The Big West Conference expanded to nine teams this season with the addition of UC Davis, which officially joined the confernce on July 1. CSUN has faced UC Davis many times, as the Aggies have spent the last four years undergoing a reclassification from Division II to Division I.

This season marks the 39th year of operation for the Big West Conference, which was originally formed as the Pacific Coast Athletic Association on July 1, 1969. In 1988 the name of the conference was changed to the Big West Conference to more accurately represented the membership schools which were located in California, Utah, Nevada, and New Mexico.

Through the years, the conference membership has changed and since the 2004-2005 season, the Big West is the only conference with all its members located in one state – California.

The conference-sponsored women’s sports in the Big West are soccer, volleyball, cross country, swimming and diving, basketball, golf, tennis, softball and track and field. For men, the sports are soccer, cross country, swimming and diving, basketball, golf, tennis, baseball and track and field.

CSUN has been a member of the conference since the 2001-2002 season. Long Beach State has the longest membership in the conference, joining in 1969-1970 season.

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