Big West Approves Addition of Men’s and Women’s Swimming in 2024-25

Big West Approves Addition of Men’s and Women’s Swimming in 2024-25

The Big West Conference last week approved the addition of men’s and women’s swimming and diving for the 2024-25 season.

The decision was taken at the Big West Board of Directors spring meeting, which included hosting NCAA president Charlie Baker. The meeting was held May 23-24 in Irvine, Calif., with resolutions published last Friday.

The Big West has 11 members schools, mainly based in California. Six sponsor swimming in some capacity – Cal Poly, Cal State Bakersfield, University of Hawaii, UC Davis (women’s swimming only), UC San Diego and UC Santa Barbara. Those programs currently compete in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.

The departure of those teams would gut the MPSF for swimming. The 2022-23 championships included 10 women’s teams and eight men’s. The remaining teams include BYU, Pacific, the University of San Diego (women’s only) and University of Incarnate Word.

The addition of swimming and diving would bring the Big West to 23 sponsored men’s and women’s sports. The Big West is already adding men’s water polo for the 2023-24 season, a further blow to the MPSF, which is home to many of the major water polo programs in the nation (including the Pac-12 teams, with that sport not being sponsored by the power conference).

The University of Hawaii won the MPSF women’s swimming and diving championship this year, while BYU claimed the men’s crown. Each are on six-year winning streaks in the conference.

The MPSF, founded in 1992, was long a patchwork option for non-revenue and Olympic sports for Division I schools located in the West. It sponsors championships in 11 sports: Men’s and women’s swimming, men’s and women’s water polo, men’s and women’s gymnastics, artistic swimming, fencing, indoor track and field and men’s volleyball.

Other actions at the Big West meetings included forming a five-team conference baseball championship in baseball for 2025, changes to the basketball schedule and championships and various measures over student-athlete participation in governance.

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Lil Swimmy Jr.

11 months ago

Isn’t BYU also leaving soon for the big 12?

SwimDadAustin

11 months ago

Let’s bring the swim program back to Cal State Fullerton (Big West)! Beautiful new $8M Olympic-size pool, SoCal weather, and water polo already back in action – it’s a no-brainer. Go TITANS!

Last edited 11 months ago by SwimDadAustin