|
|
|
|
|
Big West ConferenceThe Big West Conference (BWC) is an NCAA-affiliated Division I major college athletic conference that formerly sponsored Division I-A American football. Background 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 Cal State Fullerton (1988-1992), Fresno State (1988-1991), Long Beach State (1988-1999), Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV) (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, six of the seven 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 (WAC); and Utah State became an independent before joining the Sun Belt Conference in fall 2003. Idaho and Utah State currently retain Big West membership in sports other than football, but both will leave for the WAC in the fall of 2005. The departure of Idaho and Utah State will leave the Big West a California-only conference; of these schools, five are in Greater Los Angeles, two others are just to the north or west of that area, and only Pacific is outside of Southern California. The seventh football-playing member, Cal Poly, stayed in the Big West for other sports and became a Division I-AA independent before joining the new Great West Football Conference in 2004. Current members (and years joined) Current conference affiliations (for football) of former members Sports As of fall 2002, the BWC sponsors intercollegiate competition in mens baseball, mens and womens basketball, mens and womens cross country, mens and womens golf, mens and womens soccer, mens and womens swimming and diving, womens softball, mens and womens tennis, mens and womens track and field, and womens volleyball. External link *
|
 |
|
| Copyright 2005-2009 OnPedia.com. All Rights Reserved |
|
|