University of California-Berkeley Athletics

UC Berkeley competes in NCAA Division I, meaning big-time college sports with full athletic scholarships and national television coverage. The Golden Bears field 26 varsity teams with 892 total athletes, representing just 2.7% of the 33,073 student body. Berkeley distributes over $16 million in athletic scholarships annually. The school recently joined the Atlantic Coast Conference, leaving behind decades in the Pac-12. Cal's biggest rival remains Stanford in the annual Big Game, one of college football's oldest rivalries dating back to 1892. The Bears are historically strong in swimming, rugby, and crew, with the football team playing in iconic Memorial Stadium. Despite the Division I level, athletics take a backseat to academics at this research powerhouse where most students focus on Nobel Prize-winning professors rather than touchdowns.