Pacific West Conference
| Pacific West Conference (PacWest) |
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|---|---|
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| Established | 1992 |
| Association | NCAA |
| Division | Division II |
| Members | 10 (13 in 2012) |
| Sports fielded | 11 (men's: 5; women's: 6) |
| Region | Pacific States |
| Headquarters | Honolulu, Hawaii |
| Commissioner | Bob Hogue (since 2007) |
| Website | thepacwest.com |
| Locations | |
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The Pacific West Conference (also known as the PacWest) is an intercollegiate college athletic conference affiliated with NCAA Division II. Member institutions are located in California, Arizona, Utah, and Hawaii.
The conference sponsors the following sports: Men's and Women's Basketball, Men's and Women's Cross Country, Men's and Women's Soccer, Men's Golf, Women's Tennis, Women's Volleyball and Softball. The PacWest will add men's tennis and women's golf in 2012-13.[1]
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[edit] 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 several member-departures and new NCAA legislation requiring conferences to have at least six members.[2]
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.[2]
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.
[edit] New PacWest Conference
To comply with conference membership regulations, HPU, Chaminade University, Brigham Young University Hawai‘i, and the University of 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 DII 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.[3] 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.[4]
[edit] 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.[5] 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,[1] which will begin Pacific West Conference play during the 2012-2013 season. As part of the transition process from NAIA to NCAA California Baptist is ineligible for NCAA post season play until 2013-14, while the 2011 additions are ineligible until 2014-15.[1]
[edit] Current members
The conference currently has 10 full members:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Type | Enrollment | Team Name | Year Joined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academy of Art University | San Francisco, California | 1929 | Private (For-profit) | 16,000 | Urban Knights | 2009 |
| Brigham Young University–Hawaii | Laie, Hawaii | 1955 | Private (LDS Church) | 2,400 | Seasiders | 2004 |
| California Baptist University* | Riverside, California | 1950 | Private (Baptist) | 4,715 | Lancers | 2011 |
| Chaminade University of Honolulu | Honolulu, Hawaii | 1955 | Private (Catholic) | 2,836 | Silverswords | 2004 |
| Dixie State College of Utah | St. George, Utah | 1911 | Public | 5,944 | Red Storm | 2007 |
| Dominican University of California | San Rafael, California | 1890 | Private (Catholic) | 2,125 | Penguins | 2009 |
| Grand Canyon University | Phoenix, Arizona | 1949 | Private (For-profit) | 25,000 | Antelopes | 2005 |
| University of Hawaii at Hilo | Hilo, Hawaii | 1941 | Public | 3,800 | Vulcans | 2004 |
| Hawaii Pacific University | Honolulu, Hawaii | 1965 | Private (Nonsectarian) | 9,000 | Sea Warriors | 2004 |
| Notre Dame de Namur University | Belmont, California | 1851 | Private (Catholic) | 1,600 | Argos | 2005 |
* Transitioning from NAIA, ineligible for NCAA postseason play.
[edit] Future members
| Institution | Location | Founded | Type | Enrollment | Team Name | Year Joined | Old Conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Azusa Pacific University | Azusa, California | 1899 | Private (Evangelical) | 8,539 | Cougars | 2012 | NAIA (GSAC) |
| Fresno Pacific University | Fresno, California | 1944 | Private (Mennonite) | 3,700 | Sunbirds | 2012 | NAIA (GSAC) |
| Point Loma Nazarene University | San Diego, California | 1902 | Private (Nazarene) | 3,487 | Sea Lions | 2012 | NAIA (GSAC) |
[edit] Former members
Simon Fraser was briefly a member for one season in 1998-99 before the university's NCAA bid was rejected.[2] Alaska, Alaska-Anchorage, Central Washington, Humboldt State, Northwest Nazarene, Saint Martin's, Seattle Pacific, Western Oregon, and Western Washington left in 2001 to form the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.[2] Montana-Billings and Western New Mexico left in 2005.[2]
[edit] National Championships
Brigham Young University-Hawaii
- Men's Tennis (2002, 2003)
- Women's Tennis (1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007)
- Women's Volleyball (1999, 2002)
Grand Canyon University
- Men's Soccer (1996)
Hawaii Pacific University
- Women's Volleyball (1998, 2000)
- Softball (2010)
[edit] Conference facilities
As of 2011.[6]
| Team | Basketball Arena | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Academy of Art University Urban Knights | Kezar Pavilion | 4,000 |
| Brigham Young University Hawaii Seasiders | Cannon Activities Center | 4,500 |
| California Baptist University Lancers | Van Dyne Gymnasium | 1,200 |
| Chaminade University of Honolulu Silverswords | McCabe Gymnasium | 2,800 |
| Dixie State College of Utah Red Storm | Burns Arena | 4,869 |
| Dominican University of California Penguins | Conlan Center | 1,285 |
| Grand Canyon University Antelopes | GCU Events Center | 5,000 |
| University of Hawai‘i at Hilo Vulcans | Afook-Chinen Civic Center | 3,800 |
| Hawai'i Pacific University Sea Warriors | Blaisdell Center St. Andrew's Priory |
7,500 530 |
| Notre Dame de Namur University Argonauts | Walter Gleasen Gym | 800 |
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Staff (June 2, 2011). "PacWest conference expands to 14 schools". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. http://www.staradvertiser.com/sports/sportsnews/20110602_PacWest_conference_expands_to_14_schools_.html. Retrieved June 2, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e "About the GNAC". Great Northwest Athletic Conference. http://www.gnacsports.com/about.htm. Retrieved June 2, 2011.
- ^ "PacWest adds Dominican University of California as 9th conference program". Pacific West Conference. June 12, 2009. http://www.pacificwestsports.org/general/News/PacWestaddsDominican. Retrieved June 2, 2011.
- ^ "PWC Adds Baseball". Pacific West Conference. 2008. http://www.pacificwestsports.org/sports/baseball/2008/news/PWCADDSBASEBALL.
- ^ Broughton, Bob (January 3, 2011). "Five Southern California schools headed for Division II". Courtesy Runner. http://courtesyrunner.com/home/item/15-division-ii?tmpl=component&print=1. Retrieved June 2, 2011.
- ^ "Members". Pacific West Conference. http://www.pacificwestsports.org/administration/members/index#Academy%20of%20Art%20(CA). Retrieved June 23, 2011.
[edit] External links
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