West Coast Conference

From NCAA Wiki

West Coast Conference

Established	1952
Past Names	Calif. Baskeball Assoc. West Coast Athletic Conf.
Classification	1-AAA
National Titles	26 NCAA Division I individual or team champions 2 MBK, 1 BB, 1 MSoc, 2 WSoc
Commissioner	Jamie Zaninovich
Members	Gonzaga, Loyola Marymount, Pepperdine, Portland, St. Mary's, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Clara
Sports Fielded	13 -- baseball; both men's and women's basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, and tennis; and women's volleyball and rowing
States	Washington, Oregon, California
Headquarters	1250 Bayhill Drive, Suite 101 San Bruno, CA 94066
Website	wccsports.com

[edit] History

The West Coast Conference was formed in 1952 as the the California Basketball Association (CBA) to provide a convenient venue for five San Francisco Bay Area schools Saint Mary's, Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Jose State, and Pacific to compete in basketball. Since that modest beginning, the Conference has evolved and grown to become a nationally recognized and competitive force in intercollegiate athletics, with 13 league-sponsored sports: baseball; both men's and women's basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, and tennis; and women's volleyball and crew.

In 1955 the CBA changed its name to the West Coast Athletic Conference (WCAC) and added Fresno State, Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine with Fresno St. leaving after two years. UC Santa Barbara, UNLV, Seattle, and Nevada joined the conference briefly, and in 1979 both Portland and Gonzaga joined the conference, forming its current membership for the past 30+ years. The Conference shortened its name to the West Coast Conference (WCC) in 1988.

Since its modest beginning, the Conference has evolved and grown to become a nationally recognized and competitive force in intercollegiate athletics, with 13 league-sponsored sports: baseball; both men's and women's basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, and tennis; and women's volleyball and crew.

The eight WCC members span the western coast of the United States from Canada to Mexico, from the pine forests of Eastern Washington, to the Columbia River Basin, to the dynamic San Francisco Bay Area, to the sunny beaches of Southern California, the Conference is characterized by the stability of its membership - only two division 1 conferences have been together longer - and its unique emphasis on combining excellence in athletics with excellence in academics.

The Conference recognizes championships in each of its sports, has hosted NCAA championship events, and produced 26 NCAA Division I individual or team champions. Many outstanding WCC student-athletes have gone on to excel in professional sports.

The WCC prides itself on its long and rich history and demonstrates that success in intercollegiate athletics can be built on the foundation of values, character, and academics.

The WCC Overall Student Population: 54,668 (June 2009)