The Bold Type

The Bold Type, with Commissioner Dan Butterly - April 20, 2026

Good morning to all across The Big West. 

  

This past week reminded me of something we often talk about in leadership—moments of change do not define an organization; how you respond to them does. 

From early Friday morning conversations regarding UC Santa Barbara’s future plans, to championship competition, NCAA Cabinet governance discussions, our quarterly staff retreat, and a Board of Directors meeting focused squarely on the path ahead, this has been one of those weeks that tests focus, reinforces resolve, and strengthens commitment. 

And through it all, one truth remains clear: 

The Big West is not standing still. We are moving forward—with purpose, with alignment, and with confidence in the institutions and student-athletes who define this conference every single day.   

Song of the day is from Kelly Clarkson: “Stronger” (What Doesn’t Kill You) — a reminder that resilience is not just about enduring change, but about growing stronger because of it. 

Let’s get to The Bold Type. 


 

   CONGRATULATIONS   

  • To the nine women’s golf teams playing in paradise this week, competing at the 2026 Big West Championship! The first round featured an impressive 9-under 63 from Long Beach State’s Madison Le and second-round action gets underway from Maui today at 1:30 p.m. PT/10:30 HT. Championship Central >>> 
  • Stay tuned to BigWest.org TODAY as the 2026 Big West Beach Volleyball Championship seeds and schedule heading into the weekend that sees a day of modified pool play followed by a single-elimination bracket unveiled later this morning. 
  • To regular-season champion Hawai’i, who earned the No. 1 seed in The Hawaiian Islands presents the 2026 Outrigger Big West Men’s Volleyball Championship! All six dynamic squads take to the court at the Bren Events Center in Irvine, Calif., this week from April 23-25 vying for an automatic berth in the expanded 12-team field of the 2025 National Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Championship. Read more >>> 
  • To regular-season champion UC Santa Barbara who enter the postseason after a 9-0 conference mark to headline the bracket for the 2026 Big West Women’s Tennis Championship. The Gauchos and Cal Poly earn first-round byes in the 10-team field with play from San Diego starting Tuesday. Read more >>> 
  • To Big West regular-season tri-champions UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine and Cal Poly who are the Nos. 1, 2 and 3 seeds in the 2026 Big West Men’s Tennis Championship bracket, with competition commencing Wednesday from the Barnes Tennis Center. Read more >>> 
  • To the outstanding 241 Big West student-athletes who compete in the winter sports of men’s and women’s basketball and men’s and women’s swimming & diving who were honored for their work in the classroom and on the playing field as members of the 2025-26 Big West Winter Academic All-Conference Team. Read more >>> 
  • To Hawai’i women’s water polo for winning The Big West Women’s Water Polo Championship! UH will meet No. 4 Seed California in a 2026 National Collegiate Women’s Water Polo Quarterfinals matchup hosted by UC San Diego on April 24 at 2 p.m. Read more >>> 
  • To the 2026 major award winners and All-Big West women’s water polo teams! Read more >>>  
  • To the six women’s water polo teams ranked in the final regular-season poll! 
    • No. 5 Hawai'i
    • No. 8 Long Beach State 
    • No. 10 UC Irvine
    • No. 14 UC Davis
    • No. 16 UC San Diego
    • No. 24 CSUN
  • To our SIX men’s volleyball teams ranked this week in the AVCA national poll! 
    • No. 2 Hawai'i
    • No. 3 Long Beach State
    • No. 5 UC Irvine
    • No. 9 UC Santa Barbara
      No. 11 UC San Diego
    • No. 18 CSUN
  • To UC Santa Barbara baseball for receiving votes in the NCBWA poll and USA Today poll! 
  • To the three Big West beach volleyball programs receiving rankings in the AVCA national poll!  
    • No. 6 Cal Poly 
    • No. 10 Long Beach State 
    • No. 16 Hawai’i 
  • To UC Santa Barbara men’s tennis for being ranked No. 35 in the ITA team rankings! 
  • Also to UCSB men’s tennis players ranked in the ITA rankings! singles | doubles  
    • No. 57 Dominique Rolland (UC Santa Barbara) 
    • No. 89 Lucca Liu (UC Santa Barbara) 
    • Doubles - No. 55 Miguel Avendano/Lucca Liu (UC Santa Barbara) 
  • To UC Santa Barbara women’s tennis ranked No. 48 in the ITA team rankings!  
  • To Cal State Fullerton women’s golf, ranked No. 41 by Clippd! 
  • To Long Beach State men’s golf, ranked No. 28 in the latest Clippd team rankings, led by 27th-ranked Alejandro de Castro Piera!  
  • And to our outstanding Players of the Week! 
    • Baseball     
      • Field Player - Nate Vargas, UC Santa Barbara 
      • Pitcher - Steele Murdock, UC San Diego   
    • Softball  
      • Field Player - Jamie McGaughey, Hawai‘i 
      • Pitcher - Taryn Irimata, Hawai‘i 
      • Freshman - Nina Sepulveda, Long Beach State 
    • Men's Volleyball  
      • Offense - Sebastiano Sani, UC San Diego 
      • Defense - Andrej Jokanovic, UC Irvine  
      • Setter - Cameron Kosty, UC Irvine 
      • Freshman - Andrej Jokanovic, UC Irvine 
    • Beach Volleyball - Hannah Heflin & Maleya Miles, CSUN 
    • Track & Field   
      • Men’s Track - Tristyn Flores, Long Beach State 
      • Men’s Field - Ryan Greogory, Long Beach State 
      • Women’s Track - Aoife Hernon, UC Irvine  
      • Women’s Field - Joy Anderson, UC Irvine  
    • Men's Tennis - Hiroki Sakagawa, UC Irvine 
    • Women's Tennis - Emma Moratalla Sanz, CSUN 



   SATURDAY - BIG WEST SOFTBALL ON ESPNU   

Long Beach State and Cal State Fullerton will renew their storied rivalry in a nationally televised contest on ESPNU from Anderson Family Field in Fullerton, Calif., on Saturday, April 25 at 1 p.m. 



 

   STUDENT-ATHLETE ADVISORY COMMITTEE INITIATIVE   

We are excited to share an opportunity to get involved in the HeadStrong Ride Strong Challenge—a social media campaign (think along the lines of the Ice Bucket Challenge) focused on raising awareness around head injuries and helmet safety. 

This initiative was created by Kyson Becker’s parents following Kyson’s injury at UC San Diego. Her story is incredibly powerful, and the mission behind this campaign is to make sure student-athletes, coaches, and families are better educated and supported when it comes to head injuries and the importance of wearing a helmet.  

We officially kicked things off last week at the Women’s Water Polo Championship and have already seen some great momentum. We’ll continue engaging with others on our social platforms who are participating, and it’s been awesome to see people jumping in early! (Check out our Big West Instagram!) 

We’d really love to push this in a big way across our entire Big West community. The more participation and visibility we get, the bigger the impact we can make. 

If you’re interested in joining, sharing, or just learning more, check out: 

  • Instagram: @HeadStrongRideSmart 

  • #BeHeadStrong and #BrainFreezeChallenge 

  • ?? I took the Brain Freeze Challenge with @HeadStrongRideSmart! Helmet on, chin strap clicked. Your turn. #HeadStrong #RideSmart 

We’d love to see more teams, campuses, friends, fans and family take part—feel free to get creative and help us spread the word! 

  
 

   NCAA CABINET MEETINGS   

Last Tuesday and Wednesday had me attending NCAA Cabinet virtual meetings.  Here are some of the key takeaways from these meetings.    

These meetings reflect the continued shift toward faster enforcement, increased institutional accountability, and modernization of NCAA governance.   

Legislative Actions. 

1.         Key Legislative Actions. 

  1. NCAA Division I Proposal No. 2026-32 – Athletics Eligibility – Prize Money or Payment Based on Performance, Draft and Inquiry and Use of Agents – Before Initial, Full-Time Collegiate Enrollment. 

  1. The NCAA Division I Cabinet adopted Proposal No. 2026-32 as emergency legislation, to amend pre-enrollment athletics eligibility legislation related to prize money or payment based on performance, draft and inquiry and use of agents. Specifically, before initial full-time enrollment an individual may accept prize money based on place finish or performance in an athletics event, from the sponsor or the event. Before initial, full-time collegiate enrollment an individual may enter a professional league’s draft one time, provided the individual is not drafted. Additionally, before initial, full-time enrollment, a prospective student-athlete may be represented by an agent for the purpose of marketing the prospective student-athlete’s athletics ability or reputation in a sport to secure an opportunity as a professional athlete. The proposal is effective immediately, applicable to student-athletes initially enrolling full time in a collegiate institution on or after August 1, 2026, and is applicable to drafts occurring on or after April 15, 2026. 

  

  1. Proposal No. 2026-33 – Recruiting – Transfer Outside of the Notification Process and Participation in Athletically Related Activities – Failure to Impose Institutional Penalties. 

  1. The cabinet adopted Proposal No. 2026-33 as emergency legislation, to establish an alternative enforcement process for a situation in which an institution does not impose the institutional penalties required by an application of NCAA Bylaw 13.1.1.4.9 (transfer outside of the notification of transfer process and participation in athletically related activities – institutional penalties). Specifically, NCAA enforcement staff will provide preliminary notice to an institution of a violation if an institution fails to notify the national office of its intent to self-impose and/or self-impose Bylaw 13.1.1.4.9 institutional penalties within 15 calendar days. The institution will have 20 calendar days to show cause why the predetermined heightened penalties should not be prescribed. The penalties will include an additional 10% suspension of the institution’s head coach and an additional 5% fine based on the sport’s budget for the most recent fiscal year. The institution will receive an abbreviated opportunity to appear before the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions. Notice will be provided to the membership when an institution self-imposes, or fails to self-impose, institutional penalties consistent with Bylaw 13.1.1.4.9. The proposal is effective immediately. 

  

  1. Proposal No. 2026-2 – Athletics Personnel and Recruiting – Limitations on the Number of Coaches and Off-Campus Recruiters – Basketball. 

  • The NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Oversight Committees adopted, and the cabinet took no action on Proposal No. 2026-2, which is now considered adopted and final. The proposal permits, in basketball, any institutional staff member to provide technical and/or tactical instruction to student-athletes and/or be designated as one of the six permissible off-campus recruiters, with a limit of four off-campus recruiters who may use a recruiting-person day during any single day. The proposal is effective immediately. 

  

  1. Proposal No. 2026-7 – Playing and Practice Seasons – Preseason Practice Scrimmages/Exhibition Contests – Basketball – Up to Three. 

  • The Men’s and Women’s Basketball Oversight Committees adopted, and the cabinet took no action on Proposal No. 2026-7, which is now considered adopted and final. The proposal permits, in basketball, an institution to play up to three basketball practice scrimmages or exhibition contests against four-year collegiate institutions prior to the first contest date. Further, to permit an institution to exempt up to three preseason practice scrimmages or exhibition contests each year against four-year collegiate institutions from an institution’s maximum number of contests. The proposal is effective August 1, 2026. 

  

  1. Proposal No. 2026-8 – Playing and Practice Seasons – Foreign Tours – Once Per Year. 

  1. The cabinet amended and adopted Proposal No. 2026-8 to specify that, in all sports, an institution shall not engage in a foreign tour more than once per year. The proposal is effective immediately. 

  

  1. Proposal No. 2026-11 – Recruiting – Notification of Transfer – Golf – Undergraduate Spring Window. 

  1. The cabinet adopted Proposal No. 2026-11 as expedited legislation to specify that an undergraduate student-athlete may initiate notification of transfer December 1-15 or a 15 consecutive-day period beginning the day after the conclusion of the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships, respectively. The proposal is effective immediately. 

  

  1. Proposal No. 2026-12 – Recruiting – Men’s Wrestling – First Date for Correspondence, Telephone Calls, Evaluations and Contacts and Campus Visits. 

  1. The cabinet adopted Proposal No. 2026-12 as expedited legislation to revise the first dates of correspondence, telephone calls, evaluations, contacts and campus visits. Specifically, a prospective student-athlete may receive correspondence and telephone calls beginning April 1 of their junior year, may have in-person off-campus contacts and evaluations beginning June 15 after their junior year, and may participate in official and unofficial visits beginning August 15 of their senior year of high school. The proposal is effective immediately. 

  

  1. Proposal No. 2026-13 – Recruiting – Notification of Transfer – Softball – Undergraduate Spring Window. 

  1. The cabinet adopted Proposal No. 2026-13 as expedited legislation to specify that an undergraduate student-athlete may initiate notification of transfer December 1-15 or a 15 consecutive-day period beginning the day after the conclusion of the Division I Softball Championship. The proposal is effective immediately. 

  

Informational Items. 

  1. Division I collegiate eligibility review. 

  1. The cabinet discussed an age-based eligibility concept, in which an individual’s eligibility would commence at the start of the academic year immediately following a prospective student-athlete’s 19th birthday or high school graduation (or expected high school graduation based on the individual’s class), whichever is earlier. The cabinet directed the NCAA staff to continue to develop the age-based eligibility concept for review during future meetings. Additional information will be shared with the broader Division I membership within the next week. 

  

  1. Review of issues related to the use of agents. 

  1. The cabinet charged the NCAA staff with developing options to address concerns related to the behaviors of agents in interactions with student-athletes and institutions. 

  

  1. Recommendation regarding inconsistencies between the notification of transfer process and institutional revenue share contractual provisions. 

  1. The cabinet discussed a concept that would specify that an institution is not required to enter a student-athlete’s information into the Transfer Portal if the student-athlete and the institution have entered into a valid settlement related benefits agreement that releases the institution from the obligations of the notification of transfer process specified in Bylaw 13.1.1.4.1. The cabinet generally supports the concept. The cabinet noted comments and questions regarding the concept that will be provided as feedback to the NCAA Division I Board of Directors. 

  

  1. Update on the use of commercial logos during NCAA championships. 

  1. The cabinet received an update on the use of commercial logos during NCAA championships. The update included initial information on general parameters for schools and conferences to use in making agreements regarding additional commercial logos . A final policy is expected not later than the June cabinet meeting. 

  

  1. Review of legislation for decentralization and deregulation. 

  1. The cabinet reviewed and provided feedback on the draft model of the Bylaw 17 decentralization review. The cabinet directed the staff to seek broader membership feedback from key stakeholders. The cabinet plans to introduce a proposal reflecting the draft model of Bylaw 17 at its June 2026 meeting. 

  
 

   NCAA MEN’S AND WOMEN’S WATER POLO PLAYING RULES   

The NCAA Men’s and Women’s Water Polo Rules Working Group, Men’s Water Polo Committee, Women’s Water Polo Committee, and Divisions II and III Playing Rules Oversight Panel recently approved rules changes. These changes will be effective for the 2026–27 season and will be incorporated into the 2026–27 and 2027–28 men’s and women’s water polo rules book.   
 
These rules changes may be viewed by going to “2026–27 and 2027–28 Major Rules Changes” located under the “Updates” section here.  



   
   MEDIA REPORTS ON BIG WEST, NCAA OR LEGAL MATTERS   

  • NIL Market Trends You Need to Know (LINK) 
  • “Big West Highlights Collaboration And Innovation With PAC-12” (LINK) 
  • Big West Commissioner Dan Butterly is pushing for minimum athletic investment standards to protect the conference's basketball ascent in the NIL and revenue-sharing era, according to Hero Sports' KC Smurthwaite. Here’s what you need to know: 
    • After seeing the league's men's basketball metrics climb from the mid-20s nationally into the low teens since 2020, Butterly and Asst. Commissioner Dom Drury recently presented to the board of directors competitive improvement strategies that would establish a strict financial floor across the membership. Acknowledging the fiscal hurdles facing mid-major programs that often operate with just $1M in self-generated revenue against $20M in expenses, Butterly emphasizes that mandatory financial commitments are necessary to retain all-conference talent.  
    • As the league prepares to integrate Utah Valley, California Baptist, and Sacramento State while navigating the impending departure of UC Santa Barbara, Butterly explains why establishing base institutional expectations is critical for long-term postseason relevance: "In the revenue share and NIL space that exists, the numbers that are thrown out there for high major programs and what they’re spending in the space are significant. We need to set baselines moving forward to try to bring the bottom up and make sure those that are investing can continue to excel and potentially compete for an at-large or a better seed."  
    • Butterly also says members have expressed a desire to continue playing a basketball championship, adding: “You don’t want teams that don’t have a shot, let’s say you didn’t have a basketball championship, you don’t want teams that are out of it, that they’re only going to be maybe third or fourth place, just to not care about the rest of the season. There’s still something on the line if you’ve got a postseason championship.” More. (link) 
  • American Council on Education (ACE) President Ted Mitchell submitted a formal letter to Senate HELP Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-LA) warning that classifying student-athletes as employees would create severe financial burdens for athletic departments nationwide. Representing multiple higher education associations, Mitchell notes that just 21 FBS programs operated with a surplus in 2024. Forcing institutions to cover minimum wage, overtime, and tax obligations, therefore, would prove cost-prohibitive for departments outside Power Four schools, which currently boast a median generated revenue of $133.8M compared to just $17.2M for non-autonomy FBS schools and $6.1M for FCS programs. Mitchell argues the mandated employment costs would force smaller universities to eliminate Olympic sports and risk total institutional collapse by destroying a primary driver of undergraduate admissions: "The financial impact would be disproportionately visited on smaller, less-resourced schools. For many of them, offering intercollegiate athletic opportunities to full- and partial-pay students is a key component of building their classes. The elimination of fiscally unsustainable teams could lead to the actual closure of schools." Full letter. (link) 
  • Cal State Bakersfield Women’s Basketball HC Ari Wideman is resigning to pursue other coaching opportunities, according to USA Today’s Mitchell Northam. (link) 
  • In the second part of his sitdown with Hero Sports’ KC Smurthwaite, Big West Commissioner Dan Butterly talks about the men's soccer scheduling alliance and affiliate partnership his league and the Pac-12 have struck for the 2026-27 academic year. Rather than absorbing the three remaining Pac-12 programs into a 14-team configuration, the Big West will send California Baptist, Cal Poly, UC Riverside, and UC San Diego to compete as affiliate members in the rebuilt league while implementing strategic crossover matchups against Gonzaga, Oregon State, and San Diego State. More takeaways… 
    • Butterly on preserving multiple automatic qualifiers for the postseason: "It is a very strong affiliation for both conferences. It preserves the pathway and access to the national postseason for both the Pac-12 and the Big West. So now you’re looking at two automatic qualifiers and potential additional at-large opportunities instead of just one if those three programs had just joined the Big West as affiliates." 
    • Logistical hurdles of absorbing the programs directly: "If we were to take those three programs on, then we’d be at 14. And I just don’t know how you manage a 14-team soccer conglomeration in that respect." 
    • As for evaluating regional expansion targets to reduce travel costs: "Yes, we are actively continuing to look at opportunities and institutions that want to join the Big West, particularly those within the existing or, possibly, an expanded Big West footprint. ... California Baptist saved roughly $800K by joining the Big West just in travel expenses." 
    • Deputy Commissioner Kristi Giddings on exploring additional multi-sport partnerships with the Pac-12: "As we work to bolster our overall sport portfolio, we will continue to explore other collaborative opportunities with the Pac-12, some of which may begin as early as this upcoming academic year." (link) 
 

   QUOTE OF THE WEEK   

“We keep moving forward – opening new doors and doing new things.” – Walt Disney 

As we look ahead to the weeks and months to come, there is no question that the landscape of college athletics will continue to evolve. Conferences will shift. Policies will change. Expectations will rise. 

But through all of that, one thing remains constant: 

The strength of The Big West lies in the commitment of its institutions, the resilience of its student-athletes, and the shared belief that progress is built through unity, vision, and action. 

We are entering a new era—one defined not by uncertainty, but by opportunity. 

With the addition of California Baptist, Utah Valley, and Sacramento State on the horizon… 
with national recognition across multiple sports…and with continued leadership at the national governance level… 

The Big West is not just navigating change—we are shaping the future of who we will become. 

Thank you for the continued leadership, commitment, and belief in what we are building together.   

The path ahead will not always be easy—but it will be intentional, unified, and built on the strength of those who believe in what this conference represents. 

  

Together, we move forward. 

Dan