The California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level.

It was founded in December 1938 and began competition in 1939. The commissioner of the CCAA is Allen Hardison. CCAA offices are located in Aliso Viejo, California. The CCAA is the most successful conference in NCAA Division II, as its former and current members have won 155 National Championships.

History

Recent events On November 14, 2023, the University of California, Merced had accepted an invitation to join the CCAA, beginning the 2025–26 academic year.

On January 22, 2025, Sonoma State University announced that it would be ceasing all athletic operations following the conclusion of the 2024–25 athletic year. However, on July 27, 2026, university officials announced that the athletics department would be reinstated and would return to the CCAA in the 2027–28 academic year.

On June 13, 2025, Fresno Pacific University received an invitation to join the CCAA, beginning the 2026–27 academic year.

In addition to Fresno Pacific University joining the CCAA, Menlo College announced that they will be joining the conference, and starting sports in the fall of 2026.

Chronological timeline 1938 – The California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) was founded. Charter members included Fresno State Normal School (now California State University, Fresno or Fresno State University), San Diego State College (now San Diego State University), San Jose State College (now San Jose State University) and Santa Barbara State College (now the University of California, Santa Barbara), beginning the 1939–40 academic year. 1945 – George Pepperdine College (now Pepperdine University) and California State Polytechnic College (now California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo) joined the CCAA in the 1945–46 academic year. 1946 – The College of the Pacific (now the University of the Pacific) joined the CCAA in the 1946–47 academic year. 1949: Pacific (Cal.) left the CCAA to join the University Division ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as an NCAA Independent after the 1948–49 academic year. San Jose State left the CCAA to join the NCAA University Division ranks as an NCAA Independent after the 1949–50 academic year. 1950 – The Los Angeles State College of Applied Arts and Sciences (now California State University, Los Angeles) joined the CCAA in the 1950–51 academic year. 1954 – Pepperdine left the CCAA to join the NCAA University I ranks as an NCAA Independent after the 1953–54 academic year. 1956 – Long Beach State College (now California State University, Long Beach) joined the CCAA in the 1956–57 academic year. 1961 – San Fernando Valley State College (now California State University, Northridge) joined the CCAA in the 1961–62 academic year. 1964 – UC Santa Barbara left the CCAA to play football as an independent, and play alongside primarily private schools in other sports, joining the West Coast Athletic Conference (WCAC; now known as the West Coast Conference) after the 1963–64 school year. 1967 – California State College at Fullerton (now California State University, Fullerton) and California State Polytechnic College, Kellogg-Voorhis (now California State Polytechnic University, Pomona) joined the CCAA in the 1967–68 academic year. 1969: Cal State–Los Angeles, Fresno State, Long Beach State, and San Diego State left the CCAA to join the NCAA University Division ranks and form the Pacific Collegiate Athletic Association (PCAA; now known as the Big West Conference) after the 1968–69 academic year. The University of California, Riverside joined the CCAA in the 1969–70 academic year. 1972 – California State College, Bakersfield (now California State University, Bakersfield) joined the CCAA in the 1972–73 academic year. 1974: Cal State–Fullerton left the CCAA to join the PCAA after the 1973–74 academic year. Cal State–Los Angeles rejoined the CCAA in the 1974–75 academic year. 1978 – Chapman College (now Chapman University) joined the CCAA in the 1978–79 academic year. 1980 – California State University, Dominguez Hills joined the CCAA in the 1980–81 academic year. 1990 – Cal State–Northridge left the CCAA to join the NCAA Division I ranks as an NCAA D-I Independent (who would later join the American West Conference, beginning the 1994–95 school year) after the 1989–90 academic year. 1991 – California State University, San Bernardino joined the CCAA in the 1991–92 academic year. 1993 – Chapman left the CCAA to join the NCAA Division III ranks as an NCAA D-III Independent after the 1992–93 academic year. 1994: Cal Poly–San Luis Obispo left the CCAA to join the NCAA Division I ranks and the American West after the 1993–94 academic year. Grand Canyon University joined the CCAA in the 1994–95 academic year. 1998 – California State University, Chico (Chico State), California State University, Stanislaus (Stanislaus State), San Francisco State University, Sonoma State University and the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) joined the CCAA in the 1998–99 academic year. 2000: UC Riverside left the CCAA to become an NCAA D-II Independent (who would later join the NCAA Division I ranks and the Big West Conference, beginning the 2001–02 school year.) after the 1999–2000 academic year. The University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego) joined the CCAA in the 2000–01 academic year. 2004: Two institutions left the CCAA to join their respective new home primary conferences, both effective after the 2003–04 academic year: Grand Canyon as an NCAA D-II Independent (who would later join the Pacific West Conference (PacWest), beginning the 2005–06 school year) and UC Davis to join the NCAA Division I ranks as an NCAA D-I Independent (who would later join the Big West, beginning the 2007–08 school year) California State University, Monterey Bay joined the CCAA in the 2004–05 academic year. 2006 – Humboldt State University (now California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt) joined the CCAA in the 2006–07 academic year. 2007 – Cal State–Bakersfield left the CCAA to join the NCAA Division I ranks as an NCAA D-I Independent (who would later join the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), beginning the 2013–14 school year) after the 2006–07 academic year. 2009 – California State University, East Bay (formerly California State University, Hayward) joined the CCAA in the 2009–10 academic year. 2015 – California State University, San Marcos joined the CCAA in the 2015–16 academic year. 2020 – UC San Diego left the CCAA to join the NCAA Division I ranks and the Big West after the 2019–20 academic year. 2025: Sonoma State left the CCAA after the 2024–25 academic year; as the school announced that it had ceased all athletic programs. The University of California, Merced (UC Merced) joined the CCAA in the 2025–26 academic year 2026 – Fresno Pacific University and Menlo College joined the CCAA, beginning the 2026–27 academic year. They became the first private non-UCal or non-Cal State schools to join the conference since Grand Canyon (who was a full member from fall 1994 to spring 2004). 2027 – Sonoma State will reinstate its athletic programs and rejoin the CCAA, beginning the 2027–28 academic year.

Member schools Current members , the CCAA has 14 full members, all but two of which are public schools.

Institution Athleticbrand Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Colors Cal Poly Humboldt Arcata 1913 Public 6,045 Lumberjacks 2006 Cal Poly Pomona Pomona 1938 27,196 Broncos 1967 California State University, Chico Chico State Chico 1887 14,581 Wildcats 1998 California State University, Dominguez Hills Cal State Dominguez Hills Carson 1960 14,262 Toros 1980 California State University, East Bay Cal State East Bay Hayward 1957 10,892 Pioneers 2009 California State University, Los Angeles Cal State Los Angeles Los Angeles 1947 22,740 Golden Eagles 1950;1974 California State University, Monterey Bay Cal State Monterey Bay Seaside 1994 7,302 Otters 2004 California State University, San Bernardino Cal State San Bernardino orCSUSB San Bernardino 1965 17,900 Coyotes 1991 California State University, San Marcos Cal State San Marcos San Marcos 1989 14,655 Cougars 2015 California State University, Stanislaus Stanislaus State Turlock 1957 9,295 Warriors 1998 San Francisco State University San Francisco State San Francisco 1899 22,357 Gators 1998 Fresno Pacific University Fresno Pacific Fresno 1944 Mennonite 2,889 Sunbirds 2026 Menlo College Menlo Atherton 1927 Nonsectarian 810 Oaks 2026 UC Merced Merced 2005 Public 9,110 Bobcats 2025

Notes

Future members The CCAA will have one new full member, a public school:

Institution Athleticbrand Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joining Colors Currentconference Sonoma State University Sonoma State Rohnert Park 1960 Public 6,566 Seawolves 2027

Notes

Former members The CCAA had 17 former full members, all but four were public schools. Institutional names and nicknames reflect those used in the final academic year of CCAA membership:

Institution Athleticbrand Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Currentconference California Polytechnic State University Cal Poly San Luis Obispoor Cal Poly San Luis Obispo 1901 Public 21,306 Mustangs 1945 1994 Big West (BWC) California State University, Bakersfield Cal State Bakersfield Bakersfield 1965 8,720 Roadrunners 1972 2007 Big West (BWC) California State University, Fresno Fresno State Fresno 1911 25,341 Bulldogs 1939 1969 Pac-12 California State University, Fullerton Cal State Fullerton Fullerton 1957 40,235 Titans 1967 1974 Big West (BWC) California State University, Long Beach Cal State Long Beachor Long Beach State Long Beach 1949 37,776 49ers 1956 1969 Big West (BWC) California State University, Northridge Cal State Northridge Northridge 1958 39,916 Matadors 1961 1990 Big West (BWC) UC Davis Davis 1905 Public 36,441 Aggies 1998 2004 Mountain West (MW) UC Riverside Riverside 1954 22,921 Highlanders 1969 2000 Big West (BWC) UC San Diegoor UCSD La Jolla 1960 33,735 Tritons 2000 2020 Big West (BWC) UC Santa Barbaraor UCSB Santa Barbara 1891 24,346 Gauchos 1939 1964 Big West (BWC) Chapman University Chapman Orange 1861 Disciples of Christ 10,001 Panthers 1978 1993 Southern California (SCIAC) Grand Canyon University Grand Canyon Phoenix 1949 Nondenominational/For-profit 25,000 Antelopes 1994 2004 Mountain West (MW) Pacific Stockton 1851 United Methodist 6,652 Tigers 1946 1949 West Coast (WCC) Pepperdine University Pepperdine Malibu 1937 Churches of Christ 6,000 Waves 1945 1954 West Coast (WCC) San Diego State University Cal State San Diegoor San Diego State San Diego 1897 Public 35,578 Aztecs 1939 1969 Pac-12 San Jose State University Cal State San Joseor San Jose State San Jose 1857 33,025Spartans 1939 1950 Mountain West (MW) Sonoma State University Sonoma State Rohnert Park 1960 6,566 Seawolves 1998 2025 N/A

Notes

Membership timeline

Sports sponsored

The CCAA sponsors seven sports for women and six sports for men. Cross country, soccer, and volleyball are fall sports; basketball is a winter sport; golf, outdoor track & field, softball, and baseball are spring sports. Throughout the years, CCAA teams have won 155 NCAA championships in their sports, which is best among all Division II conferences.

The CCAA has a Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, which is made up of student-athletes from each member institution.

The following divisional format is used for baseball, men's and women's basketball, and women's volleyball. Cal Poly Humboldt Chico State Cal State East Bay Stanislaus State San Francisco State UC Merced Cal Poly Pomona Cal State Dominguez Hills Cal State Los Angeles Cal State Monterey Bay Cal State San Bernardino Cal State San Marcos