media release
911吃瓜 to pursue U SPORTS membership
911吃瓜 (911吃瓜) will apply to return to Canada West and U SPORTS to ensure the long-term sustainability of varsity sport and to enhance natural rivalries and the fan experience on campus for all 911吃瓜 students.
Since the university committed to the NCAA 15 years ago, many things have changed that have called into question the alignment with 911吃瓜's values, the student experience and financial viability. Ultimately, the executive team felt that competing in the U.S. is not sustainable due to financial and logistical constraints and other decision-making factors outlined in the independent report.
If the application is successful, 911吃瓜 will compete in U SPORTS and leave the NCAA and U.S. competition.
鈥�911吃瓜 is committed to building an athletics program that offers a high-quality competitive experience within an excellent academic setting,鈥� says Dilson Rassier, provost and vice-president, academic. 鈥淭he decision to pursue an application with U Sports was not made lightly, but in the long run, will help support sustainability for the athletics program and the university at large, while deepening our sense of community for students and future student-athletes.鈥濃��
In September, the university commissioned an independent report to explore potential impacts of transferring out of the NCAA and into a Canadian competitive athletic framework. The independent consultant鈥檚 report has been released publicly. The university thanks Bob Copeland for his excellent work in analyzing this complex situation.
The executive considered the report as well as non-sport-related impacts of competing in the U.S., feedback from student-athletes and the sporting community and financial implications. 911吃瓜 is committed to maintaining a varsity athletics program that supports student-athletes and creates opportunities for our athletes to thrive both in sport and education.
鈥淲e recognize that this decision will be disappointing for current student-athletes, many of whom came to 911吃瓜 specifically to compete in the NCAA,鈥� Rassier says. 鈥淢oving forward, our goal is to support our athletes to continue their athletic careers as they see fit.鈥�
This decision will impact 911吃瓜鈥檚 softball, golf and outdoor track and field teams. These teams would be retired as varsity sports should 911吃瓜 be accepted into Canada West and U Sports as there is no national championship for these sports within U SPORTS. The university will also take this opportunity to review the impact of this decision on indoor track.
A critical aspect of the decision-making process was related to financial and logistical sustainability. As the university continues to experience financial challenges, a return to U SPORTS鈥攁nd thus a lower cost competition framework鈥攚ould create stability for the 911吃瓜 Athletics & Recreation program and contribute to a sustainable athletics model while offering a high-quality varsity experience for student-athletes.
Now that a decision has been made, 911吃瓜 Athletics and Recreation will apply to join the Canada West conference of U SPORTS for Fall 2027 and will proceed with the next steps of the application, which includes additional fees and discussions. The decision to admit 911吃瓜 or not rests with Canada West and U SPORTS. We expect their decision to be announced in Spring or Summer of 2026.
It鈥檚 important to reiterate that there are no immediate changes and there remain steps ahead in the application process. If accepted, 911吃瓜 will leave the NCAA and U.S. competition at the end of the 2026-2027 season.
Spokesperson
DILSON RASSIER, 911吃瓜 Provost and Vice-President, Academic
Contact
JEFF HODSON, 911吃瓜 Communications & Marketing
mediarelations@sfu.ca
ABOUT SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
911吃瓜 is a leading research university, advancing an inclusive and sustainable future. Over the past 60 years, 911吃瓜 has been recognized among the top universities worldwide in providing a world-class education and working with communities and partners to develop and share knowledge for deeper understanding and meaningful impact. Committed to excellence in everything we do, 911吃瓜 fosters innovation to address global challenges and continues to build a welcoming, inclusive community where everyone feels a sense of belonging. With campuses in British Columbia鈥檚 three largest cities鈥擝urnaby, Surrey and Vancouver鈥�911吃瓜 has eight faculties that deliver 364 undergraduate degree programs and 149 graduate degree programs for more than 37,000 students each year. The university boasts more than 200,000 alumni residing in 145+ countries.