Pacific West Conference

This article is about the current NCAA Division II conference. For the former NCAA Division I women's sports conference that briefly used this name, see Western Collegiate Athletic Association. For other uses, see PacWest.

Pacific West Conference (PacWest)
Pacific West Conference logo
Established	1992
Association	NCAA
Division	Division II
Members	14
Sports fielded	15 (men's: 7; women's: 8)
Region	Pacific States
Headquarters	Newport Beach, California
Commissioner	Bob Hogue (since 2007)
Website	www.thepacwest.com
Locations

The Pacific West Conference (also known as the PacWest) is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II level. Member institutions are located in California, Utah, and Hawaii.

The conference sponsors the following sports: baseball/softball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis and track and field for both men and women; and volleyball for women only. The newest PacWest sports are men's tennis and women's golf, both added in 2012-13.

History

The PacWest was formed in 1992 when the Great Northwest Conference (a men's conference) merged with the Continental Divide Conference (a women's conference containing some of the same members), in response to the departures of several members and new NCAA legislation requiring conferences to have at least six members. In addition, some Hawaii-based colleges joined the new conference.

At one point the conference expanded to 16 members, but in 2001, member schools from Washington, Alaska, California, and Oregon left to form the new Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

With the departure of the final two mainland members, Montana State University-Billings and Western New Mexico University, to join the Heartland Conference in 2005, the four Hawaii universities played one season as “independents” after receiving a waiver from the NCAA to keep the conference in name, while searching for new members, because in order to be eligible for conference membership in the NCAA, a conference must consist of a minimum of six member institutions who sponsor at least ten sports, with two team sports for each gender.

New PacWest Conference

To comply with conference membership regulations, Hawaii Pacific (HPU), Chaminade, BYU–Hawai‘i and Hawai‘i–Hilo added new sports to their programs. In July 2005, the Pacific West Conference voted to admit Notre Dame de Namur University as a provisional member, as it moved from the NAIA to the NCAA Division II. Grand Canyon University, formerly an NCAA D-II Independent, also joined the conference, returning the Pacific West Conference to full conference status with six members. Dixie State College joined the conference for the 2007-08 season.1 In 2008, it was announced that Academy of Art University would join the conference in the 2009-2010 Season as the conference's 8th member. In 2009 it was announced that Dominican University of California would join the conference in the 2009-2010 season as the conference's 9th member. That same year, the conference announced it would sponsor baseball as its 11th sport, with Hawaii Pacific University, University of Hawaii-Hilo, Dixie State College of Utah, and Grand Canyon University competing on a Division II level.

Recent expansion

The conference began expansion in 2010 when the PacWest invited California Baptist University, from the NAIA's premier Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) to join the conference beginning with the 2011-2012 school year. On June 1, 2011, the conference announced the additions of Azusa Pacific University, Fresno Pacific University and Point Loma Nazarene University, all members of the GSAC, which will begin Pacific West Conference play during the 2012-2013 season. Holy Names University was also added to the PacWest in 2011, but did not begin the NCAA Division II membership process from the NAIA until July 13, 2012. As part of the transition process from NAIA to NCAA Holy Names remains ineligible for NCAA postseason play through 2015-16.

On November 27, 2012, Grand Canyon announced it would leave the PacWest after the 2012–13 school year to accept an invitation to join the Division I Western Athletic Conference.

Membership

Current members

Institution	Location	Founded	Enrollment	Nickname	Colors	Joined
Academy of Art University	San Francisco, California	1929	16,000	Urban Knights		2009
Azusa Pacific University	Azusa, California	1899	8,539	Cougars		2012
Brigham Young University–Hawai'i	Laie, Hawai'i	1955	2,400	Seasiders		1992
California Baptist University	Riverside, California	1950	7,144	Lancers		2011
Chaminade University of Honolulu	Honolulu, Hawai'i	1955	2,836	Silverswords		1992
Concordia University–Irvine	Irvine, California	1976	2,564	Eagles		2015
Dixie State University	St. George, Utah	1911	8,570	Red Storm		2007
Dominican University of California	San Rafael, California	1890	2,125	Penguins		2009
Fresno Pacific University	Fresno, California	1944	3,700	Sunbirds		2012
Hawai'i Pacific University	Honolulu, Hawai'i	1965	9,000	Sharks		1992
University of Hawai'i at Hilo	Hilo, Hawai'i	1941	3,800	Vulcans		1992
Holy Names University	Oakland, California	1868	1,331	Hawks		2012
Notre Dame de Namur University	Belmont, California	1851	1,967	Argonauts		2005
Point Loma Nazarene University	San Diego, California	1902	3,487	Sea Lions		2012

• Reclassifying member in yellow.
• Brigham Young–Hawai'i — will discontinue athletics in 2017.

Pending members

Institution	Location	Founded	Enrollment	Nickname	Colors	Joins
Biola University	La Mirada, California	1908	5,942	Eagles		unknown

• Biola — submitting membership application in 2016.

Affiliate members

Institution	Location	Founded	Enrollment	Nickname	Colors	Joined	Sport	Primary Conference
California State University, Los Angeles	Los Angeles, California	1947	21,051	Golden Eagles		2014	tennis (W)	California Collegiate
California State University, Stanislaus	Turlock, California	1957	8,836	Warriors		2014	tennis (W)	California Collegiate
Sonoma State University	Rohnert Park, California	1960	8,769	Seawolves		2013	tennis (M); tennis (W)	California Collegiate

Former members

Institution	Location	Founded	Nickname	Joined	Left	Current Conference
University of Alaska Fairbanks	Fairbanks, Alaska	1917	Nanooks	1992	2001	Great Northwest
University of Alaska Anchorage	Anchorage, Alaska	1954	Seawolves	1992	2001	Great Northwest
Central Washington University	Ellensburg, Washington	1891	Wildcats	1998	2001	Great Northwest
Grand Canyon University	Phoenix, Arizona	1949	Antelopes	2005	2013	Western Athletic (NCAA D-I)
Humboldt State University	Arcata, California	1913	Lumberjacks	1998	2001	California Collegiate
Montana State University Billings	Billings, Montana	1927	Yellowjackets	1992	2005	Great Northwest
Northwest Nazarene University	Nampa, Idaho	1913	Crusaders	1999	2001	Great Northwest
Saint Martin's University	Lacey, Washington	1895	Saints	1998	2001	Great Northwest
Seattle Pacific University	Seattle, Washington	1891	Falcons	1992	2001	Great Northwest
Simon Fraser University	Burnaby, British Columbia	1965	Clan	1998	1999	Great Northwest
Western New Mexico University	Silver City, New Mexico	1893	Mustangs	1998	2005	Rocky Mountain (Lone Star in 2016)
Western Oregon University	Monmouth, Oregon	1856	Wolves	1998	2001	Great Northwest
Western Washington University	Bellingham, Washington	1893	Vikings	1998	2001	Great Northwest

Membership timeline

 Full member (all sports)   Full member (non-football)   Associate member (football-only)   Associate member (sport) 

National championships

BYU-Hawaii

• Men's Tennis (2002, 2003)
• Women's Tennis (1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007)
• Women's Volleyball (1999, 2002)

Grand Canyon

• Men's Soccer (1996)
• Men's Indoor Track & Field (2012)

Hawaii Pacific

• Women's Volleyball (1998, 2000)
• Softball (2010)

Sports

Conference sports

Sport	Men's	Women's
Baseball	Y
Basketball	Y	Y
Cross Country	Y	Y
Golf	Y	Y
Soccer	Y	Y
Softball		Y
Tennis	Y	Y
Track & Field Outdoor	Y	Y
Volleyball		Y

Men's sponsored sports by school

School	Baseball	Basketball	Cross Country	Golf	Soccer	Tennis	Track & Field Outdoor	Total PWC Sports
Academy of Art	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y		Y	6
Azusa Pacific	Y	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	6
Brigham Young-Hawai'i		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y		5
California Baptist	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y		Y	6
Chaminade		Y	Y	Y	Y			4
Concordia-Irvine	Y	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	6
Dixie State	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y			5
Dominican		Y	Y	Y	Y			4
Fresno Pacific	Y	Y	Y		Y		Y	5
Hawai'i Pacific	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y		6
Hawai'i-Hilo	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y		5
Holy Names	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y		6
Notre Dame de Namur		Y	Y	Y	Y			4
Point Loma Nazarene	Y	Y			Y	Y		4
Totals	10	14	12	10	14	7	5	72
Pending Members
Biola	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	7
Affiliate Members
Sonoma State						Y		1

Women's sponsored sports by school

School	Basketball	Cross Country	Golf	Soccer	Softball	Tennis	Track & Field Outdoor	Volleyball	Total PWC Sports
Academy of Art	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	8
Azusa Pacific	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	7
Brigham Young-Hawai'i	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y		Y	6
California Baptist	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y		Y	Y	7
Chaminade	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y		Y	6
Concordia-Irvine	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	7
Dixie State	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y		Y	7
Dominican	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y		Y	7
Fresno Pacific	Y	Y		Y			Y	Y	5
Hawai'i Pacific	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y		Y	7
Hawai'i-Hilo	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y		Y	7
Holy Names	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y		Y	7
Notre Dame de Namur	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y		Y	6
Point Loma Nazarene	Y	Y	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	7
Totals	14	14	8	14	12	12	6	14	94
Pending Members
Biola	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	8
Affiliate Members
California State-Los Angeles						Y			1
California State-Stanislaus						Y			1
Sonoma State						Y			1

Other sponsored sports by school

School		Men								Women
		Football	Lacrosse	Swimming & Diving	Track & Field Indoor	Volleyball ‡	Water Polo ‡	Wrestling		Beach Volleyball ‡	Swimming & Diving	Track & Field Indoor	Water Polo ‡
Academy of Art					IND							IND
Azusa Pacific		GNAC			IND						PCSC	IND	GCC
California Baptist				RMAC		MPSF	WWPA	RMAC			RMAC		GCC
Concordia-Irvine				PCSC	IND	IND	IND			IND	PCSC	IND	GCC
Dixie State		GNAC
Fresno Pacific				PCSC			WWPA				PCSC		GCC
Holy Names						IND
Notre Dame de Namur			IND
Pending Members
Biola				PCSC	IND						PCSC	IND

• ^‡ — D-I sport
• PCSC — Pacific Collegiate Swim and Dive Conference
• Dixie State (RMAC)/(PCSC) — Football joins the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in 2016; Swimming & Diving (W) begins play in 2016.

Conference facilities

Team	Basketball Arena	Capacity
Academy of Art	Kezar Pavilion	4,000
Azusa Pacific	Felix Events Center	3,500
BYU–Hawai'i	Cannon Activities Center	4,500
California Baptist	Van Dyne Gymnasium	1,200
Chaminade	McCabe Gymnasium	2,800
Concordia-Irvine	CU Arena	2,400
Dixie State	Burns Arena	4,869
Dominican	Conlan Center	1,285
Fresno Pacific	Fresno Pacific University Special Events Center	1,500
Hawai'i Pacific	Blaisdell Center St. Andrew's Priory	7,500 530
Hawai'i–Hilo	Afook-Chinen Civic Center	3,800
Holy Names	Tobin Gymnasium	300
Notre Dame de Namur	Walter Gleasen Gym	800
Point Loma Nazarene	Golden Gym	1,600

External links

• Official website