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Sacramento State is preparing for a new chapter in its athletic history as it recently announced its upcoming transition to The Big West in the 2026-27 calendar year. 
 
For Sacramento State Director of Athletics Mark Orr, this move represents a thrilling opportunity to enhance existing rivalries and forge new ones. 
 
"We're very excited to join The Big West," Orr said. "It's a wonderful conference, nationally competitive in athletics, and also, more importantly, in the academic success of the conference as a whole." 
 
The excitement is palpable at Sacramento State as the university embraces this new challenge. 

 
A new era of competition 
Sacramento State is no stranger to success, having won 25 conference championships under Orr's leadership. The move to the Big West promises to elevate competition for student-athletes across the board. 
 
"In all of our sports, we want to compete against the best," Orr emphasized. "The Big West is a new challenge, and the competition in sports like men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball, track and field, and soccer will be fierce." 
 
With one more year to prepare, Sacramento State is gearing up to meet this challenge head-on and have already begun bolstering various programs like men's basketball with the likes of big names Mike Bibby and Shaquille O'Neal set to don the Hornet green. 
 
As a part of the California State University system, Sacramento State will be the sixth in-system competitor, joining Cal Poy, Cal State Bakersfield, Cal State Fullerton, CSUN and Long Beach State. With four UC counterparts along with fellow incoming new members California Baptist and Utah Valley completing the 2026-27 lineup, existing rivalries will have an opportunity to blossom with more new regional rivals also entering the fray.  

 
Community and academic success 
Sacramento State's location in the city of Sacramento, a sports market bursting with activity, is a significant asset. The campus, with over 31,000 students, is the sixth largest in the California State University system. Orr, a Sacramento native, takes pride in the university's strong ties to the community. 
 
"Our fans here in Sacramento and our student body are very excited and supportive of our athletics program," Orr said. "The competition will be fierce, but the collegiality within the conference will certainly be there. It's going to be a fun time." 
 
Sacramento State is committed to representing the conference at the highest level, both on and off the field, and is excited to create a great home-field advantage in Sacramento. 
 

A shared mission 
Sacramento State's mission aligns perfectly with the goals of The Big West. The university's commitment to community outreach and support for disadvantaged individuals resonates with the conference's values. 
 
"We're going to compete fiercely and represent the conference at the highest level," Orr stated. "What we do on the court and in the community aligns perfectly with the Big West's mission. We're excited to bring national competitiveness in sports, academic excellence, and community engagement to the conference." 
 
Transitioning to full conference membership, Sacramento State is committed to participating in Big West initiatives and creating positive and impactful avenues to  contribute. 
 
“I think community outreach is very important, both from my position as an athletic director and as a former student athlete myself,” Orr reflected. “I remind our student athletes and our coaches that we share in that vision, and that aligns perfectly with what the Big West has done in its community outreach.  
 
“We sent 12 student athletes last year to the Black Student Athlete Summit and we continue to do more and more outreach with our student-athlete advisory committee. I think you'll see more and more in those initiatives that are generated by Sacramento State, and collectively as an institution we’re going to do bigger and broader things here in Sacramento. We look forward to being part of the Big West and making a positive impact on and off the field.” 
 
 
A bright future 
As Sacramento State prepares to join The Big West in July 2026, Orr looks forward to the first day of competition. 
 
"It's going to be a great celebration for Sacramento State," he said. "We've been working towards this for a long time, and we're excited to create conference rivalries and enhance the student-athlete experience." 
 
With a strong alumni base in Southern California, Sacramento State is eager to offer even more opportunities to compete and engage with their own graduates across the state and region. Additionally, being able to welcome alums from other Big West member institutions to the capital city will be an additional opportunity for Northern California fans to root for the league.  
 
With the countdown to 2026 underway, Sacramento State is ready to embrace this new era of competition and camaraderie in The Big West.