FB: Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Kuiper]

Azusa Pacific receives $1M Anonymous Gift to Fuel Relaunch of Cougar Football

Azusa Pacific University has received a $1 million gift from an anonymous donor, providing a monumental boost to the highly anticipated relaunch of the Cougar football program in fall 2026. This transformational contribution will fully fund the program's initial startup costs and first year of operations, ensuring the team is equipped and ready to take the field.

Following a six-year hiatus, the revival of football coincides with a dynamic shift for the university: a strategic transition to NCAA Division III and membership in the prestigious Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCAIC). Operating at the DIII level places significant emphasis on the academic experience for all student athletes, while allowing Cougar Athletics to function with exceptional efficiency, which not only makes the financially sustainable return of football a reality, but also creates the operational capacity for APU to proudly add two new women's sports programs in the near future.

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The Cougars will start their season on Sept. 5 at the University of La Verne, followed by APU's first home game on Sept. 19 against Whittier College.

[Gray Fox]

membership in the prestigious Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCAIC).