DENVER – The University of Denver officially joined the West Coast Conference as a competing member on Wednesday, July 1, and throughout the course of the week, DenverPioneers.com is looking at some of the storylines associated with the conference transition.
In part one of the Denver to the West Coast Conference web series, we looked at the move for Denver fans to ESPN+ as its primary streaming platform, through conference partnerships with the West Coast Conference, Big 12 Conference and the BIG EAST. The streaming move opens Denver's broadcasts and the University's brand to an entirely new audience, including casual sports fans across the country.
Denver's move to the West Coast Conference as its primary conference home isn't just about athletics. It provides several benefits to the entire University community.
The new membership gives the campus a significant enhancement to the overall reputation of the University, associating Denver with some of the top private universities in the western United States. Denver's new primary conference home has nine institutions ranked in the national rankings that combine for an average ranking of 98 (without Denver), compared to an average Summit League ranking of 243 (also without Denver).
"I am eager to deepen relationships with our fellow West Coast Conference institutions," University of Denver Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Elizabeth Loboa said. "While athletics may bring us together on the field of competition, the greatest opportunity may be the connections we build beyond athletics through research and scholarly collaboration, shared innovation, and a collective commitment to student success."
Denver joining the West Coast Conference will earn the University increased national exposure through the ESPN+ streaming distribution mentioned above and will consistently put the University's brand in six of the top 30 DMAs (Designated Marketing Areas) in the country inside the new West Coast Conference map. Denver's presence along these west coast cities will showcase the University to prospective students, families and employers in the cities where its graduates already consistently land.
This transition to the West Coast Conference will keep many alumni more connected to the University of Denver. DU has active alumni chapters in every West Coast Conference market including Southern California, the Bay Area and Seattle. Membership in the West Coast Conference will give alumni the opportunity to unite, foster institutional pride and inspire their support for the University.
West Coast Conference membership contributes to the institution brand and reputation by uniting highly reputable and mostly private institutions that pride themselves on strong academics, research activity, desirable locations, beautiful campuses, accomplished faculty and staff, and nationwide alumni networks. This move will also allow the DU campus to ally with these institutions outside of athletics in areas such as academic collaboration and research.
"We are thrilled to join the West Coast Conference, joining outstanding peer institutions who also value academic excellence, competitive athletics and a student-centered experience," DU Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Todd Rinehart said. "This move expands our national visibility, strengthens existing relationships given how many of our DU students hail from WCC cities, and creates new rivalries that will generate excitement on campus."
The conference shift gives a boost to the University's admissions efforts as well. Of the 10 most popular locations for jobs and internships for recent DU grads, four fall within the West Coast Conference footprint (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and San Diego). The Pioneers have nearly 10,000 alumni in the WCC map on the west coast.
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