University of Denver Spring 2026

Onward

and Upwar

DU is taking a major step forward in athletics and academics as nine sports programs join the West Coast Conference.

Text by Matt Meyer | Photos courtesy of NCAA Photos/Clarkson Creative

In the calm before the chaos, Josh Berlo sent a text message. More than half of DU’s athletics programs were about to move from the Summit League to the West Coast Conference—fulfilling decades of anticipation from administrators, coaches, fans, alumni, and employees alike. It was a big moment for Berlo, the vice chancellor of athletics and Ritchie Center operations, and for longtime supporters who had spent years hoping—and waiting—for it. So, Berlo pulled out his phone and shared the news with a group chat before the story broke in the national media: DU Athletics is headed to the WCC. “These are folks who had been working on this since the ’90s,” says Berlo, who arrived at DU in the summer of 2022, having spent nine years as the athletic director at the University of Minnesota Duluth and 13 years in administration at the University of Notre Dame. “To share that it had finally been accomplished—it meant a lot. This was an important goal for many. “One of the responses said: ‘We’re finally home.’” At the start of the 2026 - 27 academic year, nine athletic programs are joining the conference: men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s tennis, and women’s volleyball.

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UNIVERSITY OF DENVER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2026