University of Denver Spring 2026

“It’s a great opportunity for our student-athletes, coaches, fans, and anyone in the DU community who cares about our programs.”

Josh Berlo, vice chancellor of athletics and Ritchie Center operations

already in the market, and now we can reach even more of the West Coast. This move will continue to elevate our program and push us toward even higher goals here at Denver.” The recruiting impact extends to the general student body as well. Several WCC members—including Santa Clara, Loyola Marymount, University of San Diego, and Seattle University—consistently rank among DU’s top 30 admissions competitors. At the same time, the move strengthens connections with alumni in Southern California, the Bay Area, and the Pacific Northwest—areas where established chapters are already actively engaged. By positioning DU alongside the respected institutions of the WCC, the transition enhances the University’s appeal not only to prospective students but also to current and future alumni in the region.

coach Tim Bergstraser, with the team posting a 15-17 record and reaching the quarterfinal round of the Summit League tournament just one year after finishing 11-21. Sophomore Carson Johnson was selected as the Summit League Player of the Year, and he’s already confirmed that he’ll return next year for the Pioneers’ first foray into WCC competition. A big part of recruiting players, says Bergstraser, is selling the conference, and the WCC is one recruits already know. Having previously coached at Minnesota State University Moorhead and several other institutions across the upper Midwest, he understands the Summit League and its Midwestern footprint well. He also appreciates the high-level basketball played in the WCC and why it’s so appealing to student-athletes. “It's going to be a lot different now that we’re going to the West Coast [Conference],” says Bergstraser. “We’re definitely going to sell the winning success of that league in the recruiting pitch. When we lay out for them what this conference is like, I think we’re going to attract strong student-athletes.” For women’s soccer, there’s a prestige jump as well—and the added bonus of recruiting in states where the WCC is already a household name. DU’s 2025 roster included six players from the conference’s current footprint and three international players who hail from cities on the Pacific coast. Mixed with nine players from Colorado and Utah who are likely familiar with WCC soccer on some level, DU women’s soccer coach Julianne Sitch says the conference change can only improve recruiting. “It’s really exciting and a great opportunity for the whole Denver athletics program, and especially for the soccer programs,” says Sitch. “Being able to compete in a premier conference with top schools, especially ones with strong academics, is a huge step. It’s going to help with recruiting—we’re

The right fit at the right time Berlo says it’s important to note that DU wasn’t “shopping” for a new conference, but that the confluence of academic and athletic factors was too good to pass up. It’s a progression that’s been building for three decades, since the University first began pursuing NCAA Division I status. DU started as an independent—as newly minted D-I athletic departments often do—before moving to the Sun Belt Conference prior to the 1999-2000 academic year. The University stayed there for more than a decade and, after a brief stint in the Western Athletic Conference, the Pioneers shifted to the Summit League for 2013-14. Now, the University of Denver is finally home.

“It’s the right fit at the right time for us,” says Berlo. “And it’s a great opportunity for our student-athletes, coaches, fans, and anyone in the DU community who cares about our programs.” 

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UNIVERSITY OF DENVER MAGAZINE | SPRING 2026