De Anza Joins National, Bay 6 League
After posting consecutive 10-0 regular seasons and winning two league championships, De Anza College will join the Northern California Football Conference's National Division – making the Mountain Lions eligible for the state championship playoff format.
Starting with the 2026 season, De Anza becomes a member of the Bay 6 League, joining two-time defending state champion College of San Mateo, City College of San Francisco, San Jose City College, and district neighbor Foothill College. Santa Rosa Junior College will also move the Bay 6 from the NorCal League.
The Lions finished No. 25 in the final 2025 JCAB Football Coaches Poll.
De Anza College head coach Joe D'Agostino established several goals when he took over the program in 2022 – including a plan for the Mountain Lions to rejoin the National Division.
"We are excited to move up and compete at the highest level of junior college competition in the country," he said.
"Our student-athletes and coaches have worked hard to create a program that thrives on daily success in a championship culture. This elevation aligns with our college's commitment to academic and athletic excellence."
NCFC commissioner Craig Rigsbee accepted the Competition Committee's recommendations, which also included the movement of Laney College and Diablo Valley College from the Bay 6 to NorCal.
The Valley League remains intact, keeping the North with three six-team leagues and its 18 schools competing for six playoff spots.
"The NCFC Competition Committee has recommended De Anza College football move from the American Division in the Golden Coast Conference to the National Division and be placed in the very competitive Bay 6 Conference," Rigsbee said.
"This recommendation was based on De Anza's 20-2 record in the last two-year scheduling cycle. De Anza was a two-time league champion and appeared in two American Division Championship games. The National Division is the highest level of competition for football in the state of California. De Anza is now eligible to compete for a state championship."
In addition to D'Agostino earning back-to-back Coach of the Year honors, De Anza has produced the most All-League, All-State, and All-American selections during the two-year span among American Division NorCal programs.
De Anza also had the league's Offensive Player of the Year twice (QB Antevious Jackson in 2024 and WR Akeem Wright in 2025) and Defensive Player of the Year (DL Andrew Rheubottom in 2025).
Several members of this year's sophomore class are also preparing to sign major NIL deals from national four-year universities – adding to De Anza's seven other Division-I transfers since the 2022 season.
De Anza's last season as part of the National Division was 2017.
The 2026 season schedule will be announced soon.
NEW NCFC ALIGNMENT
National Divison (State Playoffs)