SAN BRUNO, Calif. – The West Coast Conference Executive Council and Presidents’ Council recently convened for several days in the San Francisco Bay Area, where campus leaders and student-athlete representatives engaged in meaningful dialogue on conference operations and approved proposals that advance the league’s commitment to student-athlete welfare and competitive excellence.
The Presidents’ Council applauded the expansion of the conference with the recent additions of UC San Diego and the University of Denver, and encouraged continued conversations on membership opportunities in the coming months.
“The collaborative spirit shown by our membership reflects the strength of the West Coast Conference,” said Stu Jackson, Commissioner of the West Coast Conference. “As we welcome new members and engage in productive discussion on conference policy and direction, we remain focused on thoughtful growth, shared values, and constructing opportunities that enhance the competitive excellence and experience for our student-athletes.”
The Presidents’ Council discussed revenue sharing within the current NCAA landscape and strategized on initiatives that continue to position the conference as a premier league in men’s basketball.
Leadership also discussed the new NCAA governance structure and its impacts on the conference. Jackson expressed his enthusiasm for the conference’s expanded representation in NCAA governance, with the NCAA’s determination of the West Coast Conference as a “success conference” in nine of the 14 sports under this new structure – more than any conference outside of the Power Four.
“Our membership’s commitment to supporting our programs is represented in our tremendous success across our sports,” Jackson said. “Our success is vital to be a voice at a national level, and I applaud our membership for their efforts in ensuring we are recognized and represented as a success conference. This is a testament to the strategic leadership, recruitment of student-athletes and elite-level coaches we have across this conference.”
The conference solidified its championship sites for the 2026 baseball and men’s and women’s tennis tournaments. The baseball tournament will be held at Scottsdale Stadium in Arizona and the men’s and women’s tennis tournament will be contested on the University of the Pacific campus.
The conference established policy for determining the site of the of the inaugural men’s and women’s soccer tournaments in the fall of 2026, with the highest seed serving as the host venue for the four-team event. The semifinals will be held on Wednesday and the championship matches contested on Saturday preceding NCAA selection.
A new format for the Credit Union 1 Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championship was adopted for the 2027 event. The 10-team tournament will feature the No. 7 seed vs. the No. 10 seed and the No. 8 seed vs. the No. 9 seed in the opening round, followed by a quarterfinal round with the top six seeds competing, along with the winners of the first-round games.
The
conference’s redefined brand identity was unveiled to campus leadership during the meetings, featuring the “We Rise in the West” slogan with a
new public service announcement that highlights basketball success narrated by Santa Clara alum and NBA World Champion Jalen Williams.
The conference also affirmed affiliate membership with UC San Diego in rowing during the 2026-27 academic year, one year ahead of its competitive entrance to the conference.
“Our leadership reaffirmed its alignment on key initiatives, its commitment to addressing the demands of the evolving NCAA landscape, and its enthusiasm for the direction of the conference,” Jackson said.