# Pacific West Conference

The Pacific West Conference (also known as the PacWest) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level. Member institutions are located in California and Hawaii.
The conference sponsors the following sports: basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis and track & field outdoor for both men and women; baseball for men only; softball and volleyball for women only. The newest PacWest sports are men's tennis and women's golf, both added in 2012–13.

## History
### Formation

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 Hawai'i-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 Hawai'i 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, Hawai'i 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 of Utah joined the conference for the 2007–08 season. In 2008, it was announced that Academy of Art University would join the conference in the 2009–10 season as the conference's 8th member. In 2009 it was announced that Dominican University of California would join the conference in the 2009–10 season as the conference's 9th member. That same year, the conference announced it would sponsor baseball as its 11th sport, with Hawai'i Pacific University, University of Hawai'i–Hilo, Dixie State College of Utah (now Utah Tech University), and Grand Canyon University competing on a Division II level.

### Recent expansion and contraction

The conference began expansion in 2010 when the PacWest invited California Baptist University, from the NAIA's Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) to join the conference beginning with the 2011–12 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 began Pacific West Conference play during the 2012–13 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 remained 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. In July 2016, it was announced that Biola University would join the PacWest for the 2017–18 season. In October 2016, Dixie State announced that it would transition from the PacWest to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference after the 2017–18 school year. On January 13, 2017, California Baptist announced that it will leave the PacWest in favor of moving up to NCAA Division I. On March 23, 2020, Notre Dame de Namur announced the cessation of all its athletics after the 2019–20 school year.

### Chronological timeline

* 1992 – The Pacific West Conference (PacWest) was founded due to a merger of the men's sports-only Great Northwest Conference and the women's sports-only Continental Divide Conference (which contained some of the same members). Charter members included the University of Alaska at Anchorage, the University of Alaska at Fairbanks, Chaminade University of Honolulu, Grand Canyon University, the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, Montana State University at Billings, Portland State University (only for women's sports) and Seattle Pacific University, beginning the 1992–93 academic year.
* 1994 – Grand Canyon left the PacWest to join the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) after the 1993–94 academic year; while Western New Mexico University joined the conference in the 1994–95 academic year.
* 1996 – Portland State's women's sports left the PacWest to fully align with their men's sports to join the Division I ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Big Sky Conference after the 1995–96 academic year.
* 1998 – Brigham Young University–Hawai'i, Central Washington University, Hawai'i Pacific University, Humboldt State University (now California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt), Saint Martin's University, Western Oregon University and Western Washington University joined the PacWest in the 1998–99 academic year.
* 1999 – Northwest Nazarene University and Seattle University joined the PacWest in the 1999–2000 academic year.
* 2001 – Alaska–Anchorage (UAA), Alaska–Fairbanks (UAF), Central Washington, Humboldt State (now Cal Poly–Humboldt), Northwest Nazarene, Saint Martin's, Seattle, Seattle Pacific, Western Oregon and Western Washington left the PacWest to form the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) after the 2000–01 academic year.
* 2005 – Montana State–Billings and Western New Mexico left the PacWest to join the Heartland Conference after the 2004–05 academic year.
* 2005 – Notre Dame de Namur University joined the PacWest as a provisional full member (along with Grand Canyon re-joining), both effective in the 2005–06 academic year.
* 2007 – Dixie State University (now Utah Tech University) joined the PacWest in the 2007–08 academic year.
* 2009 – Academy of Art University and Dominican University of California joined the PacWest in the 2009–10 academic year.
* 2011 – California Baptist University (Cal Baptist) joined the PacWest in the 2011–12 academic year.
* 2012 – Azusa Pacific University, Fresno Pacific University, Holy Names University and Point Loma Nazarene University joined the PacWest in the 2012–13 academic year.
* 2013 – Grand Canyon left the PacWest to join the NCAA Division I ranks and the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) after the 2012–13 academic year.
* 2013 – Sonoma State University joined the PacWest as an affiliate member for men's and women's tennis in the 2014 spring season (2013–14 academic year).
* 2014 – California State University, Los Angeles and California State University, Stanislaus joined the PacWest as affiliate members for women's tennis in the 2014 spring season (2013–14 academic year).
* 2015 – Concordia University Irvine joined the PacWest in the 2015-16 academic year.
* 2017 – BYU–Hawaii left the PacWest as the school announced that it would discontinue its athletic program after the 2016–17 academic year.
* 2017 – Biola University joined the PacWest in the 2017–18 academic year.
* 2018 – Two institutions left the PacWest to join their respective new home primary conferences: Dixie State (now Utah Tech) to join the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC), and Cal Baptist to join the NCAA Division I ranks and the WAC, both effective after the 2017–18 academic year.
* 2020 – Notre Dame de Namur left the PacWest as the school announced that it would discontinue its athletic program after the 2019–20 academic year.
* 2021 – Colorado Mesa University and the Metropolitan State University of Denver joined the PacWest as affiliate members for men's and women's tennis in the 2022 spring season (2021–22 academic year).
* 2023 – Westmont College joined the PacWest in the 2023–24 academic year.
* 2023 – Holy Names left the PacWest as the school announced that it would close after the 2022–23 academic year.
* 2023 – Jessup University, Menlo College and Vanguard University all joined the PacWest in the 2024–25 academic year.
* 2024 – Azusa Pacific announced that they will depart the conference to transition to NCAA Division III and join the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in conjunction with the restart of their football program for the 2026 season (2026–27 academic year).

## Member schools
### Current members

The PacWest currently has 14 full members, all but one are private schools. Reclassifying members listed in yellow.
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined |
| Academy of Art University | San Francisco, California | 1929 | For-profit | 7,805 | Urban Knights | 2009 |
| Azusa Pacific University | Azusa, California | 1899 | Evangelical | 7,133 | Cougars | 2012 |
| Biola University | La Mirada, California | 1908 | Evangelical | 5,387 | Eagles | 2017 |
| Chaminade University of Honolulu | Honolulu, Hawai'i | 1955 | Catholic | 1,892 | Silverswords | 1992 |
| Concordia University Irvine | Irvine, California | 1976 | Lutheran LCMS | 3,744 | Golden Eagles | 2015 |
| Dominican University of California | San Rafael, California | 1890 | Catholic | 1,889 | Penguins | 2009 |
| Fresno Pacific University | Fresno, California | 1944 | Mennonite | 3,032 | Sunbirds | 2012 |
| Hawai'i Pacific University | Honolulu, Hawai'i | 1965 | Nonsectarian | 4,586 | Sharks | 1998 |
| University of Hawai'i at Hilo | Hilo, Hawai'i | 1947 | Public | 2,977 | Vulcans | 1992 |
| Jessup University | Rocklin, California | 1939 | Nondenominational | 1,624 | Warriors | 2024 |
| Menlo College | Atherton, California | 1927 | Nonsectarian | 745 | Oaks | 2024 |
| Point Loma Nazarene University | San Diego, California | 1902 | Nazarene | 4,319 | Sea Lions | 2012 |
| Vanguard University | Costa Mesa, California | 1920 | Assemblies of God | 2,256 | Lions | 2024 |
| Westmont College | Santa Barbara, California | 1937 | Christian | 1,293 | Warriors | 2023 |

### Affiliate members

The PacWest currently has four affiliate members, all are public schools:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment (Fall 2018) | Nickname | Joined | PacWest sport(s) | Primary conference |
| California State University, Los Angeles | Los Angeles, California | 1947 | Public | 27,685 | Golden Eagles | 2014 | women's tennis | California (CCAA) |
| California State University, Stanislaus | Turlock, California | 1957 | Public | 10,214 | Warriors | 2014 | women's tennis | California (CCAA) |
| Colorado Mesa University | Grand Junction, Colorado | 1925 | Public | 8,907 | Mavericks | 2021 | men's & women's tennis | Rocky Mountain (RMAC) |
| Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver) | Denver, Colorado | 1965 | Public | 17,678 | Roadrunners | 2021 | men's & women's tennis | Rocky Mountain (RMAC) |

### Former members

The PacWest had 19 former full members, all but seven were public schools:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined | Left | Current conference |
| University of Alaska Anchorage | Anchorage, Alaska | 1954 | Public | 16,242 | Seawolves | 1992 | 2001 | Great Northwest (GNAC) |
| University of Alaska Fairbanks | Fairbanks, Alaska | 1917 | Public | 9,380 | Nanooks | 1992 | 2001 | Great Northwest (GNAC) |
| Brigham Young University–Hawai'i | Laie, Hawai'i | 1955 | LDS Church | 3,176 | Seasiders | 1998 | 2017 | N/A |
| California Baptist University | Riverside, California | 1950 | Baptist | 11,491 | Lancers | 2011 | 2017 | Western (WAC) |
| Central Washington University | Ellensburg, Washington | 1891 | Public | 10,145 | Wildcats | 1998 | 2000 | Great Northwest (GNAC) |
| Dixie State University | St. George, Utah | 1911 | Public | 12,650 | Trailblazers | 2007 | 2018 | Western (WAC) |
| Grand Canyon University | Phoenix, Arizona | 1949 | Christian (For-profit) | 25,000 | Antelopes | 1992; 2005 | 1993; 2013 | Western (WAC) (Mountain West in 2026) |
| Holy Names University | Oakland, California | 1868 | Catholic | 1,331 | Hawks | 2012 | 2023 | Closed in 2023 |
| Humboldt State University | Arcata, California | 1913 | Public | 7,774 | Lumberjacks | 1998 | 2001 | California (CCAA) |
| Montana State University Billings | Billings, Montana | 1927 | Public | 4,600 | Yellowjackets | 1992 | 2005 | Great Northwest (GNAC) |
| Northwest Nazarene University | Nampa, Idaho | 1913 | Nazarene | 2,000 | Crusaders | 1999 | 2001 | Great Northwest (GNAC) |
| Notre Dame de Namur University | Belmont, California | 1851 | Catholic | 1,492 | Argonauts | 2005 | 2020 | N/A |
| Portland State University | Portland, Oregon | 1946 | Public | 27,285 | Vikings | 1992 | 1996 | Big Sky |
| Saint Martin's University | Lacey, Washington | 1895 | Catholic | 1,628 | Saints | 1998 | 2001 | Great Northwest (GNAC) |
| Seattle Pacific University | Seattle, Washington | 1891 | Free Methodist | 3,773 | Falcons | 1992 | 2001 | Great Northwest (GNAC) |
| Simon Fraser University | Burnaby, British Columbia | 1965 | Public | 35,604 | Red Leafs | 1998 | 1999 | Great Northwest (GNAC) |
| Western New Mexico University | Silver City, New Mexico | 1893 | Public | 3,820 | Mustangs | 1994 | 2005 | Lone Star (LSC) |
| Western Oregon University | Monmouth, Oregon | 1856 | Public | 6,233 | Wolves | 1998 | 2001 | Great Northwest (GNAC) |
| Western Washington University | Bellingham, Washington | 1893 | Public | 13,070 | Vikings | 1998 | 2001 | Great Northwest (GNAC) |

#### Notes

* ↑ BYU–Hawaii dropped its athletics program after the 2016–17 school year.
* 1 2 3 4 5 Currently an NCAA Division I athletic conference.
* ↑ Now known as Utah Tech University.
* ↑ Grand Canyon's for-profit status is disputed. The U.S. Department of Education considers it for-profit, but the NCAA, the state of Arizona, and the Internal Revenue Service consider it a nonprofit.
* ↑ Currently known as California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt since January 26, 2022.
* ↑ Notre Dame de Namur dropped its athletics program after the 2019–20 school year.
* ↑ Portland State joined the PacWest only for women's sports.
* ↑ SFU's nickname during its PacWest tenure was Clan.

### Former affiliate members

The PacWest had one former affiliate member, which was also a public school:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined | Left | Colors | PacWest sport(s) | Current conference |
| Sonoma State University | Rohnert Park, California | 1960 | Public | 9,201 | Seawolves | 2013 | 2021 | | men's tennis; women's tennis | California (CCAA) |

### Membership timeline

Full member   Associate member

## National championships

Academy of Art
* Women's outdoor track & field (2013)
Azusa Pacific
* Women's outdoor track & field (2021, 2023)
BYU–Hawai'i
* 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)
Hawai'i Pacific
* Women's volleyball (1998, 2000)
* Softball (2010)
* Men's tennis (2016)
Point Loma Nazarene
* Women's soccer (2023)

## 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 |
| Biola | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 7 |
| Chaminade | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | | | 5 |
| Concordia–Irvine | Y | Y | Y | | Y | Y | Y | 6 |
| Dominican | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | | Y | 5 |
| 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 |
| Jessup | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 7 |
| Menlo | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | | 6 |
| Point Loma Nazarene | Y | Y | | | Y | Y | | 4 |
| Vanguard | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | | Y | 6 |
| Westmont | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 7 |
| Totals | 13 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 14 | 9+2 | 9 | 91+2 |
| Affiliate Members |||||||||
| Colorado Mesa | | | | | | Y | | 1 |
| Metropolitan 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 |
| Biola | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 8 |
| Chaminade | Y | Y | | Y | Y | Y | | Y | 6 |
| Concordia–Irvine | Y | Y | | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 7 |
| Dominican | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 8 |
| 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 |
| Jessup | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 8 |
| Menlo | Y | | Y | Y | Y | Y | | Y | 6 |
| Point Loma Nazarene | Y | Y | Y | Y | | Y | Y | Y | 7 |
| Vanguard | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | | Y | Y | 7 |
| Westmont | Y | Y | Y | Y | | Y | Y | Y | 7 |
| Totals | 14 | 13 | 10 | 14 | 11 | 12+4 | 10 | 14 | 92+4 |
| Affiliate Members ||||||||||
| Cal State Los Angeles | | | | | | Y | | | 1 |
| Colorado Mesa | | | | | | Y | | | 1 |
| Metropolitan State | | | | | | Y | | | 1 |
| Stanislaus State | | | | | | Y | | | 1 |

### Other sponsored sports by school

Future members indicated in gray.
| School | Men | Men | Men | Men | Men | Men | Women | Women | Women | Women | Women | Women | Women |
| School | Lacrosse | Swimming & Diving | Track & Field Indoor | Volleyball | Water Polo | Wrestling | Beach Volleyball | Lacrosse | Stunt | Swimming & Diving | Track & Field Indoor | Water Polo | Wrestling |
| Academy of Art | | | IND | | | | | | | | IND | | |
| Azusa Pacific | | | IND | | | | | | | PCSC | IND | GCC | |
| Biola | | PCSC | IND | | | | | | | PCSC | IND | | |
| Chaminade | | | | | | | IND | | | | | | |
| Concordia Irvine | RMAC | PCSC | IND | MPSF | WWPA | | | | | PCSC | IND | GCC | |
| Dominican | RMAC | | | | | | | MEC | | | | | |
| Fresno Pacific | | PCSC | | | WWPA | | | | | PCSC | | WWPA | |
| Hawaii Pacific | | | | | | | IND | | | | | | |
| Jessup | | | TBA | MPSF | | | | | IND | | TBA | | |
| Menlo | | | | MPSF | | MPSF | | | | | | | MPSF |
| Vanguard | | | TBA | MPSF | | MPSF | TBA | | IND | | TBA | | MPSF |
| Westmont | | | IND | | | | | | | PCSC | IND | | |
* 1 2 3 De facto Division I sport. The NCAA men's volleyball championship is open to members of Divisions I and II, and the NCAA championships in beach volleyball and men's and women's water polo are open to members of all three NCAA divisions.
* ↑ De facto Division I sport as part of the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program.
* ↑ De facto Division I sport as part of the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program; becomes an official NCAA championship sport in 2025–26.
* ↑ Jessup joins MPSF men's volleyball in a later year.

## Conference facilities

| Team | Basketball Arena | Capacity |
| Academy of Art | Kezar Pavilion | 4,000 |
| Azusa Pacific | Felix Events Center | 3,500 |
| Biola | Richard Chase Gymnasium | 2,400 |
| Chaminade | McCabe Gymnasium | 2,800 |
| Concordia Irvine | CU Arena | 2,400 |
| Dominican | Conlan Center | 1,285 |
| Fresno Pacific | Fresno Pacific University Special Events Center | 1,500 |
| Hawai'i Pacific | Shark Tank – St Francis School | |
| Hawai'i–Hilo | Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium | 3,800 |
| Jessup | Warrior Arena | — |
| Menlo | Haynes–Prim Pavilion | 600 |
| Point Loma Nazarene | Golden Gym | 1,600 |
| Vanguard | Peterson Gymnasium | 1,500 |
| Westmont | Murchison Gymnasium | 1,179 |
* ↑ At Orange Coast College.