University of the Pacific joins West Coast Conference

STOCKTON -- The West Coast Conference voted this morning to admit the University of the Pacific into its fold, effective July 1, 2013. An official announcement will be made this afternoon on the Stockton campus.

The Tigers have been a member of the Big West Conference (previously the Pacific Coast Athletic Association) since 1971, but was a founding member of the WCC in 1952 and remained in that league until 1971.

As part of its move back into the WCC, Pacific will be adding men's soccer as a varsity sport and will be looking into adding other programs.

It also means the Tigers' basketball program will be aligned with one of the best conferences on the West Coast and will be renewing historic rivalries with St. Mary's, Santa Clara and the University of San Francisco while adding new private school rivals such as Gonzaga and Brigham Young.