Great Northwest Athletic Conference

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.

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

History

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

Chronological timeline

• 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, beginning the 2001–02 academic year.
• 2006 – Humboldt State left the GNAC to join the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) 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 (NCC) and Western Oregon competing as a D-II Independent.
• 2007 – Montana State University at Billings joined the GNAC 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), beginning the 2012–13 school year) after the 2007–08 academic year.
• 2008 – Dixie State University (now Utah Tech University) joined the GNAC as an affiliate member for football (with Humboldt State returning for that sport) 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 in the 2010–11 academic year, becoming the first Canadian institution of higher education.
• 2012 – Three institutions joined the GNAC as affiliate members, all effective in the 2012 fall season (2012–13 academic year):
  • Azusa Pacific University for football
  • and the University of Mary and the University of Sioux Falls for men's soccer
• 2013 – South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (South Dakota Mines) joined the GNAC as an affiliate member for men's soccer in the 2013 fall season (2013–14 academic year).
• 2014 – South Dakota Mines added football to its GNAC affiliate membership in the 2014 fall season (2014–15 academic year).
• 2015 – South Dakota Mines left the GNAC as an affiliate member for men's soccer after the 2014 fall season (2014–15 academic year).
• 2015 – Concordia University–Portland joined the GNAC in the 2015-16 academic year.
• 2016 – Dixie State and South Dakota Mines left the GNAC as affiliate members for football 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 in the 2020 spring season (2019–20 academic year).
• 2020 – Concordia–Portland left the GNAC as the school ceased operations 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 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 after the 2021 fall season (2021–22 academic year), bringing an end to the GNAC as a football conference for a second time.

Member schools

Current members

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

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	JoinedTemplate:Efn	Colors
Template:Sort	Anchorage, Alaska	1954	Public	10,687	Seawolves	2001	Template:College color boxes
Template:Sort	Fairbanks, Alaska	1917	Public	7,451	Nanooks	2001	Template:College color boxes
Central Washington University	Ellensburg, Washington	1891	Public	8,509	Wildcats	2001	Template:College color boxes
Montana State University Billings	Billings, Montana	1927	Public	4,129	Yellowjackets	2007	Template:College color boxes
Northwest Nazarene University	Nampa, Idaho	1913	Nazarene	1,646	Nighthawks	2001	Template:College color boxes
Saint Martin's University	Lacey, Washington	1895	Catholic	1,505	Saints	2001	Template:College color boxes
Seattle Pacific University	Seattle, Washington	1891	Free Methodist	2,261	Falcons	2001	Template:College color boxes
Simon Fraser University	Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada	1965	Public	26,776	Red Leafs	2010	Template:College color boxes
Western Oregon University	Monmouth, Oregon	1856	Public	3,823	Wolves	2001	Template:College color boxes
Western Washington University	Bellingham, Washington	1893	Public	14,700	Vikings	2001	Template:College color boxes

Notes

Affiliate members

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

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	JoinedTemplate:Efn	Colors	GNAC sport	Primary conference
University of Central Oklahoma	Edmond, Oklahoma	1890	Public	12,554	Bronchos	2019	Template:College color boxes	women's rowing	Mid-America (MIAA)
Template:SortTemplate:EfnTemplate:Efn	Arcata, California	1913	Public	6,045	Lumberjacks	2019	Template:College color boxes	women's rowing	California (CCAA)

Notes

Former members

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

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	JoinedTemplate:Efn	LeftTemplate:Efn	Current conference
Concordia University–Portland	Portland, Oregon	1905	Lutheran LCMS	N/A	Cavaliers	2015	2020	Closed in 2020
Template:SortTemplate:EfnTemplate:Efn	Arcata, California	1913	Public	5,858	Lumberjacks	2001	2006	California (CCAA)
Seattle University	Seattle, Washington	1891	Jesuit	7,107	Redhawks	2001	2008	West Coast (WCC)Template:Efn

Notes

Former affiliate members

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

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	JoinedTemplate:Efn	LeftTemplate:Efn	GNAC sport	Primary conference
Azusa Pacific University	Azusa, California	1899	Evangelical Christian	7,133	Cougars	2012	2020	football	Pacific West (PacWest)
Dixie State UniversityTemplate:Efn	Template:Sort	1911	Public	12,556	Red StormTemplate:Efn	2008	2016	football	Western (WAC)Template:Efn
Template:SortTemplate:EfnTemplate:Efn	Arcata, California	1913	Public	5,858	Lumberjacks	2006	2019	football	California (CCAA)
Template:Sort	Bismarck, North Dakota	1959	Catholic	3,794	Marauders	2012	2016	men's soccer	Northern Sun (NSIC)
Template:Sort	Sioux Falls, South Dakota	1883	Baptist	1,594	Cougars	2012	2013	men's soccer	Northern Sun (NSIC)
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology	Rapid City, South Dakota	1885	Public	2,493	Hardrockers	2014fb.	2016fb.	football	Rocky Mountain (RMAC)
						2013m.soc.	2015m.soc.	men's soccer
Template:Sort	San Diego, California	1960	Public	41,482	Tritons	2019	2020	women's rowing	Big West (BWC)Template:Efn

Notes

Membership timeline

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         id:line value:black
         id:bg value:white
         id:Full value:rgb(0.7,0.9,0.8) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports
         id:FullxF value:rgb(0.9,0.8,0.7) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports except for football
         id:AssocF value:rgb(0.9,0.7,0.8) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member for football only
         id:AssocOS value:rgb(0.8,0.9,0.7) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member for another sport only
         id:OtherC1 value:rgb(0.996,0.996,0.699) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved in another conference
         id:OtherC2 value:rgb(0.988,0.703,0.383) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved in another conference when the other color has already been used

PlotData =

width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s

bar:1 color:FullxF from:07/01/2001 till:end text:Alaska (2001–present)

bar:2 color:FullxF from:07/01/2001 till:end text:Alaska–Anchorage (2001–present)

bar:3 color:Full from:07/01/2001 till:06/30/2006 text:Central Washington (2001–present)
bar:3 color:FullxF from:07/01/2006 till:06/30/2008
bar:3 color:Full from:07/01/2008 till:06/30/2021
bar:3 color:FullxF from:07/01/2021 till:end

bar:4 color:Full from:07/01/2001 till:06/30/2006 text:Humboldt State (2001–2006)
bar:4 color:OtherC1 from:07/01/2006 till:06/30/2008 text:CCAA
bar:4 color:AssocF from:07/01/2008 till:06/30/2019 text:CCAA (2008–present; assoc. sports)
bar:4 color:AssocOS from:07/01/2019 till:01/25/2022
bar:4 color:AssocOS from:01/26/2022 till:end text:Cal Poly Humboldt

bar:5 color:FullxF from:07/01/2001 till:end text:Northwest Nazarene (2001–present)

bar:6 color:FullxF from:07/01/2001 till:end text:Saint Martin's (2001–present)

bar:7 color:FullxF from:07/01/2001 till:06/30/2008 text:Seattle (2001–2008)
bar:7 color:OtherC1 from:07/01/2008 till:06/30/2012 text:D-I Ind.
bar:7 color:OtherC2 from:07/01/2012 till:06/30/2025 text:WAC
bar:7 color:OtherC1 from:07/01/2025 till:end text:WCC

bar:8 color:FullxF from:07/01/2001 till:end text:Seattle Pacific (2001–present)

bar:9 color:Full from:07/01/2001 till:06/30/2006 text:Western Oregon (2001–present)
bar:9 color:FullxF from:07/01/2006 till:06/30/2008
bar:9 color:Full from:07/01/2008 till:06/30/2021
bar:9 color:FullxF from:07/01/2021 till:end

bar:10 color:Full from:07/01/2001 till:06/30/2006 text:Western Washington (2001–present)
bar:10 color:FullxF from:07/01/2006 till:06/30/2008 
bar:10 color:Full from:07/01/2008 till:06/30/2009 
bar:10 color:FullxF from:07/01/2009 till:end

bar:11 color:FullxF from:07/01/2007 till:end text:Montana State–Billings (2007–present)

bar:12 color:AssocF from:07/01/2008 till:06/30/2016 text:Dixie State (2008–2016)

bar:13 color:Full from:07/01/2010 till:06/30/2021 text:Simon Fraser (2010–present)
bar:13 color:FullxF from:07/01/2021 till:end

bar:14 color:AssocF from:07/01/2012 till:06/30/2020 text:Azusa Pacific (2012–2020)

bar:15 color:AssocOS from:07/01/2012 till:06/30/2016 text:Mary (2012–2016)

bar:16 color:AssocOS from:07/01/2012 till:06/30/2013 text:Sioux Falls (2012–2013)

bar:17 color:AssocOS from:07/01/2013 till:06/30/2015 text:South Dakota Mines (2013–2016)
bar:17 color:AssocF from:07/01/2015 till:06/30/2016

bar:18 color:FullxF from:07/01/2015 till:06/30/2020 text:Concordia–Portland (2015–2020)

bar:19 color:AssocOS from:07/01/2019 till:end text:Central Oklahoma (2019–present)

bar:20 color:AssocOS from:07/01/2019 till:06/30/2020 text:UC San Diego (2019–2020)

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1. > If the chart uses more than one bar color, add a legend by selecting the appropriate fields from the following three options (use only the colors that are used in the graphic.) Leave a blank line after the end of the timeline, then add a line with the selected values from the list, separated by a space.

Template:Font color Template:Font color Template:Font color <# </timeline>

• Template:Small

Sports sponsored

Conference sports

Sport	Men's	Women's
Template:LeftBaseball	Template:Y
Template:LeftBasketball	Template:Y	Template:Y
Template:LeftCross Country	Template:Y	Template:Y
Template:LeftGolf	Template:Y	Template:Y
Template:LeftRowing		Template:Y
Template:LeftSoccer	Template:Y	Template:Y
Template:LeftSoftball		Template:Y
Template:LeftTrack & Field Indoor	Template:Y	Template:Y
Template:LeftTrack & Field Outdoor	Template:Y	Template:Y
Template:LeftVolleyball		Template:Y

Men's sponsored sports by school

School	Baseball	Basketball	Cross Country	Golf	Soccer	Track & Field Indoor	Track & Field Outdoor	Total GNAC Sports
Template:LeftAlaska		Template:Y	Template:Y					2
Template:LeftAlaska-Anchorage		Template:Y	Template:Y			Template:Y	Template:Y	4
Template:LeftCentral Washington	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y			Template:Y	Template:Y	5
Template:LeftMontana State-Billings	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	7
Template:LeftNorthwest Nazarene	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	7
Template:LeftSaint Martin's	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	7
Template:LeftSeattle Pacific		Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	5
Template:LeftSimon Fraser		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	6
Template:LeftWestern Oregon	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	6
Template:LeftWestern Washington		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	6
Totals	5	10	10	5	7	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
Template:LeftAlaska	Template:Y	Template:Y							Template:Y	3
Template:LeftAlaska-Anchorage	Template:Y	Template:Y					Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	5
Template:LeftCentral Washington	Template:Y	Template:Y			Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	7
Template:LeftMontana State-Billings	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	8
Template:LeftNorthwest Nazarene	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	8
Template:LeftSaint Martin's	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	8
Template:LeftSeattle Pacific	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	8
Template:LeftSimon Fraser	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	8
Template:LeftWestern Oregon	Template:Y	Template:Y			Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	7
Template:LeftWestern Washington	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	9
Affiliate Members
Cal Poly Humboldt				Template:Y						1
Central Oklahoma				Template:Y						1
Totals	10	10	6	4	8	7	9	9	10	81

Other sponsored sports by school

School		Men						Women				Co-ed
		Football	Ice HockeyTemplate:Efn	Lacrosse	Swimming & Diving	Wrestling		GymnasticsTemplate:Efn	Swimming & Diving	Wrestling		RifleTemplate:Efn	SkiingTemplate:Efn
Template:LeftAlaska			IND						PCSC			PRC	RMISA
Template:LeftAlaska Anchorage			IND					MPSF					RMISA
Template:LeftCentral Washington		LSC
Template:LeftNorthwest Nazarene				RMAC
Template:LeftSimon Fraser					RMAC	IND			RMAC	RMAC
Template:LeftWestern Oregon		LSC

Football champions

Year	Champion	Conf. Record
2001	Western Washington	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}
2002	Central Washington	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}
2003	Western Washington	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}
2004	Central Washington	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}
2005	Central Washington	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}
2006	Not Sponsored	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}
2007	Not Sponsored	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}
2008	Central Washington	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}
2009	Central Washington	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}

Year	Champion	Conf. Record
2010	Central Washington	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}
2011	Humboldt State	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}
2012	Central Washington	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}
2013	Azusa Pacific	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}
2014	Azusa Pacific	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}
2015	Humboldt State	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}
2016	Azusa Pacific	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}
2017	Central Washington	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}
2018	Azusa Pacific & Central Washington	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}
2019	Central Washington & Western Oregon	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}
2020	Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}
2021	Central Washington	check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}

Conference facilities

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	4,960
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

External links

• Template:Official website