Ayrton Oneill
The University of California, Davis, has a rich history of athletic excellence, with its teams, the UC Davis Aggies, competing across a wide range of sports. Notably, the men's basketball team has experienced significant success, currently competing in the Big West Conference as part of the NCAA Division I. However, recent announcements indicate that UC Davis will be joining the Mountain West Conference, leaving the Big West Conference with nine remaining teams. This transition is expected to bring increased media coverage and provide access to a broader alumni network.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Conference | Big West Conference |
| Division | I |
| Nickname | Aggies |
| Colors | Yale Blue and Gold |
| Official Team Name | UC Davis Aggies |
| University | University of California, Davis |
| Location | Davis, California |
| Head Coach | Jim Les |
| Upcoming Change | UC Davis will leave the Big West Conference and join the Mountain West Conference in 2026 |
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What You'll Learn
UC Davis Aggies men's basketball team
The UC Davis Aggies men's basketball team represents the University of California, Davis, in Davis, California. The Aggies' nickname is derived from the university's agricultural origins, as it was previously called the College of Agriculture at Davis. The team's colours are Yale Blue and Gold.
The UC Davis Aggies men's basketball team currently competes in the Big West Conference, which is part of the NCAA Division I. The team plays its home games at the 7,600-seat University Credit Union Center. The Aggies first fielded a men's basketball team during the 1910-11 season. Before becoming a full-fledged Division I program in July 2007, UC Davis won an NCAA Division II national championship in 1998. The Aggies have since won multiple NCAA statistical championships and major conference awards in Division I.
The UC Davis Aggies men's basketball team is currently led by head coach Jim Les, who is in his 14th season with the program during the 2024-25 season. During his tenure, the team earned its first Big West championship and first NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament appearance in 2017. That appearance marked the thirteenth overall NCAA postseason appearance for the Aggies, including its time in Division II.
In addition to their success on the court, the Aggies also have a dedicated group of supporters known as the Aggie Pack. It is the largest student-run school spirit organization in the United States, and they cheer on the Aggies at sporting events to the music of the UC Davis Marching Band.
While the UC Davis Aggies men's basketball team currently competes in the Big West Conference, it has been announced that the team will be moving to the Mountain West Conference starting in the 2026-27 academic year. This move will introduce the Aggies to a broader audience and increase media coverage, while also providing the opportunity to compete against opponents with greater appeal to students and fans.
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Big West Conference
The Big West Conference (BWC) is an American collegiate athletic conference whose member institutions participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. UC Davis men's basketball currently competes in the Big West Conference.
The conference was originally formed on July 1, 1969, as the Pacific Coast Athletic Association (PCAA), and in 1988 was renamed the Big West Conference. The five original charter members were Fresno State, San Jose State, UC Santa Barbara, San Diego State, and Long Beach State. Two other schools, Cal State Los Angeles and the University of the Pacific, were also considered but they declined at that time to pursue membership. The newly formed conference had several meetings to set up its governance, which was confirmed in October 1968 on the campus of UC Santa Barbara. Before the league started, Cal State Los Angeles joined as a full member, and the University of the Pacific joined for football only, becoming a full member two years later.
Since its inception, the conference has seen many changes. There have been no fewer than 25 full and associate members in the conference's history, while only two of the original seven charter members remain: Long Beach State and UC Santa Barbara. Effective July 1, 1988, the Pacific Coast Athletic Association changed its name to the Big West Conference. With such schools as Utah State, UNLV, Nevada, New Mexico State, and Hawaii now in the fold, the name change was more representative of its member institutions.
In addition, the conference signed a contract with ESPN to have its men's basketball games telecast as the third game of a triple-header known as Big Monday. The other conferences being featured were the Big East and the Big Ten, so the name Big West fit the theme.
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Mountain West Conference
The Mountain West Conference (MW) is a collegiate athletic conference in the Western United States that competes in the NCAA Division I. The conference officially began operations on January 4, 1999, and geographically covers a broad expanse of the Western United States, with member schools located in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, and Hawaii. The creation of the MW was a delayed aftereffect of the 1996 NCAA conference realignment.
The charter members of the MW included the United States Air Force Academy, Brigham Young University (BYU), Colorado State University, San Diego State University, the University of New Mexico, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), the University of Utah, and the University of Wyoming. Over time, the MW has undergone changes in its membership, with BYU leaving in 2010 to become independent in football and join the West Coast Conference (WCC) for other sports. TCU, which had joined the MW in 2005, also moved to the Big East Conference in 2012, later joining the Big 12.
The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa became a football-only member in 2010, and Boise State University joined in 2010 as well. California State University, Fresno (Fresno State), and the University of Nevada, Reno (Nevada) were added in 2010, bringing the total membership to 16 schools. The MW also includes three former Big West Conference members: San José State University, UNLV, and the University of Tulsa.
UC Davis, currently a member of the Big West Conference, has announced its move to the Mountain West Conference effective in the 2026 school year. This decision is part of a broader shift triggered by the announcement of UCLA and USC's move from the Pac-12 to the Big 10. With UC Davis joining the MW, the conference will expand its reach and continue to foster athletic excellence across a range of sports, including basketball.
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NCAA Division I
The UC Davis Aggies men's basketball team represents the University of California, Davis, in Davis, California. The team currently competes in the Big West Conference, which is part of the NCAA Division I.
UC Davis' first men's basketball team played in the 1910-11 season. They won an NCAA Division II national championship in 1998 and had 12 postseason appearances. The team joined Division I in 2007, and in the 2017 Tournament, they made their first NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament appearance. This marked their thirteenth overall NCAA postseason appearance, including their time in Division II. UC Davis has also won multiple NCAA statistical championships and major conference awards since joining Division I.
The UC Davis Aggies women's basketball team began its transition to the NCAA Division I level in 2003-04 and officially started competing as a member of the Big West Conference in 2007-08. The Aggies women's water polo team earned a share of the Big West Conference title in 2009, their first championship in program history at the Division I level. In 2015, they won the Big West Conference Tournament, securing their spot in the NCAA Tournament.
In December 2024, it was announced that UC Davis would be leaving the Big West Conference. The university will join the Mountain West Conference beginning July 1, 2026, for all sports except football, which will remain in the Big Sky Conference. This move will provide UC Davis with increased media coverage and the opportunity to align with universities that share similar academic strengths.
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UC Davis Aggies women's basketball team
The UC Davis Aggies women's basketball team represents the University of California, Davis in Davis, California, United States. The team currently competes in the Big West Conference, having transitioned to the NCAA Division I level in 2003–04 and officially joining the Big West Conference in 2007–08.
The Aggies have enjoyed success in the Big West Conference, winning five regular-season titles (2009–10, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20) and two tournament titles (2011, 2019) in their 13 Division I seasons as of 2020-21. They have advanced to the NCAA Tournament twice (2011, 2019) as the automatic qualifier from the Big West Conference, and have made five appearances in the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT), with an "Elite Eight" appearance in 2018 and a "Sweet 16" appearance in 2017.
The UC Davis Aggies have a rich history in women's basketball, with notable achievements prior to their transition to Division I. They made 12 appearances in the NCAA Division II women's basketball tournament, advancing to the "Elite Eight" in 1997 and finishing third nationally. The team has been led by talented coaches such as Pam Gill-Fisher, who was inducted into the Cal Aggie Athletics Hall of Fame twice, and more recently, Jennifer Gross and her assistant coaches, who led the team to two Big West Championships in 2019 and 2021.
The Aggies' success on the court has been accompanied by individual accolades for their coaches and players. Head Coach Jennifer Gross has won the Big West Conference Championship and the Big West Conference Coach of the Year Award in five consecutive seasons from 2017 to 2021. She was also a finalist for the WBCA 2018 National Coach of the Year Award. Additionally, the Aggies have produced outstanding student-athletes like Jennifer Gross herself, who was inducted into the Cal Aggie Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003 for her achievements as a player from 1993 to 1997.
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Frequently asked questions
UC Davis basketball is currently in the Big West Conference.
UC Davis basketball will be moving to the Mountain West Conference in the 2026-27 academic year.
UC Davis competes in 18 intercollegiate sports as part of the Big West Conference, including baseball, softball, women's basketball, and women's beach volleyball.
