West_Coast_Conference

West Coast Conference

West Coast Conference

College athletics conference

The West Coast Conference (WCC) — known as the California Basketball Association from 1952 to 1956 and then as the West Coast Athletic Conference until 1989 — is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with NCAA Division I consisting of nine member schools across the states of California, Oregon, and Washington.

Quick Facts Formerly, Association ...

All of the current full members are private, faith-based institutions. Seven members are Catholic Church affiliates, with four of these schools being Jesuit institutions. Pepperdine is an affiliate of the Churches of Christ. The conference's newest member, the University of the Pacific (which rejoined in 2013 after a 42-year absence), is affiliated with the United Methodist Church, although it has been financially independent of the church since 1969.[1]

History

West Coast Conference logo from 2011 to 2019

The league was chartered by five northern California institutions, four from the San Francisco Bay Area (San Francisco, Saint Mary's, Santa Clara, San Jose State) and one, Pacific, from Stockton. It began as the California Basketball Association, playing its first game on January 2, 1953. After two seasons under that name, the conference expanded to include Los Angeles-area schools Loyola (now Loyola Marymount) and Pepperdine in 1955 and became the "West Coast Athletic Conference" in 1956. After more than three decades as the WCAC, the name was shortened in the summer of 1989, dropping the word "Athletic."[2][3][4]

During the massive upheaval of conference affiliations in the 1990s, the WCC remained very stable. Before the 2010 realignment that eventually led to Brigham Young joining the conference, the last change of membership was in 1980, when Seattle University left the conference. At the time, only the Ivy League and Pacific-10 Conference (now the Pac-12 Conference) had remained unchanged for a longer period.

The WCC participates at the NCAA Division I level and is considered to be a mid-major athletic conference. The conference sponsors 15 sports but does not include football as one of them. San Diego (Pioneer Football League) is the only school fielding a football team. The rest have all dropped the sport, some as early as the 1940s, before the conference existed (Gonzaga and Portland), and one as late as 2003 (Saint Mary's).

Historically, the WCC's strongest sports have been soccer (nine national champions, including back-to-back women's soccer titles in 2001 and 2002) and tennis (five individual champions and one team champion). The conference has also made its presence felt nationally in men's basketball. San Francisco won two consecutive national titles in the 1950s with all-time great Bill Russell. Although the WCAC's stature declined in the 1960s, San Francisco was reckoned as a "major" basketball power until the early 1980s. Also of note was Loyola Marymount's inspired run to the Elite Eight in 1990 following the death of Hank Gathers during that season's WCC championship tournament.

More recently, Gonzaga's rise to national prominence after being invited to the NCAA Tournament every year since their Cinderella run to the "Elite Eight" in 1999 has helped make the WCC a household name. As San Francisco was from the 1940s to the early 1980s, Gonzaga has gained recognition as a major basketball power, despite the WCC being a mid-major conference. Gonzaga has been to 23 consecutive NCAA tournaments—the longest streak for any school in the Western United States, the third-longest active streak, and the sixth-longest streak in history. They have also been to all but one WCC tournament final since 1995, and have played for the conference title every year since 1998. In 2016–17, the Bulldogs advanced all the way to the national championship game—the deepest run by a conference team since San Francisco went to three consecutive Final Fours from 1955 to 1957. The Bulldogs reached the title game again in 2021, this time entering the game unbeaten, but again losing, this time to Baylor.

Saint Mary's has also made marks for the conference as the Gaels appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 2005, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2019, and 2021 (making the "Sweet Sixteen" in 2010).

Eventually, with the 2010 realignment opening up new avenues for expansion, the WCC decided to revisit expansion plans. The conference decided that it would only seek out private schools, but would not limit its search to faith-based institutions. Even so, the two additions, Brigham Young University and University of the Pacific are both faith-based institutions, although Pacific has not been financially sponsored by the United Methodist Church since 1969.

On August 31, 2010, BYU announced plans to join the WCC for the 2011–12 season in all sports the conference offers. BYU joined the conference on July 1, 2011.[5][6] BYU's arrival gave the WCC another school with a rich basketball tradition. The Cougars made the NCAA Tournament six straight times before failing to do so in 2013, and had made 26 NCAA Tournament appearances before joining the conference.

On March 27, 2012, the University of the Pacific (UOP), a charter member of the conference in 1952, accepted an invitation to rejoin the WCC, effective July 1, 2013. The move removed Pacific from the Big West Conference back to the WCC, which Pacific left in 1971 in order to pursue its interests in football that it later abandoned in 1995.[7]

The WCC became the first Division I conference to adopt a conference-wide diversity hiring commitment, announcing the "Russell Rule", based on the NFL's Rooney Rule and named after Basketball Hall of Famer and social activist Bill Russell, a graduate of charter and current conference member San Francisco, on August 2, 2020. In its announcement, the WCC stated:[8]

The “Russell Rule” requires each member institution to include a member of a traditionally underrepresented community in the pool of final candidates for every athletic director, senior administrator, head coach and full-time assistant coach position in the athletic department.

In September 2021, BYU announced that it would leave the WCC in 2023 for the Big 12 Conference.[9] The WCC announced on July 19, 2022 that it would add men's water polo starting in 2023–24. Full members Loyola Marymount, Pacific, Pepperdine, and Santa Clara were joined by affiliates Air Force, California Baptist, and San Jose State.[10]

Conference Realignment

On December 22, 2023, the WCC announced that Oregon State University and Washington State University, the two schools left behind by the collapse of the Pac-12 Conference, would become affiliate members in all non-football sports apart from baseball through 2025–26.[11]

Member schools

Current full members

The WCC is made up entirely of private, Christian institutions with all but two being Catholic. Pacific is affiliated with the United Methodist Church while Pepperdine is affiliated with the Churches of Christ.

More information Institution, Location ...
Notes
  1. Pacific left the WCC after the 1970–71 school year to join the Pacific Coast Athletic Association (now known as the Big West Conference); and rejoined the WCC, effective with the 2013–14 school year.
  2. The Pepperdine campus has a Malibu mailing address but lies entirely within unincorporated Los Angeles County.

Associate members

More information Institution, Location ...

Future associate members

More information Institution, Location ...
  1. Both schools will compete as associate members in men’s and women’s basketball, women’s soccer, volleyball, men’s and women’s golf, women’s cross country and women’s rowing. Additionally, Oregon State will compete as an associate in men’s soccer and softball, while Washington State will compete as an associate in women’s tennis and men’s cross country
  2. Includes only enrollment at the main Pullman campus. Washington State has four other physical campuses.

Former full members

Of the former members of the WCC, only BYU (Latter Day Saints), and Seattle (Catholic) are Christian institutions. The other five are all public universities.

More information Institution, Nickname ...
  1. The UCSB campus has a Santa Barbara mailing address, but is outside the city limits in the unincorporated community of Isla Vista.
  2. The UNLV campus lies outside the Las Vegas city limits in the unincorporated community of Paradise. The U.S. Postal Service considers all unincorporated areas within the Las Vegas Valley to have a Las Vegas address.

Former associate members

More information Institution, Team ...
Notes
  1. The school started the process of rebranding its athletic program as Bakersfield in 2023–24.
  2. USIU dropped its athletics program following the end of the 1990–91 school year.

Membership timeline

Washington State UniversityPac-12 ConferencePac-12 ConferencePac-12 ConferenceNCAA Division I independent schoolsPac-12 ConferenceOregon State UniversityPac-12 ConferencePac-12 ConferencePac-12 ConferenceNCAA Division I independent schoolsPac-12 ConferenceBig 12 ConferenceBrigham Young UniversityMountain West ConferenceWestern Athletic ConferenceSkyline Conference (1938–1962)Alliant International UniversityNCAA Division I independent schoolsNCAA Division II independent schoolsNAIA independent schoolsUniversity of San DiegoNCAA Division II independent schoolsGonzaga UniversityBig Sky ConferenceNCAA Division II independent schoolsNAIA independent schoolsUniversity of PortlandNCAA Division II independent schoolsWestern Athletic ConferenceNCAA Division II independent schoolsGreat Northwest Athletic ConferenceNCAA Division II independent schoolsNorthwest ConferenceNAIA independent schoolsSeattle UniversityNCAA Division II independent schoolsMountain West ConferenceWestern Athletic ConferenceBig West ConferenceBig Sky ConferenceUniversity of Nevada, RenoNorthern California Athletic ConferenceNCAA Division I independent schoolsMountain West ConferenceWestern Athletic ConferenceBig West ConferenceBig West ConferenceNCAA Division I FBS independent schoolsUniversity of Nevada, Las VegasNCAA College DivisionBig West ConferenceBig West ConferenceUniversity of California, Santa BarbaraCalifornia Collegiate Athletic AssociationPepperdine UniversityCalifornia Collegiate Athletic AssociationLoyola Marymount UniversityLoyola Marymount UniversityNCAA Division I independent schoolsMountain West ConferenceWestern Athletic ConferenceBig West ConferenceBig West ConferenceCalifornia Collegiate Athletic AssociationCalifornia State University, FresnoCalifornia Collegiate Athletic AssociationSaint Mary's College of CaliforniaSanta Clara UniversityUniversity of San FranciscoBig West ConferenceBig West ConferenceUniversity of the Pacific (United States)Mountain West ConferenceWestern Athletic ConferenceBig West ConferenceBig West ConferenceSan Jose State University

Full members  Associate member (basketball) Associate member (other sports) Other Conference  Other Conference 

  • Due to space limitations, the following affiliations are not linked within the timeline:
    • Fresno State had dual membership with the California Collegiate Athletic Association during their tenure in the WCAC before committing full-time with the CCAA from 1957 to 1969:
    • Pepperdine was an independent school for the 1954–55 season.
    • UC Santa Barbara joined what was then the Big West Conference in 1969. It left in 1974 to become independent and returned in 1976.
    • USIU was a full independent after departing the WCC conference before dropping all collegiate athletics in 1991.
    • Oregon State and Washington State have a two-year agreement with the WCC for associate memberships in various sports. It has not been announced which conference the associate sports will join in 2026.

Sports

The West Coast Conference sponsors championship competition in seven men's and nine women's NCAA sanctioned sports, with the newest addition being men's water polo in 2023–24.[12]

More information Sport, Men's ...

Men's sports

More information School, Baseball ...
  1. Loyola Marymount will drop its men's cross country program at the end of the 2023–24 school year.
  2. San Francisco will drop its men's tennis program at the end of the 2023–24 school year.
More information School, Football ...
  1. The NCAA sanctions rowing only for women. Men's college rowing is governed by the Intercollegiate Rowing Association.
  2. Loyola Marymount will drop its men's rowing and track programs at the end of the 2023–24 school year.

Women's sports

More information School, Basketball ...
  1. Loyola Marymount will drop its women's rowing program at the end of the 2023–24 school year.
  2. San Francisco will drop its women's tennis program at the end of the 2023–24 school year.
More information School, Swimming & diving ...
  1. Loyola Marymount will drop its women's swimming & diving and track & field programs at the end of the 2023–24 school year.

Facilities

Future (associate) members in gray.

More information School, Basketball arena ...
  1. At the time Oregon State and Washington State were announced as incoming associate members for 2024–25 and 2025–26, they had a 30-day window to potentially add baseball to their membership. The window expired on January 26, 2024 with no announcement from the WCC or either school.[13] Washington State later joined the Mountain West Conference for baseball, while Oregon State opted to compete as an independent.[14][15]

Notable sports figures

Some of the famous athletes who played collegiately for WCC schools and coaches and executives that attended WCC schools, include:

See also

References

  1. [1]
    "History & Mission". University of the Pacific. Retrieved March 31, 2012.
  2. [2]
    "Transactions: College". Times Daily. Florence, AL. Associated Press. July 14, 1989. p. 2B.
  3. [3]
    "WCAC shortens its name to West Coast Conference". Spokane Chronicle. July 14, 1989. p. B5.
  4. [4]
    West Coast Conference Official Athletics Site – On Campus Archived March 9, 2009, at the Wayback Machine. Wccsports.cstv.com (July 1, 2011).
  5. [5]
    "BYU Becomes Ninth Member of West Coast Conference" (Press release). West Coast Conference. July 1, 2011. Archived from the original on August 9, 2016. Retrieved March 20, 2016.
  6. [6]
    Katz, Andy (August 31, 2010). "BYU leaving MWC for 2011–12 season". ESPN. Retrieved September 1, 2010.
  7. [7]
    VanderBeek, Brian (March 28, 2012). "University of the Pacific joins West Coast Conference". The Modesto Bee. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
  8. [8]
    "Russell Rule Diversity Hiring Commitment" (Press release). West Coast Conference. August 3, 2020. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  9. [9]
    "BYU to Join Big 12 Conference" (Press release). BYU Cougars. September 7, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
  10. [10]
    "West Coast Conference Adds Men's Water Polo" (Press release). West Coast Conference. July 19, 2022. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  11. [11]
    "West Coast Conference Adds Oregon State and Washington State as Affiliate Members" (Press release). West Coast Conference. December 22, 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
  12. [12]
    "West Coast Conference Adds Men's Water Polo" (Press release). West Coast Conference. July 19, 2022. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  13. [13]
    Brown, Matt (January 25, 2024). "Here's the affiliate sports contract between the WCC, OSU and WSU:". Extra Points. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  14. [14]
    "Mountain West Adds Washington State in Baseball and Women's Swimming" (Press release). Mountain West Conference. April 16, 2024. Retrieved April 16, 2024.
  15. [15]
    Freeman, Joe (January 26, 2024). "Oregon State baseball to play independent schedule in 2025, giving Beavers chance to 'create our own identity'". The Oregonian.
  16. [16]
    Pepperdine Athletes Prepare for Beijing Olympics | Pepperdine University. Pepperdine.edu.
  17. [17]
    National Men Water Polo Team USA Men's Olympic Team Archived January 27, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Usawaterpolo.org.
  18. [18]
    "BYU sweeps California Baptist as Taylor Sander sets program kills record". NCAA. March 23, 2014. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
  19. [19]
    Archived July 3, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
  20. [20]
    Dr. Ted Leland. "Ted Leland Bio – Pacific". Pacifictigers.com. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
  21. [21]
    "John Fassel athletic career, photos, articles, and videos". Fanbase. Archived from the original on November 8, 2015. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
  22. [22]
    Hobson, Geoff. "Cincinnati Bengals: Hue Jackson". Bengals.com. Archived from the original on March 27, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
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