# Great Southwest Athletic Conference

The Great Southwest Athletic Conference (GSAC), formerly known as the Golden State Athletic Conference, is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The conference commissioner is Mike Daniels. Conference leadership is shared among the member institutions. Seven of the eight members of the GSAC are Christian colleges located in California and Arizona. Conference teams have won 22 national championships.

## History

The Golden State Athletic Conference was formed in the fall of 1986, with Azusa Pacific University, California Lutheran University, Fresno Pacific University, Point Loma Nazarene University, Vanguard University and Westmont College as the charter members. California Baptist University and Concordia University joined the GSAC in the fall of the following year (1987). Cal Lutheran left the GSAC after the spring of 1989. Biola University joined the GSAC in the fall of 1994. Hope International University and San Diego Christian College joined the GSAC in the fall of 1999. The Master's University, joined the GSAC in the fall of 2001. Lewis–Clark State College of Lewiston, Idaho joined the GSAC as an affiliate member for men's and women's tennis in 2016.

### Recent years

In recent years, the conference has seen changes with members leaving the GSAC and the NAIA for the NCAA. In 2011 Cal Baptist left the GSAC to join the Pacific West Conference followed by the announcement that Azusa Pacific, Fresno Pacific and Point Loma Nazarene joined Cal Baptist in the PacWest in 2012. Concordia then left to join the PacWest in 2015, and Biola applied to make the same move in 2017. To replace these schools, the GSAC has added Arizona Christian, Menlo and William Jessup (now known as Jessup). Life Pacific joined in 2017 and Ottawa (AZ) joined in 2018 to bring the GSAC to 10 members.
The departures to the NCAA continued into the 2020s, with Westmont departing for the PacWest in 2023 and Jessup, Menlo, and Vanguard all following in 2024. To combat this, the GSAC added Benedictine–Mesa, Embry–Riddle at Prescott and Park–Gilbert, to bring membership back to 8 members. Immediately following these additions, the GSAC announced that it would undergo a rebrand to the Great Southwest Athletic Conference, to reflect its membership now including schools located outside of California.

### Chronological timeline

* 1986 – The Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) was founded. Charter members included Azusa Pacific University, California Lutheran University (a.k.a. Cal Lutheran), Fresno Pacific College (now Fresno Pacific University), Point Loma Nazarene College (now Point Loma Nazarene University), Southern California College (now Vanguard University of Southern California) and Westmont College, beginning the 1986–87 academic year.
* 1987 – California Baptist College (now California Baptist University; a.k.a. Cal Baptist) and Christ College Irvine (now Concordia University Irvine) joined the GSAC in the 1987–88 academic year.
* 1989 – Cal Lutheran left the GSAC to become an independent (before joining the Division III ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) beginning the 1991–92 academic year) after the 1988–89 academic year.
* 1994 – Biola University joined the GSAC in the 1994–95 academic year.
* 1999 – Pacific Christian College (now Hope International University) and San Diego Christian College joined the GSAC in the 1999–2000 academic year.
* 2001 – The Master's College (now The Master's University) joined the GSAC in the 2001–02 academic year.
* 2011 – Cal Baptist left the GSAC and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the Pacific West Conference (PacWest) after the 2010–11 academic year.
* 2012 – Azusa Pacific, Fresno Pacific and Point Loma Nazarene left the GSAC and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the PacWest after the 2011–12 academic year.
* 2012 – Arizona Christian University joined the GSAC in the 2012–13 academic year.
* 2014 – William Jessup University (now Jessup University) joined the GSAC in the 2012–13 academic year.
* 2015 – Concordia–Irvine left the GSAC and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the PacWest after the 2014–15 academic year.
* 2015 – Menlo College joined the GSAC in the 2015–16 academic year.
* 2015 – Lewis–Clark State College joined the GSAC as an affiliate member for men's and women's tennis in the 2016 spring season (2015–16 academic year).
* 2017 – Biola left the GSAC and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the PacWest after the 2016–17 academic year.
* 2017 – Lewis–Clark State left the GSAC as an affiliate member for men's and women's tennis after the 2017 spring season (2016–17 academic year).
* 2017 – Life Pacific College (now Life Pacific University) joined the GSAC in the 2017–18 academic year.
* 2018 – Ottawa University–Arizona joined the GSAC in the 2018–19 academic year.
* 2018 – Marymount California University and the University of Saint Katherine joined the GSAC as affiliate members for men's and women's tennis in the 2019 spring season (2018–19 academic year).
* 2020 – Westcliff University joined the GSAC as an affiliate member for men's tennis in the 2021 spring season (2020–21 academic year).
* 2021 – Westcliff added women's tennis into its GSAC affiliate membership in the 2022 spring season (2021–22 academic year).
* 2022 – Two institutions left the GSAC as affiliate members (and/or removed other single sports from their affiliate memberships), all effective after the 2021–22 academic year:
** Marymount (Cal.) for men's and women's tennis; as the school ceased operations
** and Saint Katherine for women's tennis
* 2023 – Westmont left the GSAC and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the PacWest after the 2022–23 academic year.
* 2023 – San Diego Christian left the GSAC after the 2022–23 academic year; as the school was placing their athletic department on hiatus since.
* 2024 – Jessup, Menlo and Vanguard left the GSAC and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the PacWest after the 2023–24 academic year.
* 2024 – Westcliff left the GSAC as an affiliate member for men's and women's tennis after the 2023–24 academic year:
* 2024 – Benedictine University at Mesa, Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott and Park University Gilbert joined the GSAC in the 2024–25 academic year. Then-affiliate member for men's tennis Saint Katherine (USK) was also alongside those three prior schools at the same time; however, the school ceased operations before they could make the move.
* 2024 – The GSAC has rebranded as the Great Southwest Athletic Conference, beginning the 2024–25 academic year.
* 2025 – La Sierra University and Soka University of America will join the GSAC, beginning the 2025–26 academic year.

## Member schools
### Current members

The GSAC currently has eight full members, all are private schools:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined |
| Arizona Christian University | Glendale, Arizona | 1960 | Nondenominational | 820 | Firestorm | 2012 |
| Benedictine University at Mesa | Mesa, Arizona | 2013 | Catholic (Benedictines) | 340 | Redhawks | 2024 |
| Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University–Prescott | Prescott, Arizona | 1978 | Nonsectarian | 1,700 | Eagles | 2024 |
| Hope International University | Fullerton, California | 1928 | Nondenominational | 987 | Royals | 1999 |
| Life Pacific University | San Dimas, California | 1923 | Foursquare Gospel | 686 | Warriors | 2017 |
| The Master's University | Santa Clarita, California | 1927 | Nondenominational | 2,600 | Mustangs | 2001 |
| Ottawa University–Arizona | Surprise, Arizona | 2015 | American Baptist | 750 | Spirit | 2018 |
| Park University–Gilbert | Gilbert, Arizona | 2018 | Nonsectarian | 300 | Buccaneers | 2024 |

#### Notes

* ↑ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.

### Future members

| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joining | Current conference |
| La Sierra University | Riverside, California | 1922 | Seventh-day Adventist | 2,199 | Golden Eagles | 2025 | California Pacific (CalPac) |
| Soka University of America | Aliso Viejo, California | 2001 | Nonsectarian | 441 | Lions | 2025 | California Pacific (CalPac) |

#### Notes

* ↑ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.

### Former members

The GSAC had twelve former full members, all were private schools:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined | Left | Subsequent conference(s) | Current conference |
| Azusa Pacific University | Azusa, California | 1899 | Interdenominational | 8,539 | Cougars | 1986 | 2012 | Pacific West (PacWest) (2012–present) | Pacific West (PacWest) (2012–present) |
| Biola University | La Mirada, California | 1908 | Nondenominational | 5,942 | Eagles | 1994 | 2017 | Pacific West (PacWest) (2017–present) | Pacific West (PacWest) (2017–present) |
| California Baptist University | Riverside, California | 1950 | Baptist | 11,491 | Lancers | 1987 | 2011 | Pacific West (PacWest) (2011–18) | Western (WAC) (2018–present) |
| California Lutheran University | Thousand Oaks, California | 1959 | Lutheran ELCA | 3,298 | Kingsmen & Regals | 1986 | 1989 | NAIA/D-III Independent (1989–91) | Southern California (SCIAC) (1991–present) |
| Concordia University–Irvine | Irvine, California | 1976 | Lutheran LCMS | 2,564 | Eagles | 1987 | 2015 | Pacific West (PacWest) (2015–present) | Pacific West (PacWest) (2015–present) |
| Fresno Pacific University | Fresno, California | 1944 | Mennonite | 3,700 | Sunbirds | 1986 | 2012 | Pacific West (PacWest) (2012–present) | Pacific West (PacWest) (2012–present) |
| Jessup University | Rocklin, California | 1939 | Nondenominational | 1,743 | Warriors | 2014 | 2024 | Pacific West (PacWest) (2024–present) | Pacific West (PacWest) (2024–present) |
| Menlo College | Atherton, California | 1927 | Nonsectarian | 750 | Oaks | 2015 | 2024 | Pacific West (PacWest) (2024–present) | Pacific West (PacWest) (2024–present) |
| Point Loma Nazarene University | San Diego, California | 1902 | Nazarene | 3,487 | Sea Lions | 1986 | 2012 | Pacific West (PacWest) (2012–present) | Pacific West (PacWest) (2012–present) |
| San Diego Christian College | Santee, California | 1970 | Nondenominational | 916 | Hawks | 1999 | 2023 | N/A | N/A |
| Vanguard University of Southern California | Costa Mesa, California | 1920 | Assemblies of God | 2,552 | Lions | 1986 | 2024 | Pacific West (PacWest) (2024–present) | Pacific West (PacWest) (2024–present) |
| Westmont College | Montecito, California | 1937 | Christian | 1,313 | Warriors | 1986 | 2023 | Pacific West (PacWest) (2023–present) | Pacific West (PacWest) (2023–present) |

#### Notes

* ↑ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
* ↑ Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
* ↑ Currently an NCAA Division I athletic conference.
* ↑ Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.
* ↑ San Diego Christian suspended all their athletic programs after 2022–23.

### Former affiliate members

The GSAC had four former affiliate members, one was a public school and three were private schools:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined | Left | GSAC sport(s) | Primary conference |
| Lewis–Clark State College | Lewiston, Idaho | 1893 | Public | 4,200 | Warriors & Lady Warriors | 2015$^{m.ten.}$; 2015$^{w.ten.}$ | 2017$^{m.ten.}$; 2017$^{w.ten.}$ | men's tennis; women's tennis | Cascade (CCC) |
| Marymount California University | Rancho Palos Verdes, California | 1932 | Catholic (R.S.H.M.) | 923 | Mariners | 2018$^{m.ten.}$; 2018$^{w.ten.}$ | 2022$^{m.ten.}$; 2022$^{w.ten.}$ | men's tennis; women's tennis | Closed in 2022 |
| University of Saint Katherine | San Marcos, California | 2010 | Eastern Orthodox | 240 | Firebirds | 2018$^{m.ten.}$; 2018$^{w.ten.}$ | 2024$^{m.ten.}$; 2022$^{w.ten.}$ | men's tennis; women's tennis | Closed in 2024 |
| Westcliff University | Irvine, California | 1993 | For-profit | 2,000 | Warriors | 2020$^{m.ten.}$; 2021$^{w.ten.}$ | 2024$^{m.ten.}$; 2024$^{w.ten.}$ | men's tennis; women's tennis | California Pacific (CalPac) |

#### Notes

* ↑ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
* ↑ Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.

### Membership timeline

Full member (non-football)   Associate member (sport)

## Sports sponsored

Conference sports :
| Sport | Men's | Women's |
| Baseball | Y | |
| Basketball | Y | Y |
| Cross Country | Y | Y |
| Soccer | Y | Y |
| Softball | | Y |
| Tennis | Y | Y |
| Track & Field Outdoor | Y | Y |
| Volleyball | Y | Y |
| Beach Volleyball | | Y |
| Golf | Y | Y |