Great West Conference

The Great West Conference (GWC) was an NCAA college athletic conference in the continental United States. It initially began as the Great West Football Conference (GWFC), established in 2004, and later expanded into an all-sports conference during the 2008–09 season. The GWC stopped sponsoring football following the 2011 season. The conference ceased operations when four of its five full member schools joined other conferences on July 1, 2013.

History

Great West Football Conference

The Great West Football Conference began in 2004, founded by Cal Poly, North Dakota State, Northern Colorado, South Dakota State, Southern Utah, and UC Davis. This move was a response to the schools' desire to maintain their NCAA Division I-AA (now FCS) football status. Cal Poly became the first GWFC team to participate in the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs in 2005.

Over the years, member schools shifted affiliations. Northern Colorado departed for the Big Sky Conference in 2006, while North Dakota State and South Dakota State left for the Missouri Valley Football Conference (previously known as the Gateway Football Conference) in 2008. North Dakota and South Dakota joined the GWFC in 2008, maintaining the conference's geographic footprint.

Transition to All-Sports Conference

In 2008, the Great West expanded to become an all-sports conference, rebranding as the Great West Conference. New members included North Dakota, South Dakota, New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), Houston Baptist, Texas-Pan American, Utah Valley, and later Chicago State. Although the conference did not initially sponsor full conference schedules in most sports (excluding football), it began awarding "Player of the Week" honors across all sports during the 2008–09 season.

The 2009–10 season saw the implementation of regular season schedules and championships in various sports, including women's volleyball, women's soccer, men's and women's basketball, baseball, and softball.

Conclusion

The Great West Conference's existence was marked by frequent roster changes among its member institutions. By 2013, the defection of key members to other conferences led to its dissolution as an active conference.

Notable Members

• Cal Poly
• North Dakota State
• Northern Colorado
• South Dakota State
• Southern Utah
• UC Davis
• North Dakota
• South Dakota
• New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT)
• Houston Baptist
• Texas-Pan American
• Utah Valley
• Chicago State

Sports Sponsoring

The Great West Conference sponsored various sports, including:

• Football (until 2011)
• Men's and Women's Basketball
• Baseball
• Softball
• Women's Volleyball
• Women's Soccer
• Cross Country
• Indoor Track and Field
• Outdoor Track and Field
• Men's Golf (until joining the America Sky Conference in 2010)
• Women's Tennis

The Great West Conference did not meet the NCAA requirement for an automatic bid to championships since it never reached the minimum of six eligible teams required for such bids.