Great Northwest Athletic Conference

Summary

The Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level. It has historically operated in the northwestern United States, but also includes schools in Alaska, Montana, and British Columbia.

Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC)
AssociationNCAA
Founded2001
CommissionerDavid Haglund (since 2011)
Sports fielded
  • 16
    • men's: 8
    • women's: 8
DivisionDivision II
No. of teams10
HeadquartersPortland, Oregon
RegionIdaho, British Columbia, Alaska, Montana, Washington, Oregon
Official websitewww.gnacsports.com
Locations
Location of teams in {{{title}}}

The GNAC is the only NCAA conference in any division with a Canadian university as a member.

History

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The conference formed in 2001 when its original ten members split from the Pacific West Conference.

Great Northwest Athletic Conference (Pacific Northwest)
 
 
 
 
200km
125miles
 
Central Washington
 
Simon Fraser
 
Montana State–Billings
 
Western Washington
 
Western Oregon
 
Seattle Pacific
 
Saint Martin's
 
Northwest Nazarene
  
Location of GNAC members:   current
Great Northwest Athletic Conference (Alaska)
 
 
 
 
900km
600miles
 
Alaska–Anchorage
 
Alaska
  
Location of GNAC members:   current

Chronological timeline

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  • 2001 - The Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) was founded. Charter members included the University of Alaska at Fairbanks, the University of Alaska at Anchorage, Central Washington University, Humboldt State University (now California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt), Northwest Nazarene University, Saint Martin's, Seattle University, Seattle Pacific University, Western Oregon University and Western Washington University, effective beginning the 2001-02 academic year.
  • 2006 - Humboldt State left the GNAC to join the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), effective after the 2005-06 academic year. This would result in the GNAC dropping football, with Western Washington and Central Washington becoming football affiliates of the now defunct North Central Conference and Western Oregon competing as a D-II independent.
  • 2007 - Montana State University at Billings joined the GNAC, effective in the 2007-08 academic year.
  • 2008 - Seattle left the GNAC to join the Division I ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as an NCAA D-I Independent (who would later join the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), effective beginning the 2012-13 academic year), effective after the 2007-08 academic year.
  • 2008 - Dixie State University joined the GNAC as an affiliate member for football (with Humboldt State returning for that sport), effective with the 2008 fall season (2008-09 academic year), leading to the GNAC to begin sponsoring football once again.
  • 2010 - Simon Fraser University joined the GNAC, effective in the 2010-11 academic year.
  • 2012 - Three institutions joined the GNAC as affiliate members: Azusa Pacific University for football, and the University of Mary and the University of Sioux Falls for men's soccer, all effective with the 2012-13 academic year.
  • 2013 - South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (South Dakota Mines) joined the GNAC as an affiliate member for men's soccer, effective in the 2013 fall season (2013-14 academic year).
  • 2014 - South Dakota Mines added football to its GNAC affiliate membership, effective in the 2014 fall season (2014-15 academic year).
  • 2015 - South Dakota Mines left the GNAC as an affiliate member for men's soccer, effective after the 2014 fall season (2014-15 academic year).
  • 2015 - Concordia University–Portland joined the GNAC, effective in the 2015-16 academic year.
  • 2016 - Dixie State and South Dakota Mines left the GNAC as affiliate members for football, effective after the 2015 fall season (2015-16 academic year).
  • 2019 - Humboldt State left the GNAC as an affiliate member for football as the school announced it was dropping the sport after the 2018 fall season (2018-19 academic year).
  • 2019 - The University of California San Diego (UC San Diego) and the University of Central Oklahoma (along with Humboldt State returning for that sport), joined the GNAC as affiliate members for women's rowing, effective in the 2020 spring season (2019-20 academic year).
  • 2020 - Concordia–Portland left the GNAC as the school announced that it would close, effective after the 2019-20 academic year.
  • 2020 - Azusa Pacific left the GNAC as an affiliate member for football as the school announced it was dropping the sport after the 2020 fall season (2020-21 academic year).
  • 2020 - UC San Diego left the GNAC as an affiliate member for women's rowing, effective after the 2020 spring season (2019-20 academic year), coinciding with the start of its transition to NCAA Division I.
  • 2022 - Central Washington, Western Oregon and Simon Fraser, the only 3 football-sponsoring schools remaining in the GNAC, announce that they will be joining the Lone Star Conference as football affiliates, bringing an end to the GNAC as a football conference for a second time, effective after the 2021 fall season (2021-22 academic year).

Member schools

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Current members

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The GNAC currently has ten full members, all but three are public schools:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Colors
University of Alaska Anchorage Anchorage, Alaska 1954 Public 10,530 Seawolves 2001    
University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks, Alaska 1917 Public 6,826 Nanooks 2001    
Central Washington University Ellensburg, Washington 1891 Public 9,355 Wildcats 2001    
Montana State University Billings Billings, Montana 1927 Public 4,057 Yellowjackets 2007    
Northwest Nazarene University Nampa, Idaho 1913 Nazarene 1,778 Nighthawks 2001        
Saint Martin's University Lacey, Washington 1895 Catholic 1,614 Saints 2001    
Seattle Pacific University Seattle, Washington 1891 Free Methodist 3,114 Falcons 2001    
Simon Fraser University Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada 1965 Public 26,981 Red Leafs 2010      
Western Oregon University Monmouth, Oregon 1856 Public 3,752 Wolves 2001        
Western Washington University Bellingham, Washington 1893 Public 14,747 Vikings 2001        
Notes

Affiliate members

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The GNAC currently has two affiliate members, both are public schools:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Colors GNAC
sport
Primary
conference
University of Central Oklahoma Edmond, Oklahoma 1890 Public 13,250 Bronchos 2019–20     women's rowing Mid-America (MIAA)
California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt[a][b] Arcata, California 1913 Public 5,858 Lumberjacks 2019–20     women's rowing California (CCAA)
Notes
  1. ^ Cal Poly Humboldt was a full member of the GNAC from 2001–02 to 2005–06, and was as an affiliate member of the GNAC for football from the 2008 to 2018 fall seasons (2008–09 to 2018–19 school years).
  2. ^ Formerly known as Humboldt State University until January 26, 2022.

Former members

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The GNAC had three former full members, all but one were private schools:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Current
conference
Concordia University–Portland Portland, Oregon 1905 Lutheran LCMS N/A Cavaliers 2015 2020 Closed in 2020
California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt[a][b] Arcata, California 1913 Public 5,858 Lumberjacks 2001 2006 California (CCAA)
Seattle University Seattle, Washington 1891 Catholic 7,107 Redhawks 2001 2008 Western (WAC)[c][d]
Notes
  1. ^ Cal Poly Humboldt remains in the GNAC as an affiliate member for women's rowing.
  2. ^ Formerly known as Humboldt State University until January 26, 2022.
  3. ^ Currently an NCAA Division I athletic conference.
  4. ^ Seattle University will join the West Coast Conference effective July 1, 2025.

Former affiliate members

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The GNAC had seven former affiliate members, all but three were public schools:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left GNAC
sport
Primary
conference
Azusa Pacific University Azusa, California 1899 Evangelical
Christian
7,133 Cougars 2012–13 2019–20 football Pacific West (PacWest)
Dixie State University[a] St. George, Utah 1911 Public 12,556 Red Storm[b] 2008–09 2015–16 football Western (WAC)[c]
California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt[d][e] Arcata, California 1913 Public 5,858 Lumberjacks 2006–07 2017–18 football California (CCAA)
University of Mary Bismarck, North Dakota 1959 Catholic 3,794 Marauders 2012–13 2015–16 men's soccer Northern Sun (NSIC)
University of Sioux Falls Sioux Falls, South Dakota 1883 Baptist 1,594 Cougars 2012–13 2012–13 men's soccer Northern Sun (NSIC)
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Rapid City, South Dakota 1885 Public 2,493 Hardrockers 2014–15fb.;
2013–14m.soc.
2015–16fb.;
2014–15m.soc.
football;
men's soccer
Rocky Mountain (RMAC)
University of California, San Diego San Diego, California 1960 Public 41,482 Tritons 2019–20 2019–20 women's rowing Big West[c]
Notes
  1. ^ Currently known as Utah Tech University.
  2. ^ Currently known as the Utah Tech Trailblazers.
  3. ^ a b Currently an NCAA Division I athletic conference.
  4. ^ Cal Poly Humboldt was a full member of the GNAC from 2001–02 to 2005–06. However it remains in the GNAC as an affiliate member for women's rowing.
  5. ^ Formerly known as Humboldt State University until January 2022.

Membership timeline

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University of California, San DiegoUniversity of Central OklahomaConcordia University (Oregon)South Dakota School of Mines and TechnologyUniversity of Sioux FallsUniversity of MaryAzusa Pacific UniversitySimon Fraser UniversityUtah Tech UniversityMontana State University BillingsWestern Washington UniversityWestern Oregon UniversitySeattle Pacific UniversitySeattle UniversitySaint Martin's UniversityNorthwest Nazarene UniversityCalifornia State Polytechnic University, HumboldtCalifornia State Polytechnic University, HumboldtCentral Washington UniversityUniversity of Alaska AnchorageUniversity of Alaska Fairbanks

 Full member (all sports)   Full member (non-football)   Associate member (football-only)   Associate member (other sports) 

  • The GNAC did not sponsor football in the 2006–07 and 2007-08 seasons. Therefore, Central Washington and Western Washington competed in the North Central Conference (NCC); while Dixie State, Humboldt State and Western Oregon were Independents.

Sports sponsored

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Conference sports
Sport Men's Women's
Baseball  Y
Basketball  Y  Y
Cross Country  Y  Y
Golf  Y  Y
Rowing  Y
Soccer  Y  Y
Softball  Y
Track & Field Indoor  Y  Y
Track & Field Outdoor  Y  Y
Volleyball  Y

Men's sponsored sports by school

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School Baseball Basketball Cross
Country
Golf Soccer Track
& Field
Indoor
Track
& Field
Outdoor
Total
GNAC
Sports
Alaska  Y  Y 2
Alaska-Anchorage  Y  Y  Y  Y 4
Central Washington  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y 5
Montana State-Billings  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y 7
Northwest Nazarene  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y 7
Saint Martin's  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y 7
Seattle Pacific  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y 5
Simon Fraser  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y 6
Western Oregon  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y 6
Western Washington  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y 6
Totals 5 10 10 5 7 9 9 57

Women's sponsored sports by school

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School Basketball Cross
Country
Golf Rowing Soccer Softball Track
& Field
Indoor
Track
& Field
Outdoor
Volleyball Total
GNAC
Sports
Alaska  Y  Y  Y 3
Alaska-Anchorage  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y 5
Central Washington  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y 7
Montana State-Billings  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y 8
Northwest Nazarene  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y 8
Saint Martin's  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y 8
Seattle Pacific  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y 8
Simon Fraser  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y 8
Western Oregon  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y 7
Western Washington  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y 9
Affiliate Members
Cal Poly Humboldt  Y 1
Central Oklahoma  Y 1
Totals 10 10 6 4 8 7 9 9 10 81

Other sponsored sports by school

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School Men Women Co-ed
Football Ice
Hockey[a]
Swimming
& Diving
Wrestling Gymnastics[a] Swimming
& Diving
Wrestling Rifle[a] Skiing[a]
Alaska IND PCSC PRC RMISA
Alaska Anchorage IND MPSF RMISA
Central Washington LSC
Simon Fraser RMAC RMAC RMAC RMAC
Western Oregon LSC
  1. ^ a b c d De facto Division I sport. The NCAA holds a combined national championship event in men's ice hockey open to both Division I and Division II members, and single championship events open to members of all three divisions in women's gymnastics and the coeducational sports of rifle and skiing.

Football champions

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Basketball champions

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Conference facilities

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School Basketball arena Capacity
Alaska Fairbanks Alaska Airlines Court 1,648
Alaska Anchorage Alaska Airlines Center 5,000
Central Washington Nicholson Pavilion 2,519
Montana State - Billings Alterowitz Gymnasium 2,330
Northwest Nazarene Johnson Sports Center
Saint Martin's Marcus Pavilion
Seattle Pacific Royal Brougham Pavilion 2,650
Simon Fraser West Gym 1,500
Western Oregon PE Gym 2,473
Western Washington Sam Carver Gym 2,534

References

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  • Official website