SAN BRUNO, Calif. (AP) — UC Santa Barbara will join the West Coast Conference for the 2027-28 season, increasing the membership in the league to 12 teams.
The West Coast Conference Presidents’ Council approved the admission of UC Santa Barbara on Friday, following recent decisions to add Denver and UC San Diego.
Denver will begin play in the league next season with the two California schools following the following year.
WCC powerhouse Gonzaga is leaving the conference at the end of this school year to join the Pac-12 but the new additions will give the league 12 schools for the first time.
"This is a monumental moment for the West Coast Conference as we grow our membership to 12 institutions for the first time in our history and enhance our national profile with the addition of UC Santa Barbara,” WCC commissioner Stu Jackson said in a statement.
UC Santa Barbara will compete in the West Coast Conference in 13 sports, including men’s basketball, women’s basketball, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, baseball, softball, men’s cross country, women’s cross country, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, men’s golf and men’s water polo.
The WCC had three schools make the NCAA men's basketball tournament this season, with Saint Mary's and Santa Clara joining Gonzaga in March Madness. This is the seventh straight tournament that the league got multiple bids.
The conference has sent multiple women’s basketball teams to the tournament five of the past seven events.
UC Santa Barbara was previously a member of the West Coast Conference from 1965-1969.
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FILE - The UC Santa Barbara mascot performs during a timeout in the first half of an Southeast Regional second round NCAA tournament college basketball game against Florida in Tampa, Fla., March 17, 2011. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)
LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — A seven-year-old horse had to be euthanized Friday after breaking its back on the final fence of a Grand National steeplechase race that it won despite suffering the serious injury.
It follows the death of four horses at the Cheltenham Festival in March — including one after the prestigious Gold Cup.
Gold Dancer was competing in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase during Ladies Day at Aintree’s Grand National Festival. The horse managed to cross the finish line approximately four lengths ahead of runner-up Regent’s Stroll.
“The winner of our second race of the day, Gold Dancer, was pulled up after the line and dismounted," Aintree Racecourse said in a statement. “He was immediately attended to by our expert veterinary team but sadly he could not be saved. Our heartfelt condolences are with his connections.”
Jockey Paul Townend rode the gelding across the finish line and dismounted immediately once the horse pulled up beyond the winning post. Screens were put up around Gold Dancer as veterinary experts rushed to provide treatment.
Eddie O’Leary, racing manager for owners Gigginstown, defended Townend's actions for continuing to ride.
“What could Paul Townend do? He felt fine, it was just when he pulled up that something was wrong,” O'Leary said.
Two other horses, Miami Magic and Jordans Cross, fell during the same contest but both returned safely to their stables.
At last year's meeting, a horse that collapsed on the racecourse after running in the Grand National also died.
After the Cheltenham Festival deaths in March, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said the four deaths took the number of horses to have lost their lives in competitive racing in Britain this year to 24.
There was more criticism after Friday's Gold Dancer death.
“Year after year we see horses dying at Aintree for people’s entertainment and a cheap bet.” Emma Slawinski, chief executive at the League Against Cruel Sports, was quoted as saying by GB News.
AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports
Crowds watch the racing on Ladies Day, the second day of the Grand National Horse Racing festival, at Aintree racecourse, near Liverpool, England, Friday, April 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Crowds watch the first race on Ladies Day, the second day of the Grand National Horse Racing festival, at Aintree racecourse, near Liverpool, England, Friday, April 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
