Big West Conference

The Big West Conference (BWC) is an NCAA-affiliated Division I-A major college athletic conference that formerly sponsored American football. The history of the conference is linked to that of the Pacific Coast Athletic Association (PCAA), which was founded in 1969 and renamed the Big West Conference in 1988. The Big West Conference dropped sponsorship of football at the end of the 2000-2001 season, but continues to actively sponsor other sports.

Original members of the BWC (and years of football membership) included California State-Fullerton (1988-1992), Fresno State (1988-1991), Long Beach State (1988-1999), Nevada-Las Vegas (1988-1996), New Mexico State (1988-2000), Pacific (1988-1996), San Jose State (1988-1996), and Utah State (1988-2000).

Other former members (and years of football membership) included Arkansas State (1993-1996 & 1998-2001), Boise State (1996-2001), Idaho (1996-2000), Louisiana-Lafayette (1993-1996), Louisiana Tech (1993-1996), Nevada (1996-1999), North Texas (1996-2000), and Northern Illinois (1993-1996).

Beginning in fall 2001, the six remaining football-playing members parted company with the BWC: Arkansas State, Idaho, New Mexico State, and North Texas joined the Sun Belt Conference; Boise State joined the Western Athletic Conference; and Utah State became an independent before joining the Sun Belt Conference in fall 2003.

Table of contents

1 Current members (and years joined) 2 Current conference affiliations (for football) of former members 3 Sports

Current members (and years joined)

• California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (1996) [=Cal Poly]
• California State University, Fullerton (1974)
• California State University, Long Beach (1969) [=Long Beach State]
• California State University, Northridge (2001)
• Idaho State University (1996)
• University of California, Irvine (1977)
• University of California, Riverside (2001)
• University of California, Santa Barbara (1969 & 1976)
• University of the Pacific (1971)
• Utah State University (1978)

Current conference affiliations (for football) of former members

• Mid-American Conference (1) - Northern Illinois
• Mountain West Conference (1) - Nevada-Las Vegas
• Sun Belt Conference (6) - Arkansas State, Idaho, Louisiana-Lafayette, New Mexico State, North Texas, and Utah State
• Western Athletic Conference (5) - Boise State, Fresno State, Louisiana Tech, Nevada, and San Jose State

Sports

The BWC sponsors intercollegiate competition in men’s baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, women’s softball, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s track and field, and women’s volleyball.