UCLA and USC will both join the Big Ten and leave the Pac-12, according to a release from the conference Thursday. The moves will bring the total number of Big Ten schools to 16 as programs continue to shift between Power 5 conferences and dramatically realign the structure of college sports.
Oklahoma and Texas are set to join the SEC in the near future, which would also give the conference 16 teams. The Big 12 responded to the pair of departures by adding BYU, Houston, Cincinnati and UCF.
With the Bruins and Trojans both boasting over 100 NCAA championships each and set to join the Big Ten in 2024, The Diamondback’s sports staff analyzed how both California programs will impact every Big Ten sport Maryland competes in.
Football
Despite lacking recent success, USC and UCLA will bring two of the biggest brands in college football to the Big Ten.
Neither school has made a College Football Playoff since its inception in 2014. The Trojans came the closest, finishing in the top 10 of the final College Football Playoff rankings in both 2016 and 2017. USC has won just three bowl games since 2010, most recently the 2016 Rose Bowl.
The Bruins’ recent postseason resume is even weaker, with only two Bowl wins since 2010 and failing to appear in one the last four seasons.
However, both programs appear to be on the rise. USC hired former Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley this offseason, and the impact is already being felt.
Former Sooners quarterback Caleb Williams followed Riley, and he’ll have talent to throw to in former Pitt receiver and 2021 Biletnikoff award winner Jordan Addison. The Trojans also boast the tenth-ranked recruiting class nationally in 2023.
UCLA finished 8-4 last season in year four under Chip Kelly, its most wins in a season since 2015.
With conference realignment driven in large part by football, it appears the Big Ten is doing its best to keep up with the SEC.
– Taylor Lyons
Men’s Basketball
UCLA has won 11 national championships in men’s basketball, the most of any team in the country. Ten of those national championships came in just 12 seasons from 1964 to 1975 under legendary coach John Wooden.
The fabled program has found less success in the last few decades, with its last national championship coming in 1995. However, the Bruins recently reached the Final Four in 2021 and the Sweet 16 last season under current coach Mick Cronin.
Maryland and UCLA are set to play a home-and-home series over the next two seasons, according to a release. The Terps will host the Bruins Dec. 14 before traveling to California in 2023, giving a taste of what a Big Ten that includes UCLA will look like.
While USC’s program doesn’t hold the same historic pedigree as the Bruins, the Trojans have made strides in recent years. USC has qualified for the NCAA tournament four times in the last decade and reached the Elite Eight in 2021 under current coach Andy Enfield.
The two programs will strengthen an already strong Big Ten, who was represented by nine teams in last year’s national tournament, more than any other conference.
– Nicky Wolcott
Women’s Basketball
USC and UCLA will join the Big Ten as two teams hoping to rise up the women’s basketball rankings.
USC won back-to-back titles in 1983 and 1984, but hasn’t had success in recent years. The Trojans haven’t qualified for a spot in March Madness since 2014.
The Bruins made the 2021 tournament but fell to Texas early on. They’ve had more tournament appearances than USC in the last twenty years, but have yet to win an NCAA championship.
The two teams will face a strenuous schedule against Big Ten powerhouses such as Iowa, Indiana and Maryland in a competitive women’s basketball conference.
– Olivia Janik
[From walk-on to leader, Emma Silberman defied odds to stand atop Maryland gymnastics]
Men’s Soccer
UCLA has finished the majority of recent seasons winning about 50 percent of its games, failing to replicate the past success of a program that’s won four national championships — the most recent of which came in 2002.
However, the Bruins just had arguably their best season in almost a decade with a 11-7-1 overall record. UCLA reached the second round of the NCAA tournament, a feat it hadn’t achieved since 2016. The Bruins also finished as runner ups in the national tournament in 2014.
It’s only coach Ryan Jorden’s third season in charge, who has recorded an overall collegiate coaching record of 122 wins and 96 losses. It’s possible the Bruins could build on their growth under Jorden.
UCLA will be the 10th member of the Big Ten to field a men’s soccer program.
USC does not have a men’s soccer team.
– Yonathan Shimelis
Women’s Soccer
UCLA and USC will bring historically successful women’s soccer programs to the Big Ten, both being crowned national champions within the last decade.
The Bruins won a NCAA championship in 2013 and since the program started playing in 1993, it’s only had one season with a losing record, going 8-10-1 in 2015. UCLA had made at least the third round of every national tournament since 2016 before being bounced in the first round last year.
The Trojans won national championships in 2007 and 2016 and have appeared in every NCAA tournament since missing out in 2013.
Both teams should immediately compete at the top of the Big Ten after routinely finishing near the top of the Pac-12 table over the last decade.
– Nicky Wolcott
Gymnastics
The Big Ten finished 2022 with three top-10 teams, its most ever. With UCLA joining soon, the already-improving conference gets another boost.
Only seven programs have won national championships since NCAA women’s gymnastics began in 1982. One is UCLA, racking up seven championships spanning from 1997 to 2018.
The Bruins have the most titles since 2000. Their five individual All-Around winners are tied for fourth-best. UCLA also has the second-most individual NCAA champions, earning 40 titles.
The Bruins finished No. 12 in each of the last two seasons, and former coach Chris Waller resigned in April. Newly hired coach Janelle McDonald takes over, looking to bounce back and change the landscape of Big Ten gymnastics in the near future.
USC does not have a gymnastics team.
– Eli Cohen
Volleyball
UCLA and USC will bring more successful volleyball programs to an already-loaded Big Ten. The Bruins and Trojans will join a conference that fielded eight programs in last year’s NCAA tournament, including national championship qualifiers Wisconsin and Nebraska.
UCLA flaunted a 25-6 record last season, losing in the third round of the NCAA tournament to the eventual champion Badgers. The Bruins have won seven national championships in program history, the most recent coming in 2011 under current coach Michael Sealy.
USC enters the Big Ten as six-time national champions — the Trojans last brought home national championship glory in 2003. Coach Brad Keller’s squad went just 15-15 last season, but ousted the Bruins on Senior Day to close their season.
– Noah Ferguson
Field Hockey
USC and UCLA do not sponsor field hockey programs.
– Nicky Wolcott
Wrestling
Neither USC or UCLA currently have a wrestling team. All 14 current members of the Big Ten sponsor wrestling, and was the strongest conference in the sport at the Division I level this past season.
– Ashkan Motamedi
[Playing handball helps stoke Maryland wrestling’s competitive fire]
Women’s Lacrosse
USC women’s lacrosse has had winning records in all except in its first two seasons in 2013 and 2014 and has earned five NCAA tournament appearances. While the program is relatively new, it’s already had success, winning a 2019 Pac-12 Championship.
The Trojans finished 2022 ranked at No. 18 with a 13-5 record after falling to Virginia 13-11 in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
USC has some experience against its future conference rivals, holding a 3-0 record against Michigan, a 2-4 record against Northwestern and a win in its only matchup against Ohio State.
While the Trojans have yet to make it to a Final Four, playing in the Big Ten will put them up against some of the best teams in the country in Maryland and Northwestern, as well as other competitive programs in one of the top conferences in the sport.
UCLA does not have a women’s lacrosse team.
– Olivia Janik
Men’s Lacrosse
UCLA and USC do not sponsor men’s lacrosse teams. The pair won’t be out of place in the Big Ten since there are only six men’s lacrosse teams in the conference, one of which is Johns Hopkins.
– Nicky Wolcott
Baseball
USC is as legendary of a program as it gets with 12 national championships to its name. The Trojans have made the NCAA Tournament 37 times and the College World Series 21 times.
USC baseball alumni include Randy Johnson, Aaron Boone, Tom Seaver, Mark McGwire and Barry Zito.
UCLA baseball won a single national championship win in 2013 and has 25 total appearances in the NCAA Championship, including five-straight appearances. The Bruins have earned five trips to the College World Series, most recently in 2013.
UCLA baseball alumni include Jackie Robinson, Dave Roberts, Chase Utley, Gerrit Cole, Troy Glaus and Brandon Crawford.
UCLA figures to be a factor right away in a Big Ten that only had two teams make the NCAA Tournament in 2022, as the Bruins won 40 games and booked an NCAA Tournament appearance this past season.
Meanwhile, USC is looking for a new leader of the program after it parted ways with coach Jason Gill following a 25-28 season 2022 season and a 8-22 PAC-12 conference record. The Trojans haven’t made the NCAA Tournament since 2015.
– Ashkan Motamedi
Softball
UCLA will bring the most historically successful softball team to the Big Ten. The Bruins have won 12 national championships, most recently being crowned in 2019 under current coach Kelly Inouye-Perez.
UCLA fell in the Women’s College World Series to eventual champions Oklahoma this year. The Bruins have reached the Women’s College World Series in every season since 2015 and will immediately compete for Big Ten regular season and tournament championships.
USC does not field a softball team.
– Nicky Wolcott
Women’s Golf
USC boasts one of the best women’s golf programs in the nation. The Trojans have made the NCAA Championship 34 times, including 24 times in a row, the longest active streak in the country. They’ve also won three national championships in 2003, 2008 and 2013 have won 14 NCAA Regional titles, an NCAA record.
Notable alumni are Sophia Popov, who won the 2020 Women’s British Open and currently sits at No. 70 in the Rolex Rankings as well as Lizette Salas, who sits 41st the Rolex rankings with two runner-ups at major championships.
UCLA is another successful program, having won three national championships in 1991, 2004 and 2011. The Bruins have 33 appearances in the NCAA Championships, including a quarterfinals appearance in 2022.
A notable alum for UCLA is Mo Martin, winner of the 2014 Women’s British Open.
Both teams should immediately compete at the top of a Big Ten that has only one national champion — Purdue in 2010 — and had only two teams make the 2022 NCAA Championships.
– Ashkan Motamedi
[Former Maryland men’s soccer forward Jacen Russell-Rowe signs, starts for Columbus Crew]
Men’s Golf
USC has a solid men’s golf program despite not having any national championships, producing four NCAA individual champions and winning a conference-best 20 PAC-12 Championships.
Notable alumni of USC include 1982 Masters winner Craig Stadler, 1966 PGA Champion Al Geiberger and two-time PGA Championship winner Dave Stockton.
UCLA won two national championships in 1988 and 2008, and made every NCAA Championship between 2003 and 2015. However, the Bruins have only made one since 2015 and recently hired new coach Armen Kirkakossian to guide the program going forward.
UCLA alumni include current No. 7-ranked golfer in the world Patrick Cantlay and 1995 U.S. Open winner Corey Pavin.
While both teams had down years last season they figure to strengthen and compete in a Big Ten that’s seen Illinois win the conference for seven years in a row.
– Ashkan Motamedi
Tennis
UCLA will bring strong competition in the Big Ten. In the last decade, the team has only registered winning seasons. Though this past season wasn’t the best by their previous standards, the Bruins have gone recent seasons with as little as a single loss.
UCLA last won an NCAA championship in 2014 and returned to the final in 2015. The Bruins were also national finalists in 2012 and more recently finished 2021 as Pac-12 regular season champions.
USC has recently performed well among their conference opposition, losing only three of ten games in their most recent season. The Trojans finished as regular season PAC-12 champions in two of the past ten seasons, 2013 and 2015.
– Yonathan Shimelis
Cross Country
UCLA and USC both bring decent cross country teams to the Big Ten, placing 15th and 22nd respectively in the women’s 6000-meter at last season’s NCAA West Region Cross Country Championships.
The Bruins’ average time of 21 minutes, 36 seconds at their NCAA regional would’ve slotted in just below Northwestern’s and Illinois’ fourth and fifth place finishes at the NCAA Midwest region championships, showing they could make an immediate impact on the conference.
– Nicky Wolcott
Track and Field
USC men’s and women’s track and field are among the nation’s top programs. Fresh off of the track and field postseason in June, the Trojans had two runners qualify to join Team USA for the world championships later this summer and one more win a national championship in the men’s 400-meter hurdles.
In the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association’s final rankings poll, USC’s men’s squad ranked 12th nationally and second in the Pac-12. The women’s team finished 30th nationally and seventh in the conference.
UCLA’s women’s team finished last season ranked 41st nationally, while its men’s squad was not ranked to end 2022.
USC figures to bring a top track and field program to the Big Ten, a conference that lacks representation at the top of a sport that is dominated by the south.
– Taylor Lyons
