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SINCE 1962
After completing its 58th year of intercollegiate competition, the Western Athletic Conference continues to evolve and feature some of the nation’s best programs. One thing that remains unchanged is the persistent nature of the schools in the WAC to advance their programs to contend at the top levels of the NCAA.
The WAC provides its student-athletes the chance to travel to scenic destinations and gain exposure in some of the nation’s most diverse markets and largest metropolitan cities. In addition, the WAC’s student-athletes work to achieve the highest levels of success with the academic support of their respective institutions.
CONTINUED SUCCESS
The WAC has experienced tremendous success over the years. In men’s basketball, the WAC has sent at least two teams to the NCAA Tournament in 28 of the past 45 seasons. In baseball, the WAC has boasted two national champions since 2003. In women’s basketball, the conference has had at least two teams qualify for the NCAA Tournament 10 times in 28 seasons, with a record five teams in 1998. The WAC also sent teams to three BCS football bowl games from 2007-10.
In 2014, the conference launched the WAC Digital Network giving fans access to watch hundreds of games live on the internet. The WDN streams live events including soccer, volleyball, basketball, swimming and diving, indoor track and field, softball and baseball. In addition, the WDN produces championship events from soccer, volleyball, basketball, softball, indoor and outdoor track and field and baseball, including those airing on ESPN+. The WDN also produces the franchise features, “#WACtopPlay,” “WAC60,” “WAC in the Day,” “WAC All-Access,” “The Road to #WACvegas,” and “The WAC Podcast.” The Learn-Compete-Inspire series is also featured on the WDN, telling stories of triumph and inspiration from around the conference.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE
The WAC’s history traces back to July 27, 1962, when the original six-team league of Arizona, Arizona State, Brigham Young, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming began competition.
The first championship was held in November 1962, when Arizona won the men’s cross country title and New Mexico followed with the first WAC football title. Arizona finished second in the NCAA College World Series and, less than three years later, Arizona State claimed the league’s first NCAA title when the Sun Devils won the College World Series trophy. Fresno State was the last WAC school to earn an NCAA team title when it won the College World Series in 2008.
Since 1962, several changes have occurred. UTEP and Colorado State became members in September 1967, while Arizona and Arizona State withdrew on June 30, 1978. The WAC then added San Diego State (1978), Hawai‘i (1979) and Air Force (1980). Before 1990, the WAC sponsored championships only in men’s sports. However, a merger with the High Country Athletic Conference formed a single conference under one administrative structure, and the 1990-91 athletic year was the first in which both men and women competed under the WAC name. Fresno State was added in 1992, and then in 1996, the women’s programs from Air Force and Hawai‘i along with six new schools (UNLV, Rice, San Jose State, SMU, TCU and Tulsa) came into the WAC. Air Force, Brigham Young, Colorado State, UNLV, New Mexico, San Diego State, Utah and Wyoming withdrew on June 30, 1999. Nevada (2000), Boise State (2001) and Louisiana Tech (2001) were added while TCU withdrew following the 2000-01 season. In 2005, Idaho, New Mexico State and Utah State joined the WAC after Rice, SMU, UTEP and Tulsa withdrew. Boise State withdrew prior to the 2011-12 season. In 2012, the WAC added Denver, Seattle U, UT Arlington, UTSA and Texas State. In 2013, the WAC added CSU Bakersfield, Chicago State, Grand Canyon, Kansas City, Texas-Pan American and Utah Valley to join Idaho, New Mexico State and Seattle U. The new institutions replaced withdrawing members, Denver, Louisiana Tech, San Jose State, Utah State, UT Arlington, UTSA and Texas State. Idaho withdrew from the conference prior to the 2014-15 season. In 2015, Texas-Pan American merged with UT Brownsville to form The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. California Baptist University became the ninth member of the conference on July 1, 2018. In January of 2019 Dixie State University accepted an invitation to join the conference effective July 1, 2020, replacing exiting member CSU Bakersfield. In November of 2019 Tarleton State University accepted an invitation for membership in the conference effective July 1, 2020, replacing exiting member Kansas City.
The WAC has had just six commissioners in its history. Paul Brechler was named the first leader of the conference and held the position from 1962-1968. He was followed by Wiles Hallock (1968-71), Stan Bates (1971-80), Dr. Joe Kearney (1980-94), Karl Benson (1994-2012) and current commissioner Jeff Hurd (2012-present).
The WAC office has been located in the Denver area since the conference’s inception with the exception of a two-year stay in Phoenix from 1964-66.
WAC CHAMPIONS
Presently, the WAC crowns team and individual champions in 19 sports – nine men’s and 10 women’s. For the men, there are championships in baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field. Championships for women are held in basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field and volleyball.
ABILENE CHRISTIAN University
LOCATION: ABILENE, TX MASCOT: WILDCATS FOUNDED: 1906 ENROLLMENT: 5,293 JOINED WAC: 2021 |
CALIFORNIA BAPTIST University
LOCATION: RIVERSIDE, CA MASCOT: LANCERS FOUNDED: 1950 ENROLLMENT: 11,045 JOINED WAC: 2018 |
DIXIE State University
LOCATION: ST. GEORGE, UT MASCOT: TRAILBLAZERS FOUNDED: 1911 ENROLLMENT: 11,193 JOINED WAC: 2020 |
GRAND CANYON University
LOCATION: PHOENIX, AZ MASCOT: LOPES FOUNDED: 1949 ENROLLMENT: 22,000 JOINED WAC: 2013 |
LAMAR University
LOCATION: BEAUMONT, TX JOINED WAC: 2021 |
NEW MEXICO State University
LOCATION: LAS CRUCES, N.M. MASCOT: AGGIES FOUNDED: 1888 ENROLLMENT: 14,289 JOINED WAC: 2005 |
Sam Houston State University
LOCATION: HUNTSVILLE, TX JOINED WAC: 2021 |
SEATTLE University
LOCATION: SEATTLE, WA MASCOT: REDHAWKS FOUNDED: 1891 ENROLLMENT: 7,291 JOINED WAC: 2012 |
SOUTHERN UTAH UNIVERSITY
LOCATION: CEDAR CITY, UT JOINED WAC: 2022 |
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY
LOCATION: NACOGDOCHES, TX JOINED WAC: 2021 |
TARLETON State University
LOCATION: STEPHENVILLE, TX JOINED WAC: 2020 |
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS RIO GRANDE VALLEY
LOCATION: EDINBURG, TX MASCOT: VAQUEROS FOUNDED: 2015 ENROLLMENT: 32,618 JOINED WAC (AS UTPA): 2013 |
UTAH VALLEY State University
LOCATION: OREM, UT MASCOT: WOLVERINES FOUNDED: 1941 ENROLLMENT: 41,728 JOINED WAC: 2013 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Stephen F. Austin State University and the athletics department made a bold statement for its future with the official announcement this week that it will join the Western Athletic Conference for the 2021-2022 academic year and beyond. SFA will be joined by three other departing Southland Conference programs – Abilene Christian, Lamar and Sam Houston State—as well as Southern Utah of the Big Sky Conference in assimilating to the WAC.
The expansion announcement was made Thursday inside NRG Center in Houston by contributing conference and university officials, including SFA president Dr. Scott Gordon and Director of Athletics Ryan Ivey.
The additions will create a 13-member, two-division WAC with prospects of adding another member that is in line with raising the conference’s all-sports status. The new contingent of programs joining the WAC bring in a strong track record of athletic success and seek to raise the profile of the WAC across the board as well as revive the league’s sponsorship of football, which has been dormant since 2012.
With a submitted departure date of June 30, 2022, the remaining Southland Conference members exercised their ability to speed up the exit of the “Texas 4”, effective June 30, 2021, one-year ahead of the previously planned time. As such, the “Texas 4” institutions are petitioning the WAC Board of Directors for entry into the conference beginning on July 1, 2021. At this time, Southern Utah is still expected to move into the WAC at the original July 1, 2022 date.
With six Texas members and three Utah members, the majority of the WAC will be housed in the nation’s two fastest growing states since 2010. The expansion also will mean that the WAC has members located in or near five of the nation’s top 13 media markets. Being in those areas and rapidly growing Utah will enhance university exposure, increase recruiting territory and draw more recruiting attention to Phoenix-area high school student-athletes, including for the conference’s seven Football Championship Subdivision programs.
Building on the basketball success of a conference that has sent two teams to the NCAA Tournament in 28 of the past 45 years, the new additions to the WAC represent five of the past six NCAA Tournament qualifiers out of the Southland in men’s basketball. The new schools will also breathe life back into the WAC’s rich football tradition, which at its heyday contained successful programs such as Boise State, TCU, Fresno State, Hawaii and Louisiana Tech, among others.
“What an exciting day to be a Lumberjack”, said Ivey. “This move to the WAC will allow us to take a step forward in achieving our vision of becoming the leading mid-major athletic department in the Nation. Having the opportunity to join a strong conference alongside like- minded institutions is paramount to our future growth. This move will allow us to elevate our athletic department and provide an opportunity to grow our institutional profile through our athletic department.”
“Joining the WAC is a tremendous opportunity to elevate our athletic program and competition”, said SFA president Dr. Scott Gordon. “This move will increase our institutional profile, increase our exposure in some of the fastest growing population areas in the country and at the same time enhance our revenue. The strong commitment of the WAC to academics and athletics as well as our ability to keep our natural rivalries and start new ones is exciting.”
“Moving to the WAC is an important next step in the progression and elevation of the SFA brand”, said SFA board of regents’ chair Alton Frailey.
In recognition of our move to Western Athletic Conference (WAC) beginning in 2021, we have designed mini-plans for you to enjoy for the following sports. These plans will be available for purchase for 21 HOURS beginning on January, 14, 2021 at Noon and lasting until January 15, 2021 at 9 am.
SPORT | GAMES | PRICE | |
1 | BASKETBALL | 3 | $21 |
2 | BASEBALL | 5 | $21 |
3 | SOFTBALL | 5 | $21 |
4 | SOCCER | 6 | $21 |
5 | VOLLEYBALL | 6 | $21 |
What is the reason for leaving the Southland Conference and moving to the Western Athletic Conference? The move was an opportunity to look at ways to elevate our athletics program, while at the same time being able to grow the institutional profile by aligning ourselves with other successful and like-minded institutions with a focus on growth and athletic success.
What other Southland Conference schools will be joining SFA in the WAC? Sam Houston State, Lamar and Abilene Christian will be leaving the SLC and joining the WAC as well, while Southern Utah is heading from the Big Sky Conference to the WAC in a corresponding move as well.
When will the process of transitioning to the WAC officially begin? The process will begin with the WAC’s official announcement on January 14, 2021.
How many total teams will be in the WAC after this transition is complete? Will any current WAC members be leaving the conference? The WAC will contain 13 total schools when the transition process is complete, with plans to continue moving forward to adding a 14th member.
Will SFA continue to play football in the Southland since the WAC does not sponsor football?
No. With the addition of the “Texas Four” (Lamar, SHSU, SFA and ACU) as well as Southern Utah, the WAC will be reinstating football after discontinuing it in 2012.
When will SFA begin competing as a conference member of the WAC?
By July 1, 2021, the ‘Jacks will be a full-fledged competing member of the WAC. There will be no probationary period barring SFA from competing immediately for conference titles.
Are all of SFA’s 18 varsity sports included in the move to the WAC?
16 of SFA’s 18 varsity teams will compete as part of the Western Athletic Conference. We are working on various solutions for women’s bowling and beach volleyball, respectively.
What does the WAC have to offer SFA as a basketball conference?
The Western Athletic Conference offers a more competitive basketball conference with both perennial powers and up and coming programs that are committed to a vision of success for their respective basketball programs.
Will the move to the WAC increase SFA’s presence on the ESPN family of networks? Yes, due to the fact that all current WAC members have in-house production capabilities that will create additional opportunities for events to be featured on the ESPN family of networks.
Where is the WAC Conference office located? The Western Athletic Conference office is located in Denver, Colorado.
Where is the WAC Basketball Tournament held each year? The WAC Basketball Tournament is held in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Orleans Arena, a 9,500 seat multi-purpose facility.