After 37 years in the Golden State Athletic Conference, Westmont College athletics began the transition to the NCAA Division II competition in the PacWest conference. 

Not only will this transition further push our athletes to be their best athletic selves, but it will also rebirth substantial rivalries that have been ongoing for years. 

Biola University, another team in the NCAA Division II, has a longstanding rivalry with the Westmont Warriors. Daniel Tuscano, an athlete in the men’s soccer program expressed his excitement for competing once again with the well known rivals, the Eagles.

Tuscano continued to share aspects of competing in a higher division that he believes to be beneficial to Westmont athletics. “It should bring more recognition to the school and the team. The transition will influence our team’s ability to produce results and the rise in competition is most exciting because it will help better ourselves as individual athletes,” he said.

Westmont College was welcomed into the three year transition into division two athletics. The Warriors will compete in division two athletics over the course of the academic year, but will not be competing in division two post season. Instead, our athletes will participate in the National Christian College Athletic Association for postseason play.  

A second-year athlete on the women’s soccer team, Makenna Meyers, shared her thoughts on Westmont’s entrance into division two. “My hope is that with pre-season games and high intensity practices, we can be ready and strong for when we start conference,” she said.

Her enthusiasm is a positive sign for the Warriors new adventure, and translates onto the rest of the women’s soccer program, who are standing 2-1 in preseason play. 

Meyers continued on to share her experience so far competing with the women’s soccer team in division two. “In preparation for division two play, our practices have been more intense and we force each other every practice to get better. There is also a higher demand on players to take their game to the next level as we get into this new level of competition.” 

Already a few weeks into the athletic season, the Westmont Warriors have shown resilience and strength as they prepare to compete in a higher level of competition. There is no doubt that the Warriors will continue to show their courage on and off the field as the 2023-2024 athletic season continues on.