Parents push back as UC Davis cuts varsity equestrian sports, elevates new program
UC Davis announced this week it planned to move its equestrian program from varsity status to a club sport and stop offering new scholarships after the current academic year, a decision that prompted backlash from athletes and parents.
The change came as the university elevated stunt, a competitive form of cheerleading, to varsity status within its athletic department.
UC Davis officials said the decision followed a review conducted with a third-party consulting firm that examined sport sponsorships, competitive alignment, student-athlete participation, academic performance, Title IX considerations and long-term financial sustainability.
The equestrian program will remain a varsity sport through the end of the 2025-26 school year. The university said all athletics-related financial aid for current equestrian athletes will be honored through the completion of their undergraduate degrees, and all coaching contracts will be honored through the end of their terms.
The team included 33 athletes and five coaches and staff members.
“These decisions were made following extensive external and internal analysis and thoughtful collaboration with campus leadership,” UC Davis athletic director Rocko DeLuca said in the news release. “As the landscape of Division I athletics continues to evolve, it is important that we regularly evaluate how we best align our resources to support student-athletes, advance gender equity, and position UC Davis Athletics for long-term success. Our student-athletes across the board—including those in Equestrian—are dedicated, talented, and driven. They represent UC Davis with tremendous pride and excellence.”
Current and former equestrian athletes have been against the move, with parents creating a petition urging the university to reverse the decision. The petition had more than 14,000 signatures as of Wednesday afternoon.
While UC Davis was only 14 schools in the nation to compete as a Division I equestrian program, stunt is said to be one of the fastest growing sports with 86 schools listed with programs. Stunt will be an NCAA Championship event beginning in 2026-27.
This story was originally published January 14, 2026 at 2:57 PM.
