Western Athletic Conference History

On July 27, 1962, the WAC officially was organized by the Presidents’ Council when the original charter was signed, and the name Western Athletic Conference was adopted. Charter members were Arizona, Arizona State, Brigham Young, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. The two Arizona schools had been members of the Border Conference; the others were members of the Skyline.

The WAC began operation with the 1962-63 academic year, and several changes have occurred since. UTEP and Colorado State became members in September 1967, while Arizona and Arizona State withdrew on June 30, 1978. Other membership additions included San Diego State (July 1, 1978); Hawaii (July 1, 1979); Air Force (July 1, 1980); Fresno State (July 1, 1992); UNLV, Rice, San Jose State, SMU, TCU and Tulsa (July 1, 1996); and Nevada (July 1, 2000). Air Force, Brigham Young, Colorado State, UNLV, New Mexico, San Diego State, Utah and Wyoming withdrew on June 30, 1999. Boise State and Louisiana Tech became WAC members on July 1, 2001, while TCU withdrew following the 2000-01 season.

Tulsa, SMU, Rice and UTEP are scheduled to leave the WAC on June 30, 2005.  They will be replaced by New Mexico State University Aggies, Utah State University Aggies and the University of Idaho all from the Sun Belt Conference.

Far Western Football Conference History

The FWFC was a NCAA Division 2 Conference which started play in 1925.  The FWFC became the Northern California Athletic Conference in 1982 and ceased conference play after the 1996 season. The FWFC has included the following members over the years:  Fresno State, San Jose State, St. Mary's, UC Davis, Nevada, Pacific, Southern Oregon, CS - Chico, San Francisco State, Humbolt State, CS - Sacramento, Humbolt State, CS - Hayward, and Sonoma.

West Coast Conference History

The West Coast Athletic Conference (WCAC)  got its start in 1952 as a convenient way for five Bay Area institutions to play basketball. Those five schools -- the University of San Francisco, Santa Clara University, Saint Mary's College, San Jose State University and the University of the Pacific -- expanded the membership in 1955 to include Pepperdine University and Loyola Marymount University in Southern California. San Jose State University and the University of the Pacific left in 1969 to form the PCAA and were replaced by the University of Nevada, the University of Portland and the University of San Diego.  The University of Nevada left in 1978 for the Big Sky Conference and was replaced by Gonzaga University.  The WCC changed its name to the current "West Coast Conference" in 1990.

California Collegiate Athletic Association History

The CCAA has undergone several changes in conference membership since charter members UC Santa Barbara, Fresno State, San Diego State and San Jose State came together to form the league in 1938. Over the past 60 years, a number of institutions have been members of the CCAA, including Cal State Northridge, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Chapman, Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, Pacific, Pepperdine and UC Riverside.

The CCAA was a NCAA Division 2 Conference.  The CCAA ceased playing football in 1968 when part of their members moved to NCAA Division 1 and created the Pacific Coast Athletic Association (PCAA) which later became the Big West Conference.

Border Conference History

Founded in 1931 as the Border Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, the Charter members were Arizona State, Arizona, Northern Arizona, New Mexico, New Mexico State.  Texas Tech was admitted in 1932, and UTEP was admitted in 1935.  Hardin-Simmons and West Texas A&M were admitted in 1941.  New Mexico Left the Border Conference in 1951 to join the Skyline Conference.  Northern Arizona left the conference after  the 1952 season.   Texas Tech left after the 1955 season.  Arizona left after the 1960 season and the conference was disbanded in 1961.

Southwest Athletic Conference History

The Southwest Conference begin its organization in May 6, 1914 when representatives from Baylor University, Southwestern University, Texas A&M College, Oklahoma A&M (Oklahoma State), University of Texas, and the University of Arkansas met to discuss the future of regional sports among the local schools.

On December 8, 1914, representatives from the Rice Institute (Rice University) and the University of Oklahoma also met with the group at the Rice Hotel in Houston. All those who met joined as charter members to create  the Southwest Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, a Division I conference.

Since then the Southwest Athletic Conference has seen as many a nine universities join or leave their league. Rice left for a short spell from 1916-1917. Texas Christian University joined in 1923, Southern Methodist University joined in 1918, Texas Tech joined in 1958, and Houston joined in 1972. Arkansas left in 1991, Oklahoma dropped out in 1920, Southwestern left in 1917, and Oklahoma A&M joined in 1926. 

On June 30, 1996, the Southwest Athletic Conference came to a final close and disbanded. Four schools, Texas Tech University, University of Texas, Texas A&M University, and Baylor University, united with the Big Eight to create the Big Twelve. Three schools, Southern Methodist University, Rice University and Texas Christian University joined the expanded Western Athletic Conference.  

Missouri Valley Conference Football History

Originally founded in 1907 with charter members Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Washington (Mo.).  Drake and Iowa State were added in 1908.  Kansas State joined in 1913.  Oklahoma joined in 1920 and Oklahoma State joined in 1925.  Iowa left in 1911.  Nebraska, Iowa State, Oklahoma, Kansas, Kansas State and Missouri left in 1928 to form the Big Six.  Creighton joined in 1928.  Butler joined in 1932 and Tulsa and Washburn joined in 1935.  St. Louis joined in 1937 and Wichita State joined in 1945.  Butler and Washburn left the conference prior to 1942.  Creighton and Washington left the conference after the 1942 season.  

The post World War II Missouri Valley Conference consisted of   Tulsa, Wichita State, St. Louis, Drake and Oklahoma State.   Bradley and Detroit joined in 1949.  St. Louis left after the 1949 Season.  Houston joined in 1951.  Bradley and Drake left after the 1951 season.  Detroit and Oklahoma State both left the conference after the 1956 season.  Cincinnati and North Texas joined in 1957.  Houston left after the 1959 season.  Louisville joined in 1963 and Memphis joined in 1968.  Cincinnati left the conference after the 1969 season.  New Mexico State joined in 1970.  Drake rejoined in 1971.  West Texas State joined in 1972.  Memphis left after the 1973 season.  Louisville and North Texas left after the 1974 season.  

Southern Illinois joined in 1977 and Indiana State joined in 1979.  Illinois State joined in 1981.  New Mexico State left the conference after the 1983 season. The conference discontinued playing football after the 1985 Season.  Southern Illinois, Indiana State and Illinois State started the Division 1AA Gateway Football conference which represents the last vestiges of the old Missouri Valley Football Conference. 

Big West Conference Football History

The Big West Conference has roots dating back to the California Collegiate Athletic Association, in 1967. Cal State Los Angeles, Fresno State, Long Beach State and San Diego State were the original members of the CCAA. The Pacific Coast Athletic Association was officially formed July 1, 1969 with the addition of Pacific, UC-Santa Barbara, and San Jose State.

In 1974, Cal State Fullerton moved into the conference, and by 1975, UC-Santa Barbara and Cal State Los Angeles had dropped football and left the conference.  San Diego State left the conference after the 1975 season. By 1977, UC Irvine joined and UC-Santa Barbara returned -- both as non-football playing institutions -- while Utah State became the first non-California member of the league, transforming the PCAA into a regional conference. Nevada-Las Vegas (1981) and New Mexico State (1984) soon followed suit, bringing the league’s membership to 10 universities.

The PCAA began its 20th year of existence by changing its name to the Big West Conference. With the inclusion of Utah State, Nevada, and New Mexico State, the term “Big West” more accurately represented the conference.

Nevada joined the conference in 1992.   Arkansas State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana Tech, and Northern Illinois were members from 1993-1995 in football only. In 1996, Boise State University, Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo, Idaho, and North Texas became part of the Big West, and three of the members, Boise State, Idaho and North Texas, joined New Mexico State, Nevada and Utah State in competition for the Big West football championship. Arkansas State returned to the conference as a football only member in 1999.  Nevada left the conference after the 1999 season to join the WAC in all sports.  New Mexico State and North Texas also left after the 1999 season, but remained in the conference as football-only members for one final season.  Boise State left the Big West after the 2000-2001 season and joined Nevada in the WAC.  Following the 2000 season the Big West discontinued sponsoring football as a league sport. 

Big Sky Conference Football History

The Big Sky Conference began in 1963 with six charter members; the University of Idaho, Idaho State University, Gonzaga University, the University of Montana, Montana State University and Weber State University.

On July 1, 1970, the league experienced its first expansion, adding Boise State University and Northern Arizona University to the fold to create an eight-member league. On July 1, 1979, charter-member Gonzaga left the league for the West Coast Conference and was replaced by the University of Nevada. In 1987, Eastern Washington was admitted to the league to create a nine-member Big Sky Conference. The University of Nevada left in 1992 to join the Big West Conference. On July 1, 1996 Boise State and Idaho both left for the Big West Conference.  The Big Sky then added Cal State Northridge, Portland State and Sacramento State to replace Idaho and Boise State.  Cal State Northridge left the conference after the 2000-2001 season to join the Big West replacing Boise State as a conference member for the second  time in 5 years.

Rocky Mountain Conference History (Old Rocky Mountain Conference)
The Colorado Faculty Athletic Conference was formed March 6, 1909 by the following four charter members: University of Colorado, Colorado A&M (now Colorado State University), Colorado College and Colorado School of Mines. In 1910, the league changed its name to the Rocky Mountain Faculty Athletic Conference (RMFAC). The University of Denver and University of Utah joined the conference but Colorado College had a fallout with Colorado School of Mines and dropped from the conference. In 1914, Colorado College rejoined and with the addition of Utah State University, the membership was at seven. Montana State University joined in 1917 and Brigham Young University joined in 1918 as the conference grew to nine members. Membership reached 12 when the University of Wyoming joined in 1921, and Western State College and the University of Northern Colorado joined in 1924.

A major defection occurred as seven schools dropped out of the RMFAC to form the Mountain States Conference (also known as the Skyline Conference). Leaving the RMFAC were Colorado, Colorado State, Brigham Young, Utah State, Wyoming and Denver. The RMFAC continued to operate as a small college conference with five schools - Colorado College, Colorado Mines, Montana State, Northern Colorado and Western State. In 1948, Idaho State University joined the league to bring the membership to six. Adams State College became the seventh member in 1956, but Idaho State left in 1958 and Montana State departed in 1959, reducing the membership back to five schools.

Skyline Conference History (Mountain States Conference)

In 1938, seven schools dropped out of the RMFAC to form the Mountain States Conference (also known as the Skyline Conference). Leaving the RMFAC were Colorado, Colorado State, Brigham Young, Utah, Utah State, Wyoming and Denver. Skyline 8 ('48-'62)  Members were BYU, Colorado State, Denver, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, Utah State & Wyoming. New Mexico Left the Border Conference in 1951 to join the Skyline Conference.   Denver dropped to Division II football in '61.  Montana also dropped to Division II football and joined the Big Sky in 1963.  Brigham Young, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming joined with Arizona and Arizona State to form the WAC which left Utah State and Colorado State as Independents.

Pacific Coast Conference History

The roots of the Pacific-10 Conference go back nearly 87 years to December 15, 1915, when the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) was founded at a meeting at the Oregon Hotel in Portland, Ore. Original membership consisted of four schools - the University of California at Berkeley, the University of Washington, the University of Oregon, and Oregon State College (now Oregon State University). All still are charter members of the Conference.

Pacific Coast Conference play began in 1916. One year later, Washington State College (now Washington State University), was accepted into the Conference, and Stanford University joined in 1918.

In 1922, the PCC expanded to eight teams with the admission of the University of Southern California and the University of Idaho. Montana joined the Conference in 1924, and in 1928, the PCC grew to 10 members with the addition of UCLA.

The Pacific Coast Conference competed as a 10-team league until 1950, with the exception of 1943-45, when World War II curtailed intercollegiate athletic competition to a minimum. In 1950, Montana resigned from the Conference and joined the Mountain States Conference. The PCC continued as a nine-team Conference through 1958.

In 1959, the PCC was dissolved and a new Conference was formed - the Athletic Association of Western Universities. Original AAWU membership consisted of California, Stanford, Southern California, UCLA, and Washington. Washington State became a member in 1962, while Oregon and Oregon State joined in 1964. In 1968, the name Pacific-8 Conference was adopted.

Ten years later, on July 1, 1978, the University of Arizona and Arizona State University were admitted and the Pacific-10 Conference became a reality. In 1986-87, the league took on a new look, expanding to include 10 women's sports.