ARLINGTON, Texas – Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Commissioner Brian Thornton announced that an affiliate membership invitation in the sport of men’s soccer issued by the conference’s Board of Directors to San Diego State University has been accepted. A charter men’s soccer team in the WAC from 1996-98 during its tenure as a full conference member, San Diego State’s affiliate membership will be officially effective on July 1, 2024.
 
“The WAC is pleased to welcome San Diego State back as an affiliate member of the conference in men’s soccer,” Thornton said. “San Diego State has proven to be a very competitive program nationally in recent years, which pairs well with our current men’s soccer membership. Their inclusion is another step in our goal of regularly placing multiple teams in the NCAA Championship field, as we have done in three of the last four seasons.”

San Diego State most recently competed as a men’s soccer affiliate of the Pac-12 Conference from 2005-23, appearing in the NCAA Championship in 2005, 2006 and 2016. The Aztecs featured more than 75 total all-conference award winners and three conference freshman of the year honorees during their Pac-12 tenure.
 
“We’re excited to be joining the WAC in men’s soccer,” SDSU Director of Athletics John David Wicker said. “The league has regularly sent multiple teams to the NCAA tournament and gives us a chance to continue to fight for conference championships.”

San Diego State was one of nine teams who took part in the inaugural WAC men’s soccer season in 1996, ultimately winning a total of 22 matches over its three years as a league member. The conference sent multiple men’s soccer teams to the NCAA Championship in each of the Aztecs’ three prior WAC campaigns.