Western Athletic Conference - Definition and Overview

The Western Athletic Conference (commonly referred to as the WAC, pronounced "whack") was formed in 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 College Athletic Conferences currently affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I-A. The WAC covers a broad expanse of the western United States, with member institutions located in California, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Charter members included Arizona, Arizona State, Brigham Young, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.

Former members include Air Force (1980-1999), Arizona (1962-1978), Arizona State (1962-1978), Brigham Young (1962-1999), Colorado State (1967-1999), Nevada-Las Vegas (1996-1999), New Mexico (1962-1999), San Diego State (1978-1999), Texas Christian (1996-2001), Utah (1962-1999), Wyoming (1962-1999). The 11 former members are now variously aligned with the Mountain West Conference (Air Force, BYU, Colorado State, UNLV, New Mexico, San Diego State, Utah, and Wyoming), the Pacific Ten Conference (Arizona and Arizona State), and Conference USA (TCU).

Current members (and year joined)

• Boise State University (2001)
• California State University, Fresno (1992) [=Fresno State]
• University of Hawaii (1979)
• Louisiana Tech University (2001)
• University of Nevada (2000)
• Rice University (1996)
• San Jose State University (1996)
• Southern Methodist University (1996) [=SMU]
• University of Tulsa (1996)
• University of Texas at El Paso (1967) [=UTEP]

In 2005, the conference's three Texas members (Rice, SMU, UTEP) and Tulsa will leave the WAC for Conference USA. They will be replaced by Idaho, New Mexico State, and Utah State, all of which currently play football in the Sun Belt Conference.

Sports

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

External link

• Official Web Site of the Western Athletic Conference (http://www.wacsports.com/)

Western Athletic Conference Boise State | Fresno State | Hawai‘i | Louisiana Tech | Nevada | San Jose State    Leaving in July 2005: Rice | SMU | Tulsa | UTEP    Joining in July 2005: Idaho | New Mexico State | Utah State