December 9, 2005

UC Davis is no stranger to D-I

By Dave Jones

UC Davis already has two Division I sports teams: wrestling and women's gymnastics, under an NCAA provision that lets Division II universities select one men's program and one women's program for elevated competition.

Also, the men's and women's water polo teams are eligible to compete in their respective NCAA championships, because the NCAA does not sponsor individual water polo championships for Divisions I, II and III

Davis' 22 other NCAA programs are set to move up to Division I in 2007-08. Seventeen programs are due to compete in the Big West Conference, which has competition only in those 17 sports.

Those sports are basketball, soccer, golf, tennis, track and field, cross country, and swimming and diving, each with men's and women's teams; and baseball, softball and volleyball.

The Big West does not sponsor football. So Davis will continue to play in the Great West Football Conference, which this year consisted of Davis; Cal Poly, Southern Utah, Northern Colorado, North Dakota State and South Dakota State.