| Western Athletic Conference (WAC) | |
| Established: 1962 | |
 | |
| NCAA | Division I FBS |
|---|---|
| Members | 9 |
| Sports fielded | 19 (men's: 8; women's: 11) |
| Region | Western United States and Hawaiʻi |
| Headquarters | Greenwood Village, CO |
| Commissioner | Karl Benson (since 1994) |
| Website | http://www.wacsports.com/ |
| Locations | |
 | |
The Western Athletic Conference (commonly referred to as the WAC, pronounced "wack") was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS; formerly Division I-A). Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA, often pronounced "N-C-Double-A" is a voluntary association of about 1200 institutions conferences organizations Division I (or D-I) is the highest level of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association in the United States The Western United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American West or simply the West &mdashtraditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost The State of Hawaii ( or həˈwaɪʔiː Hawaiian: Mokuāina o Hawaii) is a state in the United States located on an Archipelago in the The City of Greenwood Village is a prominent suburb of the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Statistical Area and a Home Rule Municipality located in Arapahoe County The State of Colorado ( or chiefly by nonresidents) is a state located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States of America. Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) Events 1214 - Battle of Bouvines: In France, Philip II of France defeats John of England. Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. This is a List of Athletic Conferences of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA The National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA, often pronounced "N-C-Double-A" is a voluntary association of about 1200 institutions conferences organizations The WAC covers a broad expanse of the Western United States, with member institutions located in California, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The Western United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American West or simply the West &mdashtraditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. The State of Hawaii ( or həˈwaɪʔiː Hawaiian: Mokuāina o Hawaii) is a state in the United States located on an Archipelago in the The State of Idaho ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States of America. The State of Louisiana ( or, État de Louisiane, pronounced) is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America Nevada ( is a state located in the western region of the United States of America. New Mexico ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States of America. The State of Utah (ˈjuːtɔː or) is a western state of the United States.
Contents |
History
Formation
The WAC formed out of a series of talks between Brigham Young University President Edwin Kimball and other university administrators from 1958 to 1961 to form a new athletic conference that would better fit the needs and situations of certain universities which were at the time members of the Border, Skyline and Pacific Coast Conferences. The Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association (sometimes referred to as the Border Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, or simply Border Conference) an The Mountain States Conference, also known as the Skyline Conference, was a College athletic conference based in the western United States. The Pacific Coast Conference ( PCC) was a College athletic conference in the United States which existed from 1915 to 1959 Potential member universities who were represented at the meetings included Brigham Young, Washington State, Oregon, Oregon State, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Arizona State, and Wyoming. Washington State University ( WSU) is an American public Research university in Pullman, Washington. The University of Oregon (UO is a public, Coeducational Research university in Eugene Oregon, United States. Oregon State University ( OSU) is a Coeducational public Research[[ university]] located in Corvallis, Oregon, United The University of Utah (referred to locally as ' The U' or ' the U of U') is a publicly funded Research university in Salt Lake The University of New Mexico ( UNM) is a Public University in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The University of Arizona (also referred to as UA, U of A, or Arizona) is a Land-grant and space-grant public institution Arizona State University ( ASU) is the largest public Research university in the United States under a single administration with total student The University of Wyoming is a Land-grant university located in Laramie, Wyoming, situated on Wyoming's high Laramie Plains, at an elevation While the three Washington and Oregon schools elected to stay in a revamped Pac-8 Conference that replaced the scandal-plagued PCC, the remaining six schools formed the WAC, forcing the disbandment of the Border and Skyline conferences. The Pacific-10 Conference ( Pac-10) is a college athletic conference which operates in the western United States. New Mexico State and Utah State applied for charter membership and were turned down; they would eventually become WAC members 43 years later. New Mexico State University, or NMSU is a Land-grant university that has its main campus in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Utah State University ( USU) is a public Land-grant university whose main campus is located in Logan Utah.
Charter members
- University of Arizona (withdrew June 30, 1978 to join the Pacific-10 Conference)
- Arizona State University (withdrew June 30, 1978 to join the Pacific-10 Conference)
- Brigham Young University (withdrew June 30, 1999 to form the Mountain West Conference)
- University of New Mexico (withdrew June 30, 1999 to form the Mountain West Conference)
- University of Utah (withdrew June 30, 1999 to form the Mountain West Conference)
- University of Wyoming (withdrew June 30, 1999 to form the Mountain West Conference)
Success and first expansion
The conference proved to be an almost perfect fit for the six schools from both a competitive and financial standpoint. The University of Arizona (also referred to as UA, U of A, or Arizona) is a Land-grant and space-grant public institution Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, is defeated and killed by troops of the Usurper Year 1978 ( MCMLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar) The Pacific-10 Conference ( Pac-10) is a college athletic conference which operates in the western United States. Arizona State University ( ASU) is the largest public Research university in the United States under a single administration with total student Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, is defeated and killed by troops of the Usurper Year 1978 ( MCMLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar) The Pacific-10 Conference ( Pac-10) is a college athletic conference which operates in the western United States. Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, is defeated and killed by troops of the Usurper Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) The Mountain West Conference (or MWC) the youngest of the College athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA ’s Division I FBS (I-A officially The University of New Mexico ( UNM) is a Public University in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, is defeated and killed by troops of the Usurper Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) The Mountain West Conference (or MWC) the youngest of the College athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA ’s Division I FBS (I-A officially The University of Utah (referred to locally as ' The U' or ' the U of U') is a publicly funded Research university in Salt Lake Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, is defeated and killed by troops of the Usurper Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) The Mountain West Conference (or MWC) the youngest of the College athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA ’s Division I FBS (I-A officially The University of Wyoming is a Land-grant university located in Laramie, Wyoming, situated on Wyoming's high Laramie Plains, at an elevation Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, is defeated and killed by troops of the Usurper Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) The Mountain West Conference (or MWC) the youngest of the College athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA ’s Division I FBS (I-A officially Arizona and Arizona State, in particular, experienced success in baseball with Arizona garnering the 1963 College World Series runner-up trophy and ASU winning the CWS in 1965, 1967, and 1969. The University of Arizona (also referred to as UA, U of A, or Arizona) is a Land-grant and space-grant public institution Arizona State University ( ASU) is the largest public Research university in the United States under a single administration with total student Baseball is a Bat-and-ball Sport played between two teams of nine players each The University of Arizona (also referred to as UA, U of A, or Arizona) is a Land-grant and space-grant public institution Athletics Marathon May 4 &mdash Pan American Games Marathon, Sao Paulo Brazil Men's The College World Series or CWS is a Baseball Tournament held in Omaha Nebraska that is the culmination of the NCAA Division I Baseball Arizona State University ( ASU) is the largest public Research university in the United States under a single administration with total student The College World Series or CWS is a Baseball Tournament held in Omaha Nebraska that is the culmination of the NCAA Division I Baseball UTEP, recently renamed from Texas Western College, and Colorado State joined in 1967 to bring membership up to eight. The University of Texas at El Paso, popularly known as UTEP, is a public, coeducational University, and it is a member of the University Colorado State University is a public institution of higher learning located in Fort Collins, Colorado in the United States. Athletics Marathon August 5 &mdash Pan American Games Marathon, Winnipeg Canada Men's
With massive growth in the state of Arizona, the balance of WAC play in the 1970s became increasingly skewed in favor of the Arizona schools, who won or tied for all but two WAC football titles from 1969 onward. The State of Arizona ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. In the summer of 1978, the two schools left the WAC for the Pac-8, which became the Pac-10, and were replaced in the WAC by San Diego State and, one year later, Hawaiʻi. Artistic Gymnastics World Artistic Gymnastics Championships: Men's all-around champion Nikolai Andrianov, USSR The Pacific-10 Conference ( Pac-10) is a college athletic conference which operates in the western United States. History Established on March 13 1897 San Diego State University first began as the San Diego Normal School intended to educate local future female elementary school teachers The University of Hawaii at Mānoa is a public co-educational University and is the flagship campus of the greater University of Hawai{{okina}}i system. The WAC further expanded by adding Air Force in the summer of 1980. The United States Air Force Academy ( USAFA or Air Force) is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officers for the United States Air Athletics For an extensive coverage see 1980 in athletics (track and field World Records June 12 &mdash A college football national championship won by BYU in 1984 added to the WAC's reputation as the best of the so-called mid-major conferences. Athletics For an extensive coverage see 1984 in athletics (track and field Auto Racing Mid-major is a term mainly used in American College basketball and College football, to describe schools not affiliated with a conference whose football The nine-team lineup of the WAC defined the conference for nearly 15 years.
Second wave of expansion and turbulence
Fresno State expanded its athletic program in the early 1990s and was granted membership in 1992 as the nationwide trend against major college programs independent of conferences accelerated. California State University Fresno, commonly referred to as Fresno State and even plainly State, is one of the campuses of California State University The 1990s collectively refers to the years between and including 1990 and 1999 Athletics For an extensive coverage see 1992 in athletics (track and field Marathon August The WAC merged with the High Country Athletic Conference, a parallel organization to the WAC for women's athletics, in 1990 to unify both men's and women's athletics under one administrative structure. Athletics For an extensive coverage see 1990 in athletics (track and field Marathon International
In 1996, the demise of the scandal-plagued Southwest Conference set off a chain reaction that affected conferences nationwide and the WAC was no exception. Athletics Decathlon Best Year Performance * &ndash 8824 points Marathon This page is about the now defunct Southwest Conference (SWC For the unrelated and currently still active conference abbreviated as the SWAC see Southwestern Athletic Conference Rice, TCU, and SMU from the disbanded SWC were admitted into the WAC, along with San José State and UNLV from the Big West Conference as well as Tulsa from the Missouri Valley Conference to bring WAC membership to sixteen universities in two divisions. William Marsh Rice University (commonly called Rice University and opened in 1912 as The William Marsh Rice Institute for the Advancement of Letters Science and Art Texas Christian University is a private, Coeducational University located in Fort Worth, Texas. Southern Methodist University ("SMU" is a private, Coeducational University in University Park, Texas (an enclave San José State University, commonly shortened to San José State and SJSU, is the founding campus of what became the California State University system The Big West Conference ( BWC) is an NCAA -affiliated Division I major college athletic conference that formerly sponsored Division I-A (now known as Division I FBS The University of Tulsa is a Private university awarding bachelors masters and doctoral degrees located in Tulsa Oklahoma. Membership Affiliate members Eastern Illinois University (men's soccer not sponsored by the Ohio Valley Conference)
To help in organizing schedules and travel for the farflung league, the members were divided into four quadrants of four teams each, as follows:
| Quadrant 1 | Quadrant 2 | Quadrant 3 | Quadrant 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaiʻi | UNLV | BYU | Tulsa |
| Fresno State | Air Force | Utah | TCU |
| San Diego State | Colorado State | New Mexico | SMU |
| San José State | Wyoming | UTEP | Rice |
Quadrant one was always part of the Pacific Division, and quadrant four was always part of the Mountain Division. Quadrant two was part of the Pacific Division for 1996 and 1997 before switching to the Mountain Division in 1998, while the reverse was true for quadrant three. The scheduled fourth year of the alignment was abandoned after eight schools left to form the Mountain West Conference.
The division champions in football met from 1996 to 1998 in a championship game at Sam Boyd Stadium (also known as the Silver Bowl) in Henderson, Nevada. Athletics Decathlon Best Year Performance * &ndash 8824 points Marathon Athletics For an extensive coverage see 1998 in athletics (track and field Decathlon Sam Boyd Stadium is a football Stadium located in Las Vegas Nevada. Henderson is a city in Clark County, Nevada, United States adjacent to the Las Vegas metropolitan area; it is located mainly to the southeast ABC televised all three games.
Increasingly, this arrangement was not satisfactory to most of the older, pre-1990 members. Five members in particular (Air Force, BYU, Colorado State, Utah and Wyoming) felt that WAC expansion had compromised the athletic and academic excellence of the membership[1]. Additional concerns centered around finances, as the new league stretched from Hawaiʻi to Oklahoma and travel costs became a concern. In 1999, those five schools, along with old line WAC schools New Mexico and San Diego State, as well as newcomer UNLV, would split off and form the Mountain West Conference, depriving the WAC of most of its competitive strength and almost all of its history (in addition to its 4 remaining charter members). Athletics For an extensive coverage see 1999 in athletics (track and field Track Hicham The Mountain West Conference (or MWC) the youngest of the College athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA ’s Division I FBS (I-A officially Only UTEP and Hawaiʻi would remain from the WAC's "golden age," and UTEP would ultimately leave the WAC as well.
Today's WAC
Since 1999, WAC membership has been in a state of flux. Nevada of the Big West joined in its plan to upgrade its athletic program in 2000. The University of Nevada Reno ( Nevada) is a University located in Reno Nevada, USA and is known for its programs in agricultural research journalism The Big West Conference ( BWC) is an NCAA -affiliated Division I major college athletic conference that formerly sponsored Division I-A (now known as Division I FBS Athletics For an extensive coverage see 2000 in athletics (track and field Marathon International TCU left for Conference USA in 2001 (then rejoined eight former WAC opponents as the ninth member of the Mountain West in 2005), while Boise State of the Big West and independent Louisiana Tech joined the WAC in 2001. Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. Artistic gymnastics World Artistic Gymnastics Championships: Men's all-around champion Feng Jing, China The Mountain West Conference (or MWC) the youngest of the College athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA ’s Division I FBS (I-A officially Athletics (track and field For an extensive coverage see 2005 in athletics (track and field Track Boise State University is a Public university located near downtown Boise, the Capital city of the U The Big West Conference ( BWC) is an NCAA -affiliated Division I major college athletic conference that formerly sponsored Division I-A (now known as Division I FBS Louisiana Tech University, located in Ruston Louisiana is a coeducational public institution of higher learning with an enrollment of 10950 students in the 08-09 year
Another large change of membership came in 2005, with the departure of four members to Conference USA: Rice, SMU, Tulsa, and UTEP. Athletics (track and field For an extensive coverage see 2005 in athletics (track and field Track Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. Joining the conference were three more universities (all land-grant schools) from the Big West — Idaho, Utah State, and New Mexico State (ex-Big West). Land-grant universities (also called land-grant colleges or land grant institutions) are institutions of higher education in the United States that have The Big West Conference ( BWC) is an NCAA -affiliated Division I major college athletic conference that formerly sponsored Division I-A (now known as Division I FBS The University of Idaho is Idaho 's oldest public university located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County. Utah State University ( USU) is a public Land-grant university whose main campus is located in Logan Utah. New Mexico State University, or NMSU is a Land-grant university that has its main campus in Las Cruces, New Mexico. When the Big West announced that it would drop football after the 2000 season, there were four members that wanted to continue their football programs. Athletics For an extensive coverage see 2000 in athletics (track and field Marathon International Boise State was invited to join the WAC and promptly departed, but UI, NMSU, and USU were left without a football conference in 2001. Artistic gymnastics World Artistic Gymnastics Championships: Men's all-around champion Feng Jing, China NMSU joined the Sun Belt Conference as a full-time member, but UI and USU remained in the Big West. The Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA 's Division I since 1976. Idaho joined the distant Sun Belt as a "football only" member in 2001 while Utah State operated as a football independent for two seasons. USU found scheduling extremely difficult, and it joined Idaho as a "football only" member of the Sun Belt in 2003. Artistic gymnastics World Artistic Gymnastics Championships: Men's all-around champions Paul Hamm, USA, [2]
Current members (and year joined)
| Institution | Nickname | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Joined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boise State University | Broncos | Boise, Idaho | 1932 | Public | 19,500 | 2001 |
| California State University, Fresno | Bulldogs | Fresno, California | 1911 | Public (California State University system) | 21,000 | 1992 |
| University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa | Warriors, Rainbow Wahine | Honolulu, Hawaiʻi | 1907 | Public (University of Hawaiʻi System) | 20,549 | 1979 |
| University of Idaho | Vandals | Moscow, Idaho | 1889 | Public | 13,000 | 2005 |
| Louisiana Tech University | Bulldogs | Ruston, Louisiana | 1894 | Public (University of Louisiana System) | 11,710 | 2001 |
| University of Nevada, Reno | Wolf Pack | Reno, Nevada | 1874 | Public (Nevada System of Higher Education) | 15,588 | 2000 |
| New Mexico State University | Aggies | Las Cruces, New Mexico | 1888 | Public | 16,415 | 2005 |
| San José State University | Spartans | San José, California | 1857 | Public (California State University system) | 28,932 | 1996 |
| Utah State University | Aggies | Logan, Utah | 1888 | Public (Utah System of Higher Education) | 23,128 | 2005 |
Associate members
- Sacramento State Hornets (baseball/women's gymnastics)
- Cal State Fullerton Titans (women's gymnastics)
- Cal State Northridge Matadors (indoor/outdoor track and field)
- Southern Utah Lady Thunderbirds (women's gymnastics)
- Northern Arizona Lumberjacks (women's swimming & diving)
- San Diego Toreros (women's swimming & diving)
Sports
The WAC crowns team and individual champions in 19 sports – 8 men’s and 11 women’s. Boise State University is a Public university located near downtown Boise, the Capital city of the U This page is about the entire Boise State athletic department Boise (ˈbɔɪsi is the capital and most populous city of the U California State University Fresno, commonly referred to as Fresno State and even plainly State, is one of the campuses of California State University History Today's California State University system is the direct descendant of the California State Normal School (now San José State University) a The University of Hawaii at Mānoa is a public co-educational University and is the flagship campus of the greater University of Hawai{{okina}}i system. Rainbow Wahine is the nickname applied to women's sports teams at the University of Hawai{{okina}}i at Mānoa. Honolulu is the Capital and most populous Census-designated place (CDP in the U The University of Hawaii, formally the University of Hawaii System and popularly known as UH, is a public co-educational college and university system that confers The University of Idaho is Idaho 's oldest public university located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County. Moscow (ˈmɒskoʊ is the County seat of Latah County in northern Idaho, along the Washington Louisiana Tech University, located in Ruston Louisiana is a coeducational public institution of higher learning with an enrollment of 10950 students in the 08-09 year Ruston is a city in and the Parish seat of Lincoln Parish, Louisiana, United States. The University of Louisiana System is one of four public University systems in the U The University of Nevada Reno ( Nevada) is a University located in Reno Nevada, USA and is known for its programs in agricultural research journalism The Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE (formerly the University and Community College System of Nevada "UCCSN" was formed in 1968 to oversee all state-supported higher New Mexico State University, or NMSU is a Land-grant university that has its main campus in Las Cruces, New Mexico. New Mexico State University 's teams are called the Aggies, a nickname derived from the university's agricultural beginnings Las Cruces is the second most populous city in New Mexico, the County seat of Doña Ana County, and a United States Metropolitan Statistical Area San José State University, commonly shortened to San José State and SJSU, is the founding campus of what became the California State University system The San José State Spartans are the names of the athletic teams representing San José State University. History Today's California State University system is the direct descendant of the California State Normal School (now San José State University) a Utah State University ( USU) is a public Land-grant university whose main campus is located in Logan Utah. Logan is a city in Cache County, Utah, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 42670 a substantial increase The Utah State Board of Regents was formed in 1969 as a governing body for the Utah System of Higher Education. California State University Sacramento (also known as Sacramento State or Sac State) is a public University located in the city of Sacramento California State University Fullerton, commonly known as CSUF, CSU Fullerton, or Cal State Fullerton, is currently the largest California State California State University Northridge (also known as CSUN, Cal State Northridge) is a public university in the San Fernando Valley, within the city limits Southern Utah University, or SUU is located in Cedar City Utah. Northern Arizona University (NAU is a Public university in Flagstaff Arizona in the United States. The University of San Diego is a Roman Catholic University in San Diego, California.
Men's sports
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cross country
- Football
- Golf
- Tennis
- Indoor track and field
- Outdoor track and field
Women's sports
- Basketball
- Cross country
- Golf
- Gymnastics
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming and diving
- Tennis
- Indoor track and field
- Outdoor track and field
- Volleyball
Former members
1978
- Arizona (1962-78)
- Arizona State (1962-78)
1999
- BYU (1962-99)
- New Mexico (1962-99)
- Utah (1962-99)
- Wyoming (1962-99)
- Colorado State (1967-99)
- San Diego State (1978-99)
- Air Force (1980-99)
- UNLV (1996-99)
2001
- TCU (1996-2001)
2005
Of the former members:
- Two (Arizona and Arizona State) are currently members of the Pac-10. The University of Arizona (also referred to as UA, U of A, or Arizona) is a Land-grant and space-grant public institution Arizona State University ( ASU) is the largest public Research university in the United States under a single administration with total student The University of New Mexico ( UNM) is a Public University in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The University of Utah (referred to locally as ' The U' or ' the U of U') is a publicly funded Research university in Salt Lake The University of Wyoming is a Land-grant university located in Laramie, Wyoming, situated on Wyoming's high Laramie Plains, at an elevation Colorado State University is a public institution of higher learning located in Fort Collins, Colorado in the United States. History Established on March 13 1897 San Diego State University first began as the San Diego Normal School intended to educate local future female elementary school teachers The United States Air Force Academy ( USAFA or Air Force) is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officers for the United States Air Texas Christian University is a private, Coeducational University located in Fort Worth, Texas. The University of Texas at El Paso, popularly known as UTEP, is a public, coeducational University, and it is a member of the University William Marsh Rice University (commonly called Rice University and opened in 1912 as The William Marsh Rice Institute for the Advancement of Letters Science and Art Southern Methodist University ("SMU" is a private, Coeducational University in University Park, Texas (an enclave The University of Tulsa is a Private university awarding bachelors masters and doctoral degrees located in Tulsa Oklahoma. The Pacific-10 Conference ( Pac-10) is a college athletic conference which operates in the western United States.
- Four (Rice, SMU, Tulsa, UTEP) are in Conference USA. Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States.
- The remaining nine make up the current membership of the Mountain West Conference (TCU was in Conference USA from July 2001 through June 2005 before joining the Mountain West). The Mountain West Conference (or MWC) the youngest of the College athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA ’s Division I FBS (I-A officially
Conference facilities
| School | Football stadium | Capacity | Basketball arena | Capacity | Baseball stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full Members | ||||||
| Boise State | Bronco Stadium | 32,000 | Taco Bell Arena | 12,380 | N/A | |
| Fresno State | Bulldog Stadium | 41,031 | Save Mart Center | 15,544 | Beiden Field | 5,422 |
| Hawaiʻi | Aloha Stadium | 50,000 | Stan Sheriff Center | 10,300 | Les Murakami Stadium | 4,312 |
| Idaho | Kibbie Dome | 16,000 | Cowan Spectrum | 7,000 | N/A | |
| Louisiana Tech | Joe Aillet Stadium | 30,600 | Thomas Assembly Center | 8,000 | J.C. Love Field | 2,000 |
| Nevada | Mackay Stadium | 29,993 | Lawlor Events Center | 11,784 | William Peccole Park | 3,000 |
| New Mexico State | Aggie Memorial Stadium | 30,343 | Pan American Center | 13,071 | Presley Askew Field | 750 |
| San José State | Spartan Stadium | 30,578 | The Event Center | 5,000 | San Jose Municipal Stadium | 5,200 |
| Utah State | Romney Stadium | 25,513 | Dee Glen Smith Spectrum | 10,270 | LaRee and LeGrand Johnson Field | 500 |
| Associate Members | ||||||
| Sacramento State | Hornet Field | 1,200 | ||||
Note:
- Idaho uses the same structure for both its home football and basketball games, although it uses a different name for the venue's basketball configuration. Bronco Stadium is an outdoor athletic Stadium on the campus of Boise State University in Boise Idaho. Taco Bell Arena is a multi-purpose/multi-color indoor Arena on the campus of Boise State University in Boise Idaho. Bulldog Stadium is an outdoor football Stadium on the campus of California State University Fresno in Fresno California. The Save Mart Center at Fresno State is a multi-purpose Arena on the campus of the California State University Fresno, located in Fresno California Pete Beiden Field is a Stadium in Fresno California. It is primarily used for Baseball, and was the home field of the Fresno Grizzlies Aloha Stadium is a Stadium located in {{okina}}Aiea Hawai{{okina}}i. The Stan Sheriff Center is a 10300-seat multi-purpose Arena in Honolulu Hawaii, on the campus of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Les Murakami Stadium is the Baseball stadium at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu Hawaii. The ASUI-Kibbie Activity Center is a multi-purpose indoor athletic Stadium on the campus of the University of Idaho in Moscow Idaho. The ASUI-Kibbie Activity Center is a multi-purpose indoor athletic Stadium on the campus of the University of Idaho in Moscow Idaho. Joe Aillet Stadium (formerly Louisiana Tech Stadium) is a Stadium in Ruston Louisiana, USA Thomas Assembly Center is an 8000-seat multi-purpose Arena in Ruston Louisiana. JC Love Field is a Baseball Stadium in Ruston Louisiana, in the United States. Mackay Stadium is an outdoor football Stadium on the campus of the University of Nevada in Reno Nevada. Lawlor Events Center is an 11784-seat multi-purpose Arena in Reno Nevada, located at the intersection of North Virginia Street and 15th Street on the University William Peccole Park is a Stadium in Reno Nevada. It is primarily used for Baseball, and is the home field of the Reno Silver Sox Minor Aggie Memorial Stadium is an outdoor football Stadium on the campus of New Mexico State University in Las Cruces New Mexico. The Pan American Center is a multi-purpose Arena in Las Cruces New Mexico, located on the campus of New Mexico State University. Spartan Stadium, located in San Jose California, is the football stadium of the San José State University Spartans. The Event Center Arena is a 5000-seat multi-purpose Arena on the main campus of San José State University in downtown San Jose California; it was built The San Jose Municipal Stadium, or Muni Stadium in common usage is the home of the Minor league baseball San Jose Giants, the Advanced A league affiliate Romney Stadium is an outdoor football Stadium on the campus of Utah State University in Logan Utah. The Dee Glen Smith Spectrum is a 10270-seat multi-purpose Arena on the campus of Utah State University in Logan Utah. Also, Idaho has occasionally used Martin Stadium at Washington State University, only 8 miles (13 km) west, for a home football game. Martin Stadium is an outdoor football Stadium on the campus of Washington State University in Pullman Washington. Washington State University ( WSU) is an American public Research university in Pullman, Washington. In 1999, while a member of the Big West Conference, Idaho played all of their home games at Martin Stadium and did not play a single game in the state of Idaho. The Big West Conference ( BWC) is an NCAA -affiliated Division I major college athletic conference that formerly sponsored Division I-A (now known as Division I FBS This was due to the requirements by the Big West, and due to remodeling of the Kibbie Dome per the NCAA for Idaho to be a Division I-A, now FBS, school. The National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA, often pronounced "N-C-Double-A" is a voluntary association of about 1200 institutions conferences organizations
Rivalries
- Conference
- Boise State-Fresno State - Mostly in football; the two Universities have a milk jug trophy to the winner of the game, started in 2005
- Boise State-Hawaiʻi – An emerging football rivalry featuring two of the three non-BCS schools to participate in a BCS bowl game. Boise State University is a Public university located near downtown Boise, the Capital city of the U California State University Fresno, commonly referred to as Fresno State and even plainly State, is one of the campuses of California State University Boise State University is a Public university located near downtown Boise, the Capital city of the U The University of Hawaii at Mānoa is a public co-educational University and is the flagship campus of the greater University of Hawai{{okina}}i system.
- Boise State-Idaho
- Hawaiʻi-Fresno State
- Nevada-Boise State
- Louisiana Tech-Fresno State - Battle of The Bone; so named because both universities use Bulldogs as their mascots
- San José State-Fresno State
- Non-Conference
- Hawaiʻi-BYU (Mountain West) - This rivalry is a leftover from the "golden age" of the WAC, and is dwindling; Hawaii and BYU haven't played each other since 2002. Boise State University is a Public university located near downtown Boise, the Capital city of the U The University of Idaho is Idaho 's oldest public university located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County. The University of Hawaii at Mānoa is a public co-educational University and is the flagship campus of the greater University of Hawai{{okina}}i system. California State University Fresno, commonly referred to as Fresno State and even plainly State, is one of the campuses of California State University The University of Nevada Reno ( Nevada) is a University located in Reno Nevada, USA and is known for its programs in agricultural research journalism Boise State University is a Public university located near downtown Boise, the Capital city of the U Louisiana Tech University, located in Ruston Louisiana is a coeducational public institution of higher learning with an enrollment of 10950 students in the 08-09 year California State University Fresno, commonly referred to as Fresno State and even plainly State, is one of the campuses of California State University San José State University, commonly shortened to San José State and SJSU, is the founding campus of what became the California State University system California State University Fresno, commonly referred to as Fresno State and even plainly State, is one of the campuses of California State University The University of Hawaii at Mānoa is a public co-educational University and is the flagship campus of the greater University of Hawai{{okina}}i system. The Mountain West Conference (or MWC) the youngest of the College athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA ’s Division I FBS (I-A officially
- Idaho-Montana (Big Sky) This is a remnant of the PCC when Idaho and Montana were members. The University of Idaho is Idaho 's oldest public university located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County. The University of Montana is a State university located in Missoula Montana, U The Big Sky Conference (or BSC) is an intercollegiate College athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA ’s Division I, with football
- Idaho-Washington State (Pac 10) - Battle of the Palouse
- Nevada-UNLV (Mountain West) - The Battle for Nevada and the Fremont Cannon
- New Mexico State-New Mexico (Mountain West) - The Rio Grande Rivalry
- New Mexico State-UTEP (Conference USA) - The Silver Spade
- San José State-San Diego State (Mountain West)
- San José State-Stanford (Pac 10)
- Utah State-BYU (Mountain West)
- Utah State-Utah (Mountain West) - The Beehive Boot
Commissioners
- Paul Brechler (1962-1968)
- Wiles Hallock (1968-1971)
- Stan Bates (1971-1980)
- Dr. The University of Idaho is Idaho 's oldest public university located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County. Washington State University ( WSU) is an American public Research university in Pullman, Washington. The Pacific-10 Conference ( Pac-10) is a college athletic conference which operates in the western United States. History Future of Rivalry After ten years of the renewed rivalry new Vandal head coach Robb Akey, formerly WSU's defensive coordinator has said that The University of Nevada Reno ( Nevada) is a University located in Reno Nevada, USA and is known for its programs in agricultural research journalism The Mountain West Conference (or MWC) the youngest of the College athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA ’s Division I FBS (I-A officially History of the trophy The idea for a trophy as the prize for the newly arranged intrastate rivalry was first put forward by former UNLV coach Bill Ireland History of the trophy The idea for a trophy as the prize for the newly arranged intrastate rivalry was first put forward by former UNLV coach Bill Ireland New Mexico State University, or NMSU is a Land-grant university that has its main campus in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The University of New Mexico ( UNM) is a Public University in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Mountain West Conference (or MWC) the youngest of the College athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA ’s Division I FBS (I-A officially The Rio Grande Rivalry is an annual points-based intercollegiate athletics competition between the University of New Mexico New Mexico State University, or NMSU is a Land-grant university that has its main campus in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The University of Texas at El Paso, popularly known as UTEP, is a public, coeducational University, and it is a member of the University Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The Silver Spade was a giant Excavator used for Strip mining in Ohio. San José State University, commonly shortened to San José State and SJSU, is the founding campus of what became the California State University system History Established on March 13 1897 San Diego State University first began as the San Diego Normal School intended to educate local future female elementary school teachers The Mountain West Conference (or MWC) the youngest of the College athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA ’s Division I FBS (I-A officially San José State University, commonly shortened to San José State and SJSU, is the founding campus of what became the California State University system Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly known as Stanford University or simply Stanford, is a private Research university located in The Pacific-10 Conference ( Pac-10) is a college athletic conference which operates in the western United States. Utah State University ( USU) is a public Land-grant university whose main campus is located in Logan Utah. The Mountain West Conference (or MWC) the youngest of the College athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA ’s Division I FBS (I-A officially Utah State University ( USU) is a public Land-grant university whose main campus is located in Logan Utah. The University of Utah (referred to locally as ' The U' or ' the U of U') is a publicly funded Research university in Salt Lake The Mountain West Conference (or MWC) the youngest of the College athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA ’s Division I FBS (I-A officially History Brigham Young has the most wins in the series with 21 followed by Utah with 10 and Utah State with 6 Joseph Kearney (1980-1994)
- Karl Benson (1994-present)
Awards
Commissioner's Cup: The WAC awards its Commissioner's Cup to the school that performs the best in each of the conference's 19 men's and women's championships. Dr Joseph L “Joe” Kearney (born 28 April, 1927 in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania) is a renowned coach and sports administrator in university athletics
Stan Bates Award: The award is named in honor of former WAC Commissioner Stan Bates and honors the WAC's top male and female scholar-athletes, recognizing the recipients’ athletic and academic accomplishments. In addition, the awards carry a $2,000 postgraduate scholarship.
Joe Kearney Award: Named in honor of former WAC commissioner Dr. Joseph Kearney, the awards are given annually to the top male and female WAC athlete. Dr Joseph L “Joe” Kearney (born 28 April, 1927 in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania) is a renowned coach and sports administrator in university athletics The WAC Athletics Directors select the male award winner, while the WAC Senior Woman Administrators choose the female honoree.
National championships
The following teams have won NCAA national championships while being a member of the WAC:
- Arizona - baseball (1976)
- Arizona State - baseball (1965, 1967, 1969, 1977)
- BYU - women's cross country (1997)
- Fresno State - softball (1998)
- Rice - baseball (2003)
- UNLV - men's golf (1998)
- University of Hawaii - women's volleyball (1982, 1983, 1987)
The WAC has also produced one AP national champion in football:
- BYU (1984)
Football Bowl Games
The WAC regularly sends teams to three different bowl games. The National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA, often pronounced "N-C-Double-A" is a voluntary association of about 1200 institutions conferences organizations The University of Arizona (also referred to as UA, U of A, or Arizona) is a Land-grant and space-grant public institution Arizona State University ( ASU) is the largest public Research university in the United States under a single administration with total student California State University Fresno, commonly referred to as Fresno State and even plainly State, is one of the campuses of California State University William Marsh Rice University (commonly called Rice University and opened in 1912 as The William Marsh Rice Institute for the Advancement of Letters Science and Art The University of Hawaii, formally the University of Hawaii System and popularly known as UH, is a public co-educational college and university system that confers History The early years Football made a brief appearance at Brigham Young Academy in 1896 but was discontinued in 1903 The Hawaiʻi Bowl, the Humanitarian Bowl, and the New Mexico Bowl. The Hawaii Bowl is a post-season National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I-A College football Bowl game that has been played annually The Humanitarian Bowl is a post-season NCAA -sanctioned Division I FBS College football Bowl game that has been played annually at 30000-seat The New Mexico Bowl is a NCAA sanctioned post-season Bowl game played at University Stadium on the campus of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque The conference even has the opportunity to send a team to a BCS game, and did so in 2006 with Boise State and 2007 with Hawaiʻi. The 2006 NCAA Division I FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision football season, or the College football season began on August 31 The 2006 Boise State Broncos football team represented Boise State University in the 2006 college football season. The 2007 NCAA Division I FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision football season, or the College football season began on August The 2007 Hawaii Warriors football team represented the University of Hawai{{okina}}i at Mānoa in the 2007 NCAA Division I-Bowl Subdivision college football season
Bowl Championship Series
The WAC champion will receive an automatic berth in one of the five BCS bowl games if:
- ranked in the top 12 of the BCS Standings. (Both Boise State in 2006 and Hawaiʻi in 2007 qualified under this criterion. )
- Or if ranked in the top 16 of the BCS Standings and its ranking is higher than that of a champion of a conference that has an annual automatic berth in one of the BCS bowls.
Hawaiʻi Bowl
The bowl will select a WAC team and will match it against a C-USA opponent. The Hawaii Bowl is a post-season National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I-A College football Bowl game that has been played annually Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States.
Humanitarian Bowl
The bowl will select a WAC team and will match it against an ACC opponent. The Humanitarian Bowl is a post-season NCAA -sanctioned Division I FBS College football Bowl game that has been played annually at 30000-seat The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC is a collegiate athletic league in the United States.
New Mexico Bowl
The bowl will select a WAC team and will match it against a Mountain West Conference opponent. The New Mexico Bowl is a NCAA sanctioned post-season Bowl game played at University Stadium on the campus of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque The Mountain West Conference (or MWC) the youngest of the College athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA ’s Division I FBS (I-A officially
Conference championships
Football
Basketball
WAC Men's Basketball Tournament
WAC Women's Basketball Tournament
External links
Past Western Athletic Conference football champions WAC Football Championship Games (1996-1998 The Western Athletic Conference staged The Western Athletic Conference has held a postseason tournament to crown a men's basketball champion every year since 1984 The Western Athletic Conference has held a postseason tournament to crown a women's basketball champion every year since 1991Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic