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Western Athletic Conference

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Western Athletic Conference
AssociationNCAA
FoundedJuly 27, 1962; 62 years ago (1962-07-27)
CommissionerRebekah Ray (interim commissioner) (since Oct 11th)
Sports fielded
  • 20
    • men's: 10
    • women's: 10
DivisionDivision I
SubdivisionNon-football
No. of teams9 (8 in 2025, 7 in 2026)
HeadquartersArlington, Texas
RegionSouthwestern United States
Pacific Northwest
Official websitewww.wacsports.com
Locations
Location of teams in

The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) is an NCAA Division I conference. The WAC covers a broad expanse of the western United States with member institutions located in Arizona, California, Texas, Utah and Washington.

Due to most of the conference's football-playing members leaving the WAC for other affiliations, the conference discontinued football as a sponsored sport after the 2012–13 season, left the NCAA's Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly known as Division I-A) and became one of the NCAA's eleven Division I non-football conferences.[1] The WAC thus became the first Division I conference to drop football since the Big West in 2000. The WAC then added men's soccer. The WAC underwent a major expansion on July 1, 2021, with four schools joining. The conference reinstated football at that time, competing in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). One year later, on July 1, 2022, one FCS football school (Lamar) and one non-football school (Chicago State) left, and one FCS football school (Southern Utah) and one non-football school (UT Arlington) joined.[2][3][4][5][6] The WAC again became a non-football conference in 2023, when the WAC and the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) merged their FCS football leagues as the United Athletic Conference.

Members

[edit]

Existing full members

[edit]

These institutions are the existing full members of the Western Athletic Conference:

  Members departing for the West Coast Conference in 2025 (Seattle) and the Mountain West Conference in 2026 (Grand Canyon).

Institution Location Founded Joined Type Enrollment Endowment

(Millions)

Nickname Colors
Abilene Christian University Abilene, Texas 1906 2021 Private
(Churches of Christ) 		6,730[7] $824 Wildcats    
California Baptist University Riverside, California 1950 2018 Private
(Baptist) 		11,491[8] $119.1 Lancers    
Grand Canyon University Phoenix, Arizona 1949 2013 Private For-Profit
(Non-denominational) 		103,427[a] $21.6 Antelopes      
Seattle University Seattle, Washington 1891 2012 Private
(Jesuit) 		7,755 $241.2 Redhawks    
Southern Utah University Cedar City, Utah 1897 2022 Public 15,000[9] $29.9[10] Thunderbirds    
Tarleton State University
(Tarleton) 		Stephenville, Texas 1899 2020 Public
(TAMUS) 		13,996[11] $42 Texans    
University of Texas at Arlington
(UT Arlington) 		Arlington, Texas 1895 2012; 2022[b] Public
(UTS) 		42,863[12] $218[13] Mavericks      
Utah Tech University[c] St. George, Utah 1911 2020 Public 12,650 $16.3 Trailblazers      
Utah Valley University Orem, Utah 1941 2013 Public 41,728 $84.1 Wolverines    
Notes
  1. ^ Includes online students. On-campus enrollment is about 25,300.
  2. ^ UT Arlington was a non-football member in 2012–13 before rejoining the conference in 2022–23.
  3. ^ In May 2022, Dixie State University's name transitioned to "Utah Tech University".[14]


Affiliate members

[edit]

These nine schools field programs in the WAC for sports not sponsored by their primary conferences:

Institution Location Founded Type Enrollment Nickname Primary
conference 		WAC
sport(s) 		Joined Former
full
member
United States Air Force Academy
(Air Force)[a][b] 		USAF Academy, Colorado[c] 1955 Federal 4,413 Falcons Mountain West Men's soccer,
men's swimming 		2013–14m.soc
2013–14m.sw 		Yes
California State University, Sacramento
(Sacramento State)[d] 		Sacramento, California 1947 Public 27,972 Hornets Big Sky Baseball 2005–06 No
University of Idaho Moscow, Idaho 1889 Public 12,312 Vandals Big Sky Women's swimming 2014–15 Yes
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
(UNLV)[a][b] 		Las Vegas, Nevada[e] 1957 Public 29,069 Rebels Mountain West Men's soccer,
men's swimming 		2013–14m.soc
2013–14m.sw 		Yes
New Mexico State University Las Cruces, New Mexico 1888 Public 21,694 Aggies Conference USA Women's swimming 2023–24[17] Yes
Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, Arizona 1899 Public 18,824 Lumberjacks Big Sky Women's swimming 2004–05 No
University of Northern Colorado[f] Greeley, Colorado 1889 Public 10,097 Bears Big Sky Women's swimming 2012–13 No
San Diego State University San Diego, California 1897 Public 28,789 Aztecs Mountain West
(Pac-12 in 2026) 		Men's soccer 2024–25 Yes
San Jose State University[a] San Jose, California 1857 Public 30,448 Spartans Mountain West Men's soccer 2013–14 Yes
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
(UTRGV) 		Edinburg, Texas 2013[g] Public
(UTS) 		32,419[20] Vaqueros Southland Men's soccer,
women's swimming 		2024–25 Yes
University of Wyoming[b] Laramie, Wyoming 1886 Public 12,496 Cowboys Mountain West Men's swimming 2013–14 Yes
Notes
  1. ^ a b c Four schools became affiliate members in men's soccer in July 2013; the WAC announced on January 9, 2013 that it would reinstate the sport, which it had sponsored from 1996 to 1999. Because the conference previously dropped football, it was necessary to add a new men's team sport to maintain its Division I status. It chose men's soccer because three of the confirmed members for 2013–14 (CSU Bakersfield, Grand Canyon, and Seattle) already sponsored the sport, and filled out its soccer ranks by attracting four schools from the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. Three of these schools have past WAC connections—former full members Air Force, UNLV, and San Jose State.[15] After the WAC announced it would add men's soccer, the conference gained an eighth soccer school for the 2013 season when UMKC, which already sponsored the sport, joined. In addition, Utah Valley added the sport for 2014, UT-Pan American (later known as UT Rio Grande Valley) added it for 2015, and Chicago State was slated to add it for 2016 but did not do so until 2020 (by which time UMKC returned to the Summit League under its athletic identity of Kansas City).
  2. ^ a b c Four schools (three of which are former WAC full members: Air Force, UNLV, and Wyoming; and North Dakota) became affiliate members in men's swimming and diving in July 2013; the WAC announced on May 16, 2013 that it would reinstate the sport, which it had sponsored from 1962 to 2000.[16]
  3. ^ Virtually all of the Academy grounds, including the cadet area and all athletic facilities, is outside the Colorado Springs city limits. The U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Postal Service respectively designate the Academy as "Air Force Academy" and "USAF Academy".
  4. ^ Sacramento State was formerly an associate member of the WAC in baseball from 1992–93 to 1995–96.
  5. ^ The UNLV campus is outside of the Las Vegas city limits in the unincorporated community of Paradise. The U.S. Postal Service considers all unincorporated areas in the Las Vegas Valley, including Paradise, to have a Las Vegas address.
  6. ^ Northern Colorado joined the WAC for baseball for the 2014 spring season (2013–14 school year).[18] The baseball team left for the Summit League after the 2021 spring season (2020–21 school year);[19] but the school remains a WAC affiliate in women's swimming & diving.
  7. ^ While UTRGV was formally founded in 2013, with instruction starting in 2015, the athletic program traces its history through the University of Texas–Pan American (UTPA), which joined the WAC in 2013 and was one of the two institutions merged into UTRGV. The UTRGV athletic program inherited UTPA's Division I and WAC memberships.

Former full members

[edit]

The WAC has 34 former full members:

Institution Nickname Location Founded Type Enrollment Joined Left Current
primary
conference
United States Air Force Academy
(Air Force) 		Falcons USAF Academy, Colorado[a] 1954 Federal 4,413 1980 1999 Mountain West
University of Arizona Wildcats Tucson, Arizona 1885 Public 39,236 1962 1978 Big 12
Arizona State University Sun Devils Tempe, Arizona 1885 Public 59,794 1962 1978 Big 12
Boise State University Broncos Boise, Idaho 1932 Public 22,678 2001 2011 Mountain West
(Pac-12 in 2026)
Brigham Young University
(BYU) 		Cougars Provo, Utah 1875 Private 34,130 1962 1999 Big 12
California State University, Bakersfield Roadrunners Bakersfield, California 1965 Public 10,500 2013 2020 Big West
California State University, Fresno
(Fresno State) 		Bulldogs Fresno, California 1911 Public 22,565 1992 2012 Mountain West
(Pac-12 in 2026)
Chicago State University Cougars Chicago, Illinois 1867 Public
(TMCF) 		2,620[21] 2013 2022 NEC
Colorado State University Rams Fort Collins, Colorado 1870 Public 28,417 1968[b] 1999 Mountain West
(Pac-12 in 2026)
University of Denver Pioneers Denver, Colorado 1864 Private 11,476 2012 2013 Summit
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Rainbow Warriors &
Rainbow Wahine 		Honolulu, Hawaii 1907 Public 20,435 1979 2012 Big West
Mountain West
(football only;
full member in 2026)
University of Idaho Vandals Moscow, Idaho 1889 Public 12,312 2005 2014 Big Sky
University of Missouri–Kansas City
(Kansas City) 		Roos Kansas City, Missouri 1933 Public 16,944 2013 2020 Summit
Lamar University Cardinals/ Lady Cardinals Beaumont, Texas 1923 Public 16,191 2021 2022 SLC
Louisiana Tech University Bulldogs (men's)
Lady Techsters (women's) 		Ruston, Louisiana 1894 Public 11,581 2001 2013 CUSA
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
(UNLV) 		Rebels Las Vegas, Nevada[c] 1957 Public 28,203 1996 1999 Mountain West
University of Nevada, Reno Wolf Pack Reno, Nevada 1874 Public 18,227 2000 2012 Mountain West
University of New Mexico Lobos Albuquerque, New Mexico 1889 Public 35,211 1962 1999 Mountain West
New Mexico State University Aggies Las Cruces, New Mexico 1888 Public 21,694 2005 2023 CUSA
Rice University Owls Houston, Texas 1912 Private 6,082 1996 2005 The American
San Diego State University Aztecs San Diego, California 1897 Public 28,789 1978 1999 Mountain West
(Pac-12 in 2026)
Sam Houston State University Bearkats Huntsville, Texas 1879 Public 21,679 2021 2023 CUSA
San Jose State University Spartans San Jose, California 1857 Public 30,448 1996 2013 Mountain West
Southern Methodist University
(SMU) 		Mustangs Dallas, Texas[d] 1911 Private 12,000 1996 2005 ACC
Stephen F. Austin State University Lumberjacks & Ladyjacks Nacogdoches, Texas 1923 Public
(UTS) 		11,946[22] 2021 2024 SLC
Texas Christian University
(TCU) 		Horned Frogs Fort Worth, Texas 1873 Private 9,725 1996 2001 Big 12
University of Texas at El Paso
(UTEP) 		Miners El Paso, Texas 1914 Public 21,011 1968 2005 CUSA
(Mountain West in 2026)
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
(UTRGV) 		Vaqueros Edinburg, Texas 2013[e] Public
(UTS) 		32,419[23] 2013 2024 SLC
University of Texas at San Antonio
(UTSA) 		Roadrunners San Antonio, Texas 1969 Public 30,474 2012 2013 The American
Texas State University Bobcats San Marcos, Texas 1899 Public 34,229 2012 2013 Sun Belt
University of Tulsa Golden Hurricane Tulsa, Oklahoma 1894 Private 4,352 1996 2005 The American
University of Utah Utes Salt Lake City, Utah 1850 Public 32,388 1962 1999 Big 12
Utah State University Aggies Logan, Utah 1888 Public 28,796 2005 2013 Mountain West
(Pac-12 in 2026)
University of Wyoming Cowboys & Cowgirls Laramie, Wyoming 1866 Public 12,496 1962 1999 Mountain West
Notes
  1. ^ As noted previously, the Academy is outside of the Colorado Springs city limits, and is its own entity for both census and postal purposes.
  2. ^ The Colorado State men's basketball team joined the WAC a year after it became a full member for other sports (1969–70).
  3. ^ As noted previously, UNLV is outside of the Las Vegas city limits, but has a Las Vegas mailing address.
  4. ^ Virtually all of the SMU campus, including all athletic facilities, is in University Park, a city contained within the Dallas city limits. The U.S. Postal Service considers all locations in University Park to have a Dallas address.
  5. ^ While UTRGV was formally founded in 2013, with instruction starting in 2015, the athletic program traces its history through the University of Texas–Pan American (UTPA), which joined the WAC in 2013 and was one of the two institutions merged into UTRGV. The UTRGV athletic program inherited UTPA's Division I and WAC memberships.

Former affiliate members

[edit]
Institution Location Founded Type Enrollment Nickname Primary
conference 		WAC
sport(s) 		Joined Left
Boise State University Boise, Idaho 1932 Public 22,678 Broncos Mountain West
(Pac-12 in 2026) 		gymnastics 1990–91,
2012–13 		1992–93,
2012–13
California Polytechnic State University
(Cal Poly) 		San Luis Obispo, California 1901 Public 20,186 Mustangs Big West baseball 1994–95 1995–96
California State University, Bakersfield
(Cal State Bakersfield) 		Bakersfield, California 1965 Public 8,720 Roadrunners Big West[a] baseball,
women's swimming 		2012–13bs.
2012–13w.sm. 		2012–13bs.
2012–13w.sm.
California State University, Fullerton
(Cal State Fullerton) 		Fullerton, California 1959 Public 38,128 Titans Big West[b] gymnastics 2005–06 2010–11
California State University, Northridge
(Cal State Northridge) 		Northridge, California 1958 Public 38,310 Matadors Big West baseball 1992–93 1995–96
California State University, Sacramento
(Sacramento State) 		Sacramento, California 1947 Public 27,972 Hornets Big Sky[c] gymnastics 2005–06 2012–13
Dallas Baptist University Dallas, Texas 1898 Private 5,422 Patriots Lone Star[d][e] baseball 2012–13 2012–13
University of Denver Denver, Colorado 1864 Private 11,476 Pioneers Summit[f][g] gymnastics 2011–12 2011–12
Drury University Springfield, Missouri 1873 Private 5,474 Panthers Great Lakes Valley[d] men's soccer 1999–2000 1999–2000
Grand Canyon University Phoenix, Arizona 1949 Private,
For-profit 		17,650 Antelopes WAC[h] baseball 1994–95 1997–98
University of Hawaii at Hilo
(Hawaii–Hilo) 		Hilo, Hawaii 1901 Public 20,186 Vulcans Pacific West[d] baseball 1999–2000 2000–01
Houston Christian University[i] Houston, Texas 1960 Private 2,567 Huskies Southland Men's soccer 2013–14 2023-24
University of the Incarnate Word San Antonio, Texas 1881 Private 8,455 Cardinals Southland Men's soccer 2014–15 2022-23
University of North Dakota Grand Forks, North Dakota 1883 Public 15,250 Fighting Hawks Summit[j] baseball,
men's swimming,
women's swimming 		2013–14bs.
2013–14m.sm.
2011–12w.sm. 		2015–16bs.
2016–17m.sm.
2016–17w.sm.
University of Northern Colorado[k] Greeley, Colorado 1889 Public 10,097 Bears Big Sky[l] baseball 2013–14 2020–21
University of San Diego San Diego, California 1949 Private 8,105 Toreros West Coast[m] women's swimming 2004–05 2009–10
Southern Utah University Cedar City, Utah 1897 Public 8,297 Thunderbirds WAC[n][o] gymnastics 1990–91,
2005–06 		1992–93,
2012–13
Notes
  1. ^ Cal State–Bakersfield was a full WAC member from 2013–14 to 2019–20.
  2. ^ Cal State–Fullerton no longer sponsors women's gymnastics.
  3. ^ The Big Sky Conference does not sponsor women's gymnastics. Sacramento State houses that sport in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.
  4. ^ a b c Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
  5. ^ Dallas Baptist baseball competes as a single-sport member of Conference USA.
  6. ^ The Summit League does not sponsor women's gymnastics. Denver houses that sport in the Big 12 Conference.
  7. ^ Denver was a full WAC member for the 2012–13 school year.
  8. ^ Grand Canyon has been a full WAC member since the 2013–14 school year, but will leave the conference for the West Coast Conference in 2025.
  9. ^ As of September 2022, Houston Baptist University's name transitioned to "Houston Christian University" and will play under that name, including the shorthand "Houston Christian" effectively immediately.[24]
  10. ^ North Dakota no longer sponsors any of the sports it housed in the WAC.
  11. ^ Northern Colorado remains in the WAC as an affiliate in women's swimming & diving.
  12. ^ Northern Colorado baseball joined the Summit League after the 2021 spring season (2020–21 school year).
  13. ^ The WCC does not sponsor women's swimming and diving. San Diego houses that sport in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.
  14. ^ Southern Utah has been a full WAC member since the 2022–23 school year.
  15. ^ SUU women's gymnastics currently competes as an independent following the demise of the Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference at the end of the 2022–23 season.

Membership timeline

[edit]
Southland ConferenceStephen F. Austin State UniversityConference USASam Houston State UniversitySouthland ConferenceLamar UniversityAbilene ChristianTarleton State UniversityUtah TechDixie StateCalifornia Baptist UniversityUtah Valley UniversitySummit LeagueUMKCSouthland ConferenceUTRGVUT–Pan AmericanNortheast ConferenceNCAA Division I independent schoolsChicago StateBig West ConferenceCal State BakersfieldWest Coast ConferenceSeattle UniversitySun Belt ConferenceUT ArlingtonSun Belt ConferenceTexas State UniversityAmerican Athletic ConferenceConference USAUniversity of Texas at San AntonioSummit LeagueUniversity of DenverConference USANew Mexico State UniversityBig Sky ConferenceUniversity of IdahoPac-12 ConferenceMountain West ConferenceUtah State UniversityConference USALouisiana Tech UniversityMountain West ConferenceUniversity of Nevada, RenoMountain West ConferenceSan Jose StateAmerican Athletic ConferenceConference USAUniversity of TulsaAtlantic Coast ConferenceAmerican Athletic ConferenceConference USASouthern Methodist UniversityAmerican Athletic ConferenceConference USARice UniversityBig 12 ConferenceMountain West ConferenceConference USATexas Christian UniversityMountain West ConferenceUNLVMountain West ConferenceGrand Canyon UniversityPac-12 ConferenceMountain West ConferenceFresno StateSouthern Utah UniversityBig Sky ConferenceNCAA Division I FCS independent schoolsPac-12 ConferenceMountain West ConferenceBoise StateBig West ConferenceMountain West ConferenceUnited States Air Force AcademyMountain West ConferenceBig West ConferenceUniversity of Hawaiʻi at MānoaPac-12 ConferenceMountain West ConferenceSan Diego State UniversityMountain West ConferenceConference USAUTEPPac-12 ConferenceMountain West ConferenceColorado State UniversityMountain West ConferenceUniversity of New MexicoMountain WestUniversity of WyomingBig 12 ConferencePac-12 ConferenceMountain West ConferenceUniversity of UtahBig 12 ConferenceWest Coast ConferenceMountain West ConferenceBYUBig 12 ConferencePac-12 ConferencePac-12 ConferenceArizona State UniversityBig 12 ConferencePac-12 ConferencePac-12 ConferenceUniversity of Arizona

Full members Full members (non-football) Other conference Other conference Associate members (non-football)

  • Prior to the 1996–97 season, both Air Force and Hawaii had most to all of their women's sports competing in other conferences before joining the WAC full-time with their men's sports counterparts. At that time, Air Force was in the Colorado Athletic Conference, and Hawaii was in the Big West Conference.
  • Since the 2021–22 season, the WAC has played football at the FCS level.

Map of the members

[edit]
Western Athletic Conference member locations
Map
About OpenStreetMaps
Maps: terms of use
300km
200miles
California
Baptist
Wyoming
San Jose
State
Northern
Colorado
Northern Arizona
UNLV
Idaho
San Diego
State
Sacramento
State
Air Force
New Mexico State
Utah Valley
Utah Tech
UT–Arlington
Tarleton
Southern
Utah
Seattle
Grand Canyon
.
Abilene
Christian
Locations:
full member
departing member
affiliate member

History

[edit]

Formation

[edit]
Western Athletic Conference is located in the United States
Arizona
Arizona
Arizona State
Arizona State
BYU
BYU
New Mexico
New Mexico
Utah
Utah
Wyoming
Wyoming
class=notpageimage|
Locations of WAC founding schools

The WAC formed out of a series of talks between Brigham Young University athletic director Eddie 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. Potential member universities who were represented at the meetings included BYU, Washington State, Oregon, Oregon State, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Arizona State, and Wyoming. 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. The Border and Skyline conferences, having each lost three of their stronger members, dissolved at the end of the 1961–62 season. The charter members of the WAC were Arizona, Arizona State, BYU, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. New Mexico State and Utah State applied for charter membership and were turned down; they would eventually become WAC members 43 years later.

Success and first expansion

[edit]

The conference proved to be an almost perfect fit for the six schools from both a competitive and financial standpoint. Arizona and Arizona State, in particular, experienced success in baseball with Arizona garnering the 1963 College World Series (CWS) runner-up trophy and ASU winning the CWS in 1965, 1967, and 1969. Colorado State and Texas–El Paso (UTEP), at that time just renamed from Texas Western College, were accepted in September 1967 (joined in July 1968) to bring membership up to eight.[25][26]

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. 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, Hawaii. The WAC further expanded by adding Air Force in the summer of 1980. A college football national championship won by Brigham Young in 1984 added to the WAC's reputation. This nine-team line-up of the WAC defined the conference for nearly 15 years.

Second wave of expansion

[edit]

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. 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.

Western Athletic Conference is located in the United States
⇙ Hawaii
⇙ Hawaii
Fresno State
Fresno State
San Diego State
San Diego State
San Jose State
San Jose State
UNLV
UNLV
Air Force
Air Force
Colorado State
Colorado State
Wyoming
Wyoming
BYU
BYU
New Mexico
New Mexico
Utah
Utah
UTEP
UTEP
Tulsa
Tulsa
TCU
TCU
SMU
SMU
Rice
Rice
class=notpageimage|
WAC member locations during the four-pod system (1996–1998)

In 1996, the WAC expanded again, adding six schools to its ranks for a total of sixteen. Rice, TCU, and SMU joined the league from the Southwest Conference, which had disbanded. Big West Conference members San Jose State and UNLV were also admitted, as well as Tulsa from the Missouri Valley Conference.[27] Also, two WAC members for men's sports at the time, Air Force and Hawaiʻi, brought their women's sports into the WAC. With the expansion, the WAC was divided into two divisions, the Mountain and the Pacific.

To help in organizing schedules and travel for the far-flung league, the members were divided into four quadrants of four teams each, as follows:[27]

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 Jose 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.[citation needed]

The division champions in football met from 1996 to 1998 in the WAC Championship Game, held at Sam Boyd Stadium (also known as the Silver Bowl) in the Las Vegas Valley.

Turbulence at the turn of the millennium

[edit]

Increasingly, most of the older, pre-1996 members—particularly Air Force, BYU, Colorado State, Utah, and Wyoming—felt chagrin at this new arrangement. Additional concerns centered around finances, as the expanded league stretched approximately 3,900 miles (6,300 km) from Hawaii to Oklahoma and covered nine states and four time zones. With such a far-flung league, travel costs became a concern. The presidents of Air Force, BYU, Colorado State, Utah, and Wyoming met in 1998 at Denver International Airport and agreed to split off to form a new league. The breakaway group invited old-line WAC schools New Mexico and San Diego State, and newcomer UNLV to join them in the new Mountain West Conference, which began competition in 1999.[27]

A USA Today article summed up the reasons behind the split. "With Hawaii and the Texas schools separated by about 3,900 miles and four time zones, travel costs were a tremendous burden for WAC teams. The costs, coupled with lagging revenue and a proposed realignment that would have separated rivals such as Colorado State and Air Force, created unrest among the eight defecting schools."[28][29]

BYU and Utah would later leave the MWC for the West Coast Conference and Pac-12 Conference, respectively; BYU joined the Big 12 Conference in 2023 while Utah followed in 2024.

WAC in the 2000s

[edit]
Western Athletic Conference is located in the United States
⇙ Hawaii
⇙ Hawaii
Fresno State
Fresno State
San Jose State
San Jose State
Boise State
Boise State
Louisiana Tech
Louisiana Tech
Idaho
Idaho
New Mexico State
New Mexico State
Utah State
Utah State
Nevada
Nevada
class=notpageimage|
Locations of WAC full members from 2005 through 2011

In 2000, the University of Nevada, Reno (Nevada) of the Big West joined as part of its plan to upgrade its athletic program.

TCU left for Conference USA in 2001 (it would later leave C-USA to become the ninth member of the Mountain West in 2005, and joined the Big 12 in 2012).

The Big West announced that it would drop football after the 2000 season, but four of its football-playing members (Boise State, Idaho, New Mexico State, and Utah State) were unwilling to drop football. Boise State was invited to join the WAC and promptly departed the Big West, while New Mexico State and Idaho joined the Sun Belt Conference (NMSU as a full member, Idaho as a "football only" member) and Utah State operated as an independent D-IA program. At the same time, Louisiana Tech (LA Tech) ended its independent Div. I-A status and also accepted an invitation to join the WAC with Boise State.

In 2005, Conference USA sought new members to replenish its ranks after losing members to the Big East, which had lost members to the ACC. Four WAC schools, former SWC schools Rice and SMU, as well as Tulsa and UTEP, joined Conference USA. In response, the WAC added Idaho, New Mexico State, and Utah State—all former Big West schools which left the conference in 2000 along with Boise State when that conference dropped football. The three new schools were all land grant universities, bringing the conference total to five (Nevada and Hawaii).

Membership changes and the elimination of football

[edit]
Main article: 2010–13 Western Athletic Conference realignment
See also: 2010–2014 NCAA conference realignment

The decade of the 2010s began with a series of conference realignment moves that would have trickle-down effects throughout Division I football, and profoundly change the membership of the WAC. Boise State decided to move to the Mountain West Conference (MWC) for the 2011–12 season,[30] and to replace departing BYU, the MWC also recruited WAC members Fresno State and Nevada for 2012–13.[31][32] WAC commissioner Karl Benson courted several schools to replace those leaving, including the University of Montana, which declined,[33][34] as well as the University of Denver, University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), and Texas State University-San Marcos, which all accepted effective 2012–13.[35]

But the resulting eastward shift of the conference's geographic center led Hawaii to reduce travel expenses by becoming a football-only member of the MWC and joining the California-based Big West Conference for all other sports.[36][37] Further invitations were then issued by the WAC to Seattle University[38] and the University of Texas at Arlington.[39] These changes meant that the conference would have 10 members for 2012–13,[40] seven of which sponsored football, and Benson announced that the WAC planned to add two additional football-playing members to begin competition in 2013.[41] A further boost came when Boise State decided to join the Big East in football, and return to the WAC in most other sports, as of the 2013–14 academic year.[42] So by the end of 2011, the WAC seemed to have weathered the latest round of conference changes, and once again reinvented itself for the future.

Western Athletic Conference is located in the United States
Chicago State
Chicago State
Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon
New Mexico State
New Mexico State
Seattle
Seattle
UTRGV
UTRGV
Utah Valley
Utah Valley
California Baptist
California Baptist
Utah Tech
Utah Tech
Tarleton State
Tarleton State
class=notpageimage|
Locations of current WAC full members:

But from this seemingly strong position, early 2012 brought forth a series of moves that shook the conference to its very core, beginning with Utah State and San Jose State accepting offers to join the MWC.[43] Four similar announcements followed with UTSA and Louisiana Tech jumping to Conference USA, plus Texas State and UT Arlington heading to the Sun Belt Conference, all as of 2013–14.[44][45][46][47][48][49] Boise State also canceled plans to rejoin the WAC, instead opting to place its non-football sports in the Big West Conference, before eventually deciding to simply remain in the MWC.[50][51] These changes left the WAC's viability as a Division I football conference in grave doubt. The two remaining football-playing members, New Mexico State and Idaho, began making plans to compete in future seasons as FBS Independents;[52][53] they ultimately spent only the 2013 season as independents, rejoining their one-time football home of the Sun Belt as football-only members in 2014.[54]

In order to rebuild, as well as forestall further defections, the conference was forced to add two schools—Utah Valley University and CSU Bakersfield—which were invited in October 2012 to join the WAC in 2013–14,[55] but this did not prevent two more members from leaving. Denver decided to take most of its athletic teams to The Summit League as of the 2013–14 season,[56] shortly after Idaho opted to return all of its non-football sports to the Big Sky Conference in 2014–15.[57] The conference responded over the next two months by adding Grand Canyon University,[58] Chicago State University,[59] and the University of Texas-Pan American.[60][61] Then, in February 2013, the WAC announced the University of Missouri–Kansas City would join in the summer of 2013 as well.[62] These changes would put the conference's membership at eight members by 2014 with only one, New Mexico State, having been in the WAC just three years earlier. Due to losing the majority of its football-playing members, the WAC would stop sponsoring the sport after the 2012–13 season, thereby becoming a non-football conference.[1]

In 2013, the University of Texas System announced that Texas–Pan American would merge with the University of Texas at Brownsville; the new institution, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), began operation for the 2015–16 school year. UTRGV inherited UTPA's athletic program and WAC membership.

In January 2017, California Baptist University announced it would transition from NCAA Division II and join the WAC in 2018.[63]

In November 2017, Cal State Bakersfield announced it would accept an invitation to the Big West and join its new conference in 2020.

In January 2019, Dixie State University, now known as Utah Tech University, announced it would move its athletics to Division I and join the WAC in 2020.

In June 2019, the University of Missouri–Kansas City announced it would leave the WAC to join the Summit League in 2020;[64] this announcement came shortly before the rebranding of its athletic program as the Kansas City Roos.[65]

In September 2019, Tarleton State University of Division II announced that it would move to Division I and join the WAC in 2020.[66]

2021–2025 membership changes and reinstatement of football

[edit]
See also: United Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference is located in the United States
Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon
Seattle
Seattle
UTRGV
UTRGV
Utah Valley
Utah Valley
Cal Baptist
Cal Baptist
Utah Tech
Utah Tech
Tarleton
Tarleton
ACU
ACU
SFA
SFA
S. Utah
S. Utah
UTA
UTA
class=notpageimage|
Locations of WAC full members beginning in 2023 (Blue: Pre-2021, Red: Joined in 2021; Yellow: Joined in 2022)

On January 14, 2021, the Western Athletic Conference announced its intention to reinstate football as a conference-sponsored sport at the FCS level, as well as the addition of five new members to the conference in all sports, including football, at a press conference held at the NRG Center in Houston, Texas.[2] The new members announced included four Southland Conference members from Texas in Abilene Christian University, Lamar University, Sam Houston State University, and Stephen F. Austin State University, which would soon be dubbed the "Texas Four",[4] plus Southern Utah University from the Big Sky Conference. The conference also announced that it would most likely add another member that fielded a football team at a later date. While the WAC originally announced that all new members would join on July 1, 2022, commissioner Jeff Hurd later said that the arrival of the Texas Four "was expedited" to July 1, 2021.[3] The conference officially confirmed this on January 21, 2021, adding that the relaunch of football was moved forward to fall 2021. The conference also confirmed media reports that the Southland had expelled the Texas Four after they announced their departure.[67][68] Southern Utah entered as scheduled in 2022.[3]

During the aforementioned press conference, Hurd also announced that the WAC would split into two divisions for all sports except football and men's and women's basketball. One division will consist of the six Texas schools (the Texas Four plus existing members Tarleton and UTRGV).[2]

Also on January 14, 2021, news broke that UTRGV, a non-football playing member of the conference, had committed to create an FCS football program by 2024. In addition, UTRGV will also launch women's swimming and diving for the same year.[69][70] The launch of football was later put off to 2025; it has since been confirmed that UTRGV football will become part of the new ASUN–WAC Football Conference (see below).

The WAC's planned reestablishment of a football conference at the FCS level has also been accompanied by speculation that the conference intends to eventually move its football league back up to FBS in the future, possibly by 2030.[71] Later that same month, the WAC moved the start of their FCS sponsorship of football to Fall 2021, with media reports indicating that the University of Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky University, and Jacksonville State University would be added as football affiliates for 2021. The three schools were set to join the ASUN Conference in July 2021; that league planned to add FCS football, but not until at least 2022.[72][73] The entry of the three incoming ASUN members into the new football league was officially confirmed at a February 23, 2021, ASUN press conference. These schools joined the Texas Four in a round-robin schedule officially branded interchangeably as the "ASUN–WAC Challenge" and "WAC–ASUN Challenge"; the two conferences proposed an amendment to NCAA bylaws that would allow their partnership (and presumably any others of its kind) to receive an immediate FCS playoff berth. Utah Tech (formerly Dixie State) and Tarleton are included in alliance members' schedules, but are not eligible for the FCS playoffs until completing their Division I transitions in 2024; at least for 2021, games involving those two schools did not count in alliance standings, although both were included in the separate WAC league table.[74][75]

On the same day as the WAC's initial announcement, Chicago State University announced it would leave the WAC in June 2022.[76] Chicago State was originally added in 2013 along with the University of Missouri–Kansas City, originally with an intention for both institutions to serve as anchors for a midwestern-centered division for the conference.[77] No other universities in the region were added to the WAC, and UMKC (now known for athletic purposes as Kansas City) departed the conference in 2020 for its former home of the Summit League. This left Chicago State, which does not sponsor football, as the only WAC member east of Texas. Chicago State's departure rendered Seattle University as the only WAC member institution not geographically located in the southwestern United States.

On November 5, 2021, it was reported that New Mexico State and Sam Houston would be leaving the WAC for Conference USA in 2023.[78] The WAC responded by adding Incarnate Word from the Southland Conference and UT Arlington from the Sun Belt Conference; however, UIW later reversed course and decided to stay with the SLC only days before the 2022-23 athletic season officially began.[79][80] Lamar also announced that it too would return to its former home of the Southland Conference in 2023 roughly three months prior to UIW's announcement, on April 8, 2022; however, three months later, it was announced that the SLC and Lamar would be accelerating the rejoining process so that Lamar could return for the 2022 athletic season instead.[81][82]

Jacksonville State and Sam Houston both started FBS transitions in the 2022 season, rendering both ineligible for the FCS playoffs and also dropping both the ASUN and WAC to 5 playoff-eligible football members, one short of the six required for an automatic playoff berth. This led the WAC and ASUN to renew their football partnership for the 2022 season.[83] Both conferences would hold their own 2022 football seasons; on June 10, 2022, the WAC announced that the two leagues would determine the alliance's automatic qualifier by a process that was not announced at that time.[84]

ESPN reported on December 9, 2022, that the WAC and ASUN had agreed to form a new football-only conference that planned to start play in 2024. The initial membership would consist of Abilene Christian, Southern Utah, Stephen F. Austin, Tarleton, and Utah Tech from the WAC, plus Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, and North Alabama from the ASUN. UTRGV would become the 10th member upon its planned addition of football in 2025. The new football conference also reportedly plans to move "from what is currently known as FCS football to what is currently known as FBS football at the earliest practicable date."[85] On December 20, the two conferences jointly announced that they would fully merge their football leagues effective in 2023 under the tentative name of "ASUN–WAC Football Conference". The initial membership will be the aforementioned nine programs, with UTRGV becoming the tenth in 2025. The new football league will play a six-game schedule in 2023 before starting full round-robin conference play in 2024. Neither conference's announcement mentioned any plans to move to FBS.[86][87] On April 17, 2023, the football league announced its permanent name of United Athletic Conference.[88]

In March 2024, however, UTRGV announced they also would be departing for the Southland for the 2024-25 academic year.[89] Two months later, in May 2024, both Grand Canyon and Seattle announced they had accepted invitations to join the West Coast Conference, beginning in the 2025-26 academic year.[90] However, in November 2024, Grand Canyon declined the invitation to join the West Coast Conference after receiving an invite to join the Mountain West Conference. GCU will join the Mountain West no later than July 1, 2026

Commissioners

[edit]
Years Commissioners
1962–1968 Paul Brechler
1968–1971 Wiles Hallock
1971–1980 Stan Bates
1980–1994 Joseph Kearney
1994–2012 Karl Benson
2012–2021 Jeff Hurd
2022–present Brian Thornton

Sports

[edit]

The Western Athletic Conference currently sponsors championship competition in 9 men's and 10 women's NCAA-sanctioned sports. Nine other schools are currently associate members in four sports.

Teams in Western Athletic Conference competition
Sport Men's Women's
Baseball
9
–
Basketball
9
9
Cross country
9
9
Golf
11
9
Soccer
10
8
Softball
–
9
Swimming & Diving
6
9
Tennis
4
6
Track and field (indoor)
7
7
Track and field (outdoor)
8
9
Volleyball
–
9

Men's sponsored sports by school

[edit]
School Baseball Basketball Cross
Country		 Golf Soccer Swimming
& Diving		 Tennis Track & Field
(Indoor)		 Track & Field
(Outdoor)		 Total
WAC Sports
Abilene Christian Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes 7
California Baptist Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes 7
Grand Canyon Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 9
Seattle Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 9
Southern Utah No Yes Yes Yes No No No Yes Yes 5
Tarleton Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No Yes Yes 5
UT Arlington Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes 7
Utah Tech Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No 5
Utah Valley Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes 7
Associate Members
Air Force Yes Yes 2
Sacramento State Yes 1
San Diego State Yes 1
San Jose State Yes 1
UNLV Yes Yes 2
UTRGV Yes 1
Wyoming Yes 1
Totals 8+1 9 9 9 5+5 3+3 4 7 8 61+9
Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the Western Athletic Conference which are played by WAC schools
School Football Volleyball Water Polo Wrestling
Abilene Christian UAC No No No
California Baptist No No WCC Big 12
Grand Canyon No MPSF No No
Southern Utah UAC No No No
Tarleton UAC No No No
Utah Tech UAC No No No
Utah Valley No No No Big 12

Women's sponsored sports by school

[edit]
School Basketball Cross
Country		 Golf Soccer Softball Swimming
& Diving		 Tennis Track & Field
(Indoor)		 Track & Field
(Outdoor)		 Volleyball Total
WAC Sports
Abilene Christian Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes 9
California Baptist Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes 8
Grand Canyon Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 10
Seattle Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 10
Southern Utah Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes 8
Tarleton Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes 9
UT Arlington Yes Yes Yes No Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes 8
Utah Tech Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes 9
Utah Valley Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes 8
Associate Members
Idaho Yes 1
New Mexico State Yes 1
Northern Arizona Yes 1
Northern Colorado Yes 1
UTRGV Yes 1
Totals 9 9 9 8 9 4+5 6 7 9 9 75+5
Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the Western Athletic Conference which are played by WAC schools
School Beach Volleyball Bowling Gymnastics Rowing Stunt[a] Water Polo
Abilene Christian Independent No No No No No
California Baptist No No No No Independent[91] GCC
Grand Canyon MPSF No No No No No
Seattle No No No WIRA No No
Southern Utah No No MPSF No No No
Tarleton C-USA No No No No No
  1. ^ Part of the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program.

Football

[edit]
Main articles: Western Athletic Conference football and United Athletic Conference

The WAC sponsored football from its founding in 1962 through the 2012 season. However, the defection of all but two football-playing schools to other conferences caused the conference to drop sponsorship after fifty-one years.[92]

Reinstatement

[edit]

On January 14, 2021, the WAC announced its intention to reinstate football as a conference-sponsored sport at the FCS level, as well as the addition of five new members to the conference in all sports, including football.[93] The new members announced include the "Texas Four" of Abilene Christian University, Lamar University, Sam Houston State University, and Stephen F. Austin State University, then members of the Southland Conference, along with Southern Utah University, currently of the Big Sky Conference. Originally, all schools were planned to join in July 2022, but the entry of the Texas Four was moved to July 2021 after the Southland expelled its departing members.[67] The WAC also announced that it would most likely add another football-playing institution at a later date.

On the same day, news broke that the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, a non-football playing WAC member, had committed to create an FCS football program by 2024.[94] The program will most likely compete as part of the newly-reinstated WAC football conference.

The WAC ultimately partnered with the ASUN Conference to reestablish its football league, with the Texas Four being joined by three incoming ASUN members for at least the fall 2021 season in what it calls the ASUN–WAC (or WAC–ASUN) Challenge.[74][75] The Challenge was abbreviated as "AQ7", as the top finisher of the seven teams would be an automatic qualifier for the FCS postseason.[95] The two conferences renewed their alliance for the 2022 season, although both leagues will conduct separate conference seasons and then choose the alliance's automatic qualifier by an as-yet-undetermined process. Both the WAC and ASUN initially planned to have 6 playoff-eligible teams in 2022, but each lost such a member with the start of FBS transitions by Jacksonville State and Sam Houston.

See also: 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season § Membership changes

The WAC has been speculated to move back up to FBS in the future following the reestablishment of the football conference at the FCS level.[96]

As noted previously, further conference realignment led to a full merger of the ASUN and WAC football leagues, with the new United Athletic Conference having started play in 2023.

Men's basketball

[edit]

  Members departing for the West Coast Conference in 2025.

Team First
season 		All-Time
record 		All-Time
win % 		NCAA DI Tournament
appearances 		NCAA DI Tournament
record 		Arena Head coach
Abilene Christian 1919 1245-1169 .516 2 1–2 Moody Coliseum Brette Tanner
California Baptist 2018 50-35 .588 0 0–0 CBU Events Center Rick Croy
Grand Canyon 2013 103-58 .639 2 1–3 Global Credit Union Arena Bryce Drew
Seattle 1946 978–874 .528 11 10–13 Redhawk Center Chris Victor
Tarleton State 2020 10-10 .500 0 0–0 Wisdom Gymnasium Billy Gillispie
UT Arlington 1959 809–1,013 .444 1 0–1 College Park Center K. T. Turner
Utah Tech 2020 8-13 .381 0 0–0 Burns Arena Jon Judkins
Utah Valley 2004[97] 234–194 .547 0 0–0 UCCU Center Todd Phillips[98]

WAC tournament

Main article: WAC men's basketball tournament

Rivalries

Men's basketball rivalries involving WAC teams include:

Teams Meetings Record Series Leader Current Streak
Utah Tech Utah Valley[99] 2 3-5 Utah Valley Utah Valley won 1
UT Arlington Texas State 80 41-39 UT Arlington Texas State won 3
UT Arlington Stephen F. Austin 65 34-31 UT Arlington UT Arlington won 2
UT Arlington North Texas 59 (since 1959) 33-26 North Texas North Texas won 5

Awards

Main article: Western Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year

Women's basketball

[edit]

  Members departing for the West Coast Conference in 2025.

Team First
season 		All-Time
record 		All-Time
win % 		NCAA DI Tournament
appearances 		NCAA DI Tournament
record 		Arena Head coach
Abilene Christian 1971 891–531 .627 1 0–1 Moody Coliseum Julie Goodenough
California Baptist 2018 60-28 .681 0 0–0 CBU Events Center Jarrod Olson
Grand Canyon 2013 143-113 .558 0 0–0 Global Credit Union Arena Molly Miller
Seattle 1978 640-685 .483 1 0–1 Redhawk Center Skyler Young
Tarleton State 2020 25-29 .463 0 0–0 Wisdom Gymnasium Misty Wilson
UT Arlington 1972 754–736 .506 3 0–3 College Park Center Shereka Wright
Utah Tech 2020 10-19 .345 0 0–0 Burns Arena J.D. Gustin
Utah Valley 2004 184–230 .444 1 0–1 UCCU Center Daniel Nielsen

WAC tournament

Main article: WAC women's basketball tournament

Rivalries

Women's basketball rivalries involving WAC teams include:

Teams Meetings Record Series Leader Current Streak
Utah Tech Utah Valley[100] 10 4-6 Utah Valley Utah Valley won 1
UT Arlington Texas State 79 37-42 Texas State UT Arlington won 3
UT Arlington Stephen F. Austin 70 21-49 Stephen F. Austin UT Arlington won 2
UT Arlington North Texas 61 31-30 UT Arlington UT Arlington won 2

Baseball

[edit]

The WAC has claimed seven NCAA baseball national championships. The most recent WAC national champion is the 2008 Fresno State Bulldogs baseball team.

WAC tournament

Main article: Western Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament

Championships

[edit]

Current champions

[edit]

Source:[101][102]

  • For the sports in which the WAC recognizes both regular-season and tournament champions:
    • (RS) indicates regular-season champion.
    • (T) indicates tournament champion.
  • For other sports, only a tournament champion is recognized.
  • Champions from a previous school year are indicated with the calendar year of their title.
Season Sport Men's champion Women's champion
Fall 2023 Cross country California Baptist Utah Valley
Soccer Seattle (RS)
California Baptist (T)		 Utah Valley (RS)
Grand Canyon (T)
Volleyball — Stephen F. Austin (RS)
Grand Canyon (T)
Winter 2023–24 Indoor Track & Field Southern Utah Grand Canyon
Swimming & Diving UNLV Northern Arizona
Basketball Grand Canyon (RS)
Grand Canyon (T, 2023)		 California Baptist (RS)
Southern Utah (T, 2023)
Spring 2023 Golf Grand Canyon Sam Houston
Tennis UT Arlington (RS & T) UT Arlington (RS)
Grand Canyon (T)
Softball — Utah Tech (RS)
Grand Canyon (T)
Outdoor Track & Field Grand Canyon New Mexico State
Baseball Grand Canyon (RS)
Sam Houston (T)		 —

National championships

[edit]

The following teams have won NCAA national championships while being a member of the WAC:

The WAC has also produced one AP national champion in football:

The following teams won AIAW (and forerunner DGWS) women's national championships while their universities were members of the WAC:

  • Arizona State (15) – swimming (8), badminton (4), softball (2), golf (1)
  • Utah (3) – cross country (Div. II), gymnastics, skiing
  • UTEP (1) – indoor track and field
See also: List of NCAA schools with the most NCAA Division I championships and List of NCAA schools with the most Division I national championships

Spending and revenue

[edit]

Total revenue includes ticket sales, contributions and donations, rights/licensing, student fees, school funds and all other sources including TV income, camp income, food and novelties. Total expenses includes coaching/staff, scholarships, buildings/ground, maintenance, utilities and rental fees and all other costs including recruiting, team travel, equipment and uniforms, conference dues and insurance costs.

Conference Rank (2022) National Rank (2022) Institution 2022 Total Revenue from Athletics[103] 2022 Total Expenses on Athletics[103]
1 144 California Baptist $35,409,150 $32,709,356
2 163 Grand Canyon $30,717,802 $30,717,802
3 201 Stephen F. Austin $24,962,955 $24,962,955
4 212 Abilene Christian $23,809,978 $23,809,978
5 228 Tarleton $22,035,629 $21,124,971
6 240 Seattle $21,090,915 $20,774,421
7 273 Utah Valley $17,485,442 $17,485,442
8 274 UT Arlington $17,403,161 $17,403,161
9 278 Southern Utah $16,543,527 $16,543,527
10 281 Utah Tech $16,367,376 $16,250,328
11 285 UTRGV $15,997,018 $15,997,018
Notes
Note 1 - Data from U.S. Department of Education Equity in Athletics Data Analysis Cutting Tool Database. Ranking based on revenue position in selection of records using NCAA Division I-FBS, NCAA Division I-FCS, and NCAA Division I without football criteria. (354 records were retrieved.) OPE Equity in Athletics Data Analysis Cutting Tool used in order to provide ranking for private institutions in the conference.
Note 2 - Non football programs
Note 3 - Stephen F. Austin departed the WAC in 2024
Note 4 - Reporting period is from midyear 2022 to midyear 2023

Facilities

[edit]

  Members departing for the West Coast Conference in 2025.

School Basketball arena Capacity Soccer stadium Capacity Softball park Capacity Baseball park Capacity
Abilene Christian Moody Coliseum 4,600 Elmer Gray Stadium 1,000 Poly Wells Field 1,000 Crutcher Scott Field 4,500
California Baptist Fowler Events Center 5,050[104] CBU Soccer Stadium[105] 500[106] John C. Funk Stadium 500[107] James W. Totman Stadium 800[107]
Grand Canyon Global Credit Union Arena 7,000[108] GCU Stadium 2,800 seats
6,000 cap. 		GCU Softball Stadium 300[109] Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark 1,500
Seattle Climate Pledge Arena
Redhawk Center 		18,100
999 		Championship Field 650 Logan Field at Seattle University Park 250 Bannerwood Park 700[110]
Southern Utah America First Event Center 5,300 Thunderbird Soccer Field 600 Kathryn Berg Field 300[111] Non-baseball school
Tarleton Wisdom Gym 2,400[112] Tarleton Soccer Complex[113] Not available Tarleton Softball Complex 500[114] Cecil Ballow Baseball Complex 750[115]
UT Arlington College Park Center 7,000 Non-soccer school Allan Saxe Field 622 Clay Gould Ballpark 1,600
Utah Tech Burns Arena 4,779[116] Greater Zion Stadium 10,000 Karl Brooks Field 1,000[117] Bruce Hurst Field 2,500[118]
Utah Valley UCCU Center 8,500 Clyde Field 1,000 Wolverine Field 500 UCCU Ballpark 5,000
Affiliate members
School Soccer stadium Capacity Baseball park Capacity
Air Force USAFA Soccer Stadium 1,000 Soccer-only member
UNLV Peter Johann Memorial Field 2,500
Sacramento State Baseball-only member John Smith Field* 1,200
San Diego State SDSU Sports Deck 1,500 Soccer-only member
San Jose State Spartan Soccer Field 500[119]
UTRGV UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex 1,555[120]

Awards

[edit]

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.

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. The various WAC member institutions Athletics Directors select the male award winner, while the WAC member institutions Senior Women's Administrators choose the female honoree.

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 $3,000 postgraduate scholarship.

Media

[edit]

WAC Digital Network

[edit]

In 2014–15, the WAC initiated a new digital network to give fans high quality streaming internet access to many of its regular season games and postseason championships including volleyball, soccer, swimming and diving, basketball, softball and baseball. [121]

References

[edit]
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