California Pacific Conference

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California Pacific Conference
Cal Pac
California Pacific Conference logo
Established1996
AssociationNAIA
Members15 (14 in 2022)
Sports fielded
  • 12
    • men's: 6
    • women's: 6
RegionPacific Coast and Mountain West
HeadquartersOakland, California
CommissionerDon Ott
Websitecalpacathletics.com
Locations
California Pacific Conference locations

The California Pacific Conference (Cal Pac) is a college athletics conference in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The conference commissioner is Don Ott. Conference leadership is shared among the member institutions. The conference president is Themy Adachi of Mills College. The conference vice president is Farnum Smith of William Jessup University. The secretary is Marv Christopher of California Maritime Academy. The conference was formed in 1996.

Conference members range from members of the University of California and California State University systems to religious and liberal arts colleges

History overview[]

Cal State East Bay, Cal State Monterey Bay, Dominican, Mills College, and Notre Dame de Namur are former members of the conference that have left the NAIA and the conference for Division II and for Division III of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

CSUMB and CSUEB left the Cal Pac to join the NCAA Division II California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) in the 2004–05 and 2008–09 seasons, respectively.

Patten left the Cal Pac after eliminating its athletic program.

Notre Dame de Namur left the Cal Pac to join the NCAA Division II Pacific West Conference in the 2006–07 season, followed by Dominican in the 2008–09 season.

Mills College moved to NCAA Division III as an Independent in the 2011–12 season.

In June 2011, Bethany announced it was ceasing operations effective immediately, decreasing the Cal Pac to seven active members.[1]

In 2012, Holy Names left the Cal Pac to join the Pacific West Conference; while Embry-Riddle Aeronautical, Marymount California, and Soka University of America joined to increase the conference membership to nine schools.[2]

La Sierra joined in 2013 to bring the conference up to 10 members.[3] William Jessup left in 2014, leaving the conference with nine members. Membership rose to twelve schools in 2015 when Antelope Valley, Benedictine Mesa, Providence Christian, and Sierra Nevada joined and Menlo left for the Golden State Athletic Conference.

The University of Saint Katherine joined in 2019.[4] In March 2020, the conference announced two additions for the 2020–21 academic year when Park University Gilbert and Westcliff University were admitted to the NAIA.[5]

Sierra Nevada University approved in July 2021 an agreement to merge with NCAA Division I's University of Nevada, Reno (Nevada).[6] The merger was given accreditation approval in late December and is scheduled for completion before 2022–23,[7] leading to Sierra Nevada's departure from Cal Pac.

Membership[]

Current members[]

Institution Location Founded Type Enrollment Nickname Joined
University of Antelope Valley Lancaster, California 2009 Private (For-profit) 1,517 Pioneers 2015
Benedictine University at Mesa Mesa, Arizona 2013 Private (Catholic) 340 Redhawks 2015
California State University Maritime Academy Vallejo, California 1929 Public (California State University system) 700 Keelhaulers 1996
University of California, Merced Merced, California 2005 Public (University of California system) 7,400 Golden Bobcats 2011
Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University Prescott, Arizona 1978 Private (Nonsectarian) 1,700 Eagles 2012
La Sierra University Riverside, California 1922 Private (Seventh-day Adventist) 2,199 Golden Eagles 2013
Marymount California University Rancho Palos Verdes, California 1932 Private (Catholic) 923 Mariners 2012
Pacific Union College Angwin, California 1882 Private (Seventh-day Adventist) 1,400 Pioneers 1996
Park University Gilbert Gilbert, Arizona 2018 Private (Nonsectarian) 300 Buccaneers 2020[5]
Providence Christian College Pasadena, California 2002 Private (Reformed Christian) 160 Sea Beggars 2015
University of Saint Katherine San Marcos, California 2010 Private (Eastern Orthodox) 240 Firebirds 2019
Sierra Nevada University Incline Village, Nevada 1969 Private (Nonsectarian) 1,040 Eagles 2015
Simpson University Redding, California 1921 Private (Christian & Missionary Alliance) 1,280 Red Hawks 1996
Soka University of America Aliso Viejo, California 2001 Private (Nonsectarian) 441 Lions 2012
Westcliff University Irvine, California 1993 Private (For-profit) 2,800 Warriors 2020[5]

Former members[]

Institution Location Founded Type Nickname Joined Left Current
Conference
Bethany University Private Scotts Valley, California 1919 (Assemblies of God) Bruins 1996 2011 Closed in 2011
California State University, East Bay Hayward, California 1957 Public (Cal State system) Pioneers 1998 2008 California Collegiate
(NCAA D-II)
California State University, Monterey Bay Seaside, California 1994 Public (Cal State system) Otters 1996 2004 California Collegiate
(NCAA D-II)
Dominican University San Rafael, California 1890 Private (Nonsectarian) Penguins 1996 2008 Pacific West
(NCAA D-II)
Holy Names University Oakland, California 1868 Private (Catholic) Hawks 1996 2012 Pacific West
(NCAA D-II)
Menlo College Atherton, California 1927 Private (Nonsectarian) Oaks 1996 2015 Golden State
Mills College Oakland, California 1852 Private (Nonsectarian) Cyclones 1999 2011 Coast to Coast
(C2C)
(NCAA D-III;
will close in 2023)
Notre Dame de Namur University Belmont, California 1851 Private (Catholic) Argonauts 1998 2006 Dropped sports
Patten University Oakland, California 1944 Private (For-profit) Lions 1996 2005 Dropped sports
William Jessup University Rocklin, California 1939 Private (Christian) Warriors 2004 2014 Golden State
  • Mills College — women's institution, does not field men's sports.

Membership timeline[]

Full members (non-football) Assoc. member (Other sports) Other Conference

Sports sponsored[]

Conference sports
Sport Men's Women's
Baseball Green tickY
Basketball Green tickY Green tickY
Cross Country Green tickY Green tickY
Golf Green tickY Green tickY
Soccer Green tickY Green tickY
Softball Green tickY
Volleyball Green tickY Green tickY

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ McCord, Shanna (June 14, 2011). "Bethany University will close: Private funding didn't materialize". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Archived from the original on June 16, 2011. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
  2. ^ "Cal Pac Adds Three New Members for 2012-13". January 25, 2012. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
  3. ^ "La Sierra University Becomes 10th Cal Pac Member". November 19, 2012. Retrieved November 24, 2012.
  4. ^ Ulrich, Pauly (January 17, 2019). "USK Official Members of the Cal Pac". University of Saint Katherine Athletics. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  5. ^ a b c VSN Staff (March 31, 2020). "NAIA Approves Five Institutions for Membership". Victory Sports Network. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  6. ^ "Sierra Nevada Approves Plan to Merge Into U of Nevada at Reno". Inside Higher Ed. July 8, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  7. ^ "Proposed UNR acquisition of Sierra Nevada University clears accreditation hurdle". CarsonNow.org. December 27, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2021.

External links[]

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