INDIANAPOLIS -- Westmont College will become the 12th member of the Pacific West Conference after being notified on Thursday by the NCAA that it has been approved for the transition process into NCAA Division II.

The PacWest presidents unanimously invited Westmont into conference membership in November 2021, meaning the Warriors will begin to compete in the PacWest in the 2023-24 season as they go through the transition process.

"We're tremendously thrilled to welcome Westmont into the PacWest as our 12th member," Commissioner Bob Hogue said. "Westmont has a strong history of  success both academically and athletically, and they will be a great fit in our outstanding conference."

Westmont will be eligible to win PacWest regular season titles, starting in the 2023-24 season, and is eligible to compete in the PacWest Championships events in men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf, men's and women's tennis and men's and women's track & field. Once Westmont has completed the transition to NCAA Division II, which is projected to take place for the 2025-26 season, the Warriors will also be eligible to compete in the PacWest Championships in men's and women's basketball and baseball.

"We couldn't be more excited about the news we received today from the NCAA membership committee," athletic director Robert Ruiz said. "We are eager to begin our partnership as members of the PacWest Conference, and I look forward to working alongside each of the members as we begin the first year of the provisional membership process."

Westmont is the first new member to join the conference since Biola received the same news in the summer of 2016. The addition of Westmont gives the PacWest now five members in the Southern California region with four in Northern California and three in the state of Hawai`i.

The Warriors sponsor 15 intercollegiate sports, and 14 of those sports will compete in the PacWest. In fact, Westmont sponsors every PacWest sport except softball, which will make Westmont the school tied with the most PacWest sports alongside Biola.

The PacWest is entering its 31st year as a conference and Westmont will become the 32nd school to become a conference member during that time.