of a Wilson basketball featuring the West Coast Conference logo, held by an official. | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

The West Coast Conference is making moves to ensure it remains a viable college basketball conference after Gonzaga's departure.

According to CBS reporter Jon Rothstein, UC San Diego is finalizing details to join the WCC starting in the 2027-28 season. Neither the conference nor the school has confirmed as of this writing.

The WCC will operate with 12 programs in the 2025-26 season: Gonzaga, Saint Mary's, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Loyola Marymount, Pepperdine, Portland, San Diego, Pacific, Seattle, and two affiliate members in Oregon State and Washington State. The conference initially added Grand Canyon as well, but they ultimately reneged on the deal and instead joined the Mountain West.

12 teams is a perfectly fine number for the WCC, but the conference will drop down to just nine once Oregon State, Washington State, and Gonzaga all leave after this year to join the new-look Pac-12 alongside San Diego State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Utah State, Boise State, and Texas State.

9 is a scary number for any conference, and with rumors that SMC and the Pac-12 have had conversations, it always made sense for the WCC to keep scouring the West Coast for more programs to bring on board — and UC San Diego is arguably one of the best options they could have found.

The Tritons made the transition to D1 ahead of the 2020-21 season, joining the Big West conference and quickly emerging as an excellent mid-major college hoops program.

Under coach Eric Olen, UC San Diego went from winning 20 combined games in his first two seasons to going 21-12 in 2023-24 and then an outstanding 30-5 last year — earning a No. 12 seed and nearly taking down No. 5 seed Michigan in the first round. UC San Diego also made the NCAA Tournament in women's basketball, becoming the first school to have both basketball programs qualify for the NCAA Tournament in their first year of eligibility.

Dec 22, 2021; San Diego, California, USA; UC San Diego Tritons head coach Eric Olen applauds during the first half against the San Diego State Aztecs at Viejas Arena. | Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images

Olen parlayed that success into a new job replacing Richard Pitino at New Mexico, leaving longtime associate head coach Clint Allard in charge.

UC San Diego sponsors ten men's and 11 women's sports, including baseball and softball, men's and women's cross country, rowing, soccer, track and field, swimming and diving, tennis, water polo, and volleyball, as well as men's golf.

The school itself would be among the biggest in the WCC, with over 43,000 students in 2023 and an endowment of $1.36 billion. With a huge alumni base, tons of current students, recent success in men's and women's basketball, and an ideal location in La Jolla, CA, this would be a strong addition for the WCC to keep the conference among the best mid-major leagues in college hoops once Gonzaga — and possibly Saint Mary's — are out the door.