Great Northwest Athletic Conference

Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC)
Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC)
Established	2001
Association	NCAA
Division	Division II
Members	10
Sports fielded	16 men's: 8; women's: 8; ;
Region	Northwestern United States, British Columbia, Alaska
Headquarters	Portland, Oregon
Commissioner	David Haglund (since 2011)
Website	www.gnacsports.com
Locations

The Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) is a collegiate athletic conference that historically operates in the northwestern United States, but also currently includes four schools in areas not usually considered part of that region—two in Alaska (neither of which resides in Southeast Alaska, an area often considered part of the Northwest), one in eastern Montana (almost never considered part of the region), and one in the Canadian province of British Columbia (an area included with the Northwest U.S. in the larger Pacific Northwest region).

It participates in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)'s Division II level, and is the only NCAA conference in any division with a Canadian university as a member.

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

Member schools[]

Current members[]

Institution	Location	Founded	Joined	Type	Enrollment	Nickname
University of Alaska Anchorage	Anchorage, Alaska	1954	2001	Public	16,242	Seawolves
University of Alaska Fairbanks	Fairbanks, Alaska	1917	2001	Public	9,380	Nanooks
Central Washington University	Ellensburg, Washington	1891	2001	Public	10,145	Wildcats
Montana State University Billings	Billings, Montana	1927	2007	Public	4,600	Yellowjackets
Northwest Nazarene University	Nampa, Idaho	1913	2001	Private (Nazarene)	2,000	Nighthawks
Saint Martin's University	Lacey, Washington	1895	2001	Private (Catholic)	1,628	Saints
Seattle Pacific University	Seattle, Washington	1891	2001	Private (Free Methodist)	3,773	Falcons
Simon Fraser University	Burnaby, British Columbia	1965	2010	Public	35,604	Clan
Western Oregon University	Monmouth, Oregon	1856	2001	Public	6,233	Wolves
Western Washington University	Bellingham, Washington	1893	2001	Public	13,070	Vikings

Affiliate members[]

Institution	Location	Founded	Joined	Type	Enrollment	Nickname	GNAC sport	Primary conference
University of Central Oklahoma	Edmond, Oklahoma	1890	2019–20	Public	16,910	Bronchos	rowing (W)	MIAA
California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt^[a]	Arcata, California	1913	2019–20	Public	6,983	Lumberjacks	rowing (W)	CCAA
University of Mary	Bismarck, North Dakota	1959	2012–13	Private (Catholic)	2,910	Marauders	soccer (M)	NSIC

Notes

^ Cal Poly–Humboldt was a full member of the GNAC from 2001–02 to 2005–06.

Former members[]

Institution	Location	Founded	Joined	Left	Type	Nickname	Current conference
Concordia University–Portland	Portland, Oregon	1905	2015	2020	Private (Lutheran LCMS)	Cavaliers	Closed in 2020
Humboldt State University^[a]^[b]	Arcata, California	1913	2001	2006	Public	Lumberjacks	California
Seattle University	Seattle, Washington	1891	2001	2008	Private (Catholic)	Redhawks	WAC (NCAA D-I)

Notes

^ Cal Poly–Humboldt remains in the GNAC as an affiliate in women's rowing.
^ Now known since 2022 as California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt.

Former affiliate members[]

Institution	Location	Founded	Joined	Left	Type	Nickname	GNAC sport	Primary conference
Azusa Pacific University	Azusa, California	1899	2012–13	2019–20	Private (Evangelical Christian)	Cougars	football	PacWest
Dixie State University	St. George, Utah	1911	2008–09	2015–16	Public	Red Storm	football	WAC (NCAA D-I)
Humboldt State University^[a]^[b]	Arcata, California	1913	2006–07	2017–18	Public	Lumberjacks	football	CCAA
University of Mary	Bismarck, North Dakota	1959	2012–13	2015–16	Private (Catholic)	Marauders	soccer (M)	NSIC
University of Sioux Falls	Sioux Falls, South Dakota	1883	2012–13	2012–13	Private (Baptist)	Cougars	soccer (M)	NSIC
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology	Rapid City, South Dakota	1885	2014–15^fb.; 2013–14^m.soc.	2015–16^fb.; 2014–15^m.soc.	Public	Hardrockers	football; soccer (M)	RMAC

Notes

^ 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 in women's rowing.
^ Now known since 2022 as California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt.

Membership timeline[]

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

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.
With Central Washington, Simon Fraser, and Western Oregon becoming football-only affiliates of the Lone Star Conference effective for the 2022 season, the GNAC has once again become a non-football conference.^[1]

Sports sponsored[]

**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[]

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	5
Western Washington		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	6
Totals	5	10	10	5	6	9	9	57

Women's sponsored sports by school[]

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	7
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
Central Oklahoma				Y						1
Humboldt State				Y						1
UC San Diego				Y						1
Totals	11	11	6	5	9	8	10	10	11	81

Other sponsored sports by school[]

School	Men				Women			Co-ed
School	Football	Ice Hockey^[a]	Swimming & Diving	Wrestling	Gymnastics^[a]	Swimming & Diving	Wrestling	Rifle^[a]	Skiing^[a]
Alaska		IND				PCSC		PRC	RMISA
Alaska-Anchorage		^[b]
Central Washington	LSC
Seattle Pacific					MPSF
Simon Fraser	LSC		IND	IND		IND	IND
Western Oregon	LSC

^ ^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.
^ Alaska Anchorage will reinstate its men's hockey team, dropped after the 2020–21 school year, in 2022–23. UAA has yet to announce a conference affiliation.

Football champions[]

Year	Champion	Conf. Record
2001	Western Washington	3-0
2002	Central Washington	3-0
2003	Western Washington	3-0
2004	Central Washington	5-1
2005	Central Washington	6-0
2006	Not Sponsored	N/A
2007	Not Sponsored	N/A
2008	Central Washington	8-0
2009	Central Washington	6-0

Year	Champion	Conf. Record
2010	Central Washington	7-1
2011	Humboldt State	7-1
2012	Central Washington	7-3
2013	Azusa Pacific	9-1
2014	Azusa Pacific	6-0
2015	Humboldt State	6-0
2016	Azusa Pacific	8-0
2017	Central Washington	8-0
2018	Azusa Pacific & Central Washington	7-1
2019	Central Washington & Western Oregon	5-1
2020	Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic	N/A
2021	Central Washington	4-0

Basketball champions[]

Conference Facilities[]


School	Basketball Arena	Capacity
Alaska Fairbanks		1,648
Alaska Anchorage	Alaska Airlines Center	5,000
Central Washington		2,519
Montana State - Billings		2,330
Northwest Nazarene
Saint Martin's
Seattle Pacific		2,650
Simon Fraser		1,500
Western Oregon		2,473
Western Washington		2,534

References[]

^ "Central Washington, GNAC football members to join Lone Star Conference". Yakima Herald-Republic. November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021.

External links[]

Official website

[1] Cal Poly–Humboldt was a full member of the GNAC from 2001–02 to 2005–06.

[2] Cal Poly–Humboldt remains in the GNAC as an affiliate in women's rowing.

[3] Now known since 2022 as California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt.

[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 in women's rowing.

[5] Now known since 2022 as California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt.

[DI-7] 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.

[UAA-8] Alaska Anchorage will reinstate its men's hockey team, dropped after the 2020–21 school year, in 2022–23. UAA has yet to announce a conference affiliation.

[6] "Central Washington, GNAC football members to join Lone Star Conference". Yakima Herald-Republic. November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021.

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v t Great Northwest Athletic Conference
Members	Alaska Nanooks Alaska Anchorage Seawolves Central Washington Wildcats Montana State Billings Yellowjackets Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks Saint Martin's Saints Seattle Pacific Falcons Simon Fraser (no new nickname yet) Western Oregon Wolves Western Washington Vikings
Affiliates	None

v NCAA Division II all-sports conferences
Atlantic	Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Mountain East Conference Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Independent — Bluefield State College Salem University
Central	Great American Conference Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
East	Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference East Coast Conference Northeast-10 Conference
Midwest	Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Great Lakes Valley Conference Great Midwest Athletic Conference
South	Gulf South Conference Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Sunshine State Conference
South Central	Lone Star Conference Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
Southeast	Conference Carolinas Peach Belt Conference South Atlantic Conference
West	California Collegiate Athletic Association Great Northwest Athletic Conference Pacific West Conference
Division II	Independents

v t NCAA Division II football conferences
Super Region 1	Great Midwest Athletic Conference Mountain East Conference Northeast-10 Conference Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference
Super Region 2	Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Gulf South Conference South Atlantic Conference Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Super Region 3	Great American Conference Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Great Lakes Valley Conference Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association
Super Region 4	Lone Star Conference Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
Division II	Independents
NCAA	Conferences Institutions Football (Championship)