UCSD Athletic Department’s transition to Division I status with the NCAA

UCSD Athletic Department’s transition to Division I status with the NCAA
Aug 19, 2025
Earl Edwards, Immediate Past Athletic Director
UCSD Athletic Department’s transition to Division I status with the NCAA

Our former member Earl Edwards is Special Advisor to the Chancellor and immediate Past Athletic Director for UCSD.

Earl is always an interesting speaker. He will talk to us about the UCSD Athletic Department’s transition to Division I status with the NCAA and the new pressures promoting athletes transferring colleges in search of a payday/ questions.

 

 

Earl W. Edwards has led UC San Diego Athletics since 2000, guiding the program through an unprecedented rise from NCAA Division III to Division I. Under his leadership, the Tritons have achieved historic milestones, including their first Big West baseball title in 2023 and becoming the first institution in NCAA history to have both its men’s and women’s basketball teams reach the NCAA Tournament in their first year of eligibility in 2025. UC San Diego also boasts the highest graduation rate of any public Division I institution.

 

During his tenure, Edwards has overseen multiple national championships at the Division II level, earned eight CCAA Commissioners’ Cups, and maintained UC San Diego’s consistent presence among the nation’s top programs in academic and athletic rankings. He has spearheaded significant facility upgrades, including renovations to LionTree Arena, Triton Soccer Stadium, and Canyonview Aquatic Center.

 

Named NACDA’s West Region Athletics Director of the Year in 2007 and one of its national Athletics Directors of the Year in 2017, Edwards has served on numerous national committees, including chairing the Big West Conference’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee. His extensive career also includes leadership roles at East Stroudsburg University, University of Massachusetts, UC Davis, University of Michigan, and Drexel University.

 

A graduate of East Stroudsburg University with a bachelor’s in Physical Education, Edwards holds a master’s in Sports Administration from the University of Massachusetts. He is active in the San Diego community, serving on boards for San Diego Bowl Games, San Diego Sports Innovators, and La Jolla Rotary.