NCAA Division II sports are slated to begin at Sonoma State, one of the 23 campuses in the California State University system, in Fall 2027.gettyOnly one year after eliminating its entire intercollegiate athletics program because of a huge budget deficit, Sonoma State University is bringing it back, the university has announced.NCAA Division II sports are slated to begin at Sonoma State, one of the 23 campuses in the California State University system, in Fall 2027 as part of what university president Michael E. Spagna said was a broader “reimagining” of the university and its programs. Key among those developments were enrollment growth in some academic programs and an additional funding provided by the state in a $45 million SSU Commitment fund. “(Athletics) are an exciting way to engage our communities, help generate school spirit, enhance the student experience, and increase recruiting efforts,” Spagna said in a news release, adding that “community engagement and support will be essential to athletics’ success.” Facing a budget deficit that had swelled to almost $24 million, Sonoma State University had announced in January, 2025 that it would need to make massive budget cuts, including eliminating all of its intercollegiate athletic teams. At that time, Sonoma State University’s then Interim President Emily F. Cutrer attributed the deficit to “a variety of factors — cost of personnel, annual price increases for supplies and utilities, inflation — but the main reason is enrollment.” Sonoma State had seen its enrollment drop 38% since reaching a high point in 2015.The closure of the athletics program prompted an outcry from students and alumni. Save Seawolves Athletics, an organization formed in response to the proposed cuts, filed a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights opposing the closing. The grassroots group claimed that SSU’s decision to cut the university’s entire athletic program “has unfairly targeted a student body that is notably diverse, creating a disparate impact on students from underrepresented communities.”Sonoma State will now rejoin the California Collegiate Athletic Association. The 2027-28 Seawolves sports will include 1o teams, the number required by membership in NCAA Division II athletics:Women’s basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, and volleyballMen’s basketball, cross country, golf, and soccer.Nine of those sports were in place in 2025. The school is not resuming two sports it had in 2025 — women’s track and field and baseball. Sonoma State is reintroducing men’s cross-country, a sport it had ended more than a decade ago. The school projected it would have 186 student-athletes participating in the athletics program. “The 10 sports chosen represent a mix that satisfies Title IX and Division II Athletics Conference compliance requirements; reflect campus demographics; and are best suited to be fiscally sustainable to restart SSU athletics given available resources for the overall athletics program,” explained an FAQ on the universty’s webpage. “Additional programs may be considered as overall financial resources allow additional sports to be supported sustainably.”Sonoma State is planning to spend more than $2.8 million in 2026-27 to restart athletics. Those funds will come from a combination of student fees, other use fees, fundraising and sponsorships, and additional institutional support. “Sonoma State Seawolves have always been fierce competitors in the California Collegiate Athletic Association,” said Spagna, who assumed the presidency of Sonoma State in January, “We look forward to working with the Association leadership and renewing friendly competition in the conference."