Northwest Conference
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| Northwest Conference | |
|---|---|
| Data | |
| Classification | NCAA Division III |
| Established | 1926 |
| Members | 9 |
| Sports fielded | 18 (9 men's, 9 women's) |
| Region | Pacific Northwest |
| States | 2 - Oregon, Washington |
| Commissioner | Matt Newman |
The Northwest Conference (NWC) is an athletic conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. Member teams are located in the states of Oregon and Washington.
Contents |
[edit] History
The NWC has continually reinvented itself throughout the past 80 years. Formed in 1926, the conference is one of the oldest athletic alliances in the western United States.
Charter members included Willamette University, Pacific University, Whitman College, the College of Puget Sound (now the University of Puget Sound), Linfield College and the College of Idaho. Lewis & Clark College joined in 1931. Pacific Lutheran University was added in 1965 and Whitworth University became a member in 1970.
The College of Idaho dropped out in 1978 and is now a member of the NAIA's Cascade Collegiate Conference. Whitworth left the NWC in 1984 but returned in 1988. George Fox University and Seattle University joined the conference in 1996. Seattle dropped out again in 1999 to become members of NCAA Division II. Menlo College joined the conference in 2005 as a football-only member.
The Northwest Conference, which for years sponsored athletic competition exclusively for men’s sports, and the Women’s Conference of Independent Colleges joined forces in 1984 to become the Northwest Conference of Independent Colleges. The name was shortened back to Northwest Conference in 1998. In 1998, all nine conference institutions shifted national affiliation from the NAIA to the NCAA. Leaving behind years of success at the NAIA level, the conference embraced the move as one that would foster equity, sportsmanship and genuine concern for the student-athlete in all endeavors of competition.[1]
[edit] Recent National Championships
Since joining the NCAA in 1998, four Northwest Conference programs have won Division III national titles. Pacific Lutheran won the football title in 1999, Linfield captured the football title in 2004 and the softball crown in 2007, and George Fox was the baseball champion in 2005.
[edit] All Sports Trophy
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Each year the NWC awards one of its member institutions the NWC All Sports Trophy. In each sport the Conference Champion is awareded 18 points, second place is awarded 16 points, and so on. The school with the most points at the conclusion of the academic year wins the trophy. Men's football, women's volleyball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's swimming, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's golf, men's baseball, women's softball, and men's and women's track and field are the 18 sports in which points are awarded.
Most recently, Puget Sound has won two straight NWC All Sports Trophies, in 2005/06 and 2006/07. Prior to that Whitworth took home its first ever All Sports Trophy for 2004/05. Linfield won the trophy three times since 2000 while Willamette took the trophy in 1993/94. Pacific Lutheran won the All Sports Trophy 15 times since it began in 1985-86.
[edit] Member teams
The league currently has 9 full members:
| Institution | Location | Team Name | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Fox University | Newberg, Oregon | Bruins | 1885 | Private/Quaker | 3,185 |
| Lewis & Clark College | Portland, Oregon | Pioneers | 1867 | Private/Non-sectarian | 3,433 |
| Linfield College | McMinnville, Oregon | Wildcats | 1849 | Private/Baptist | 2,110 |
| Pacific University | Forest Grove, Oregon | Boxers | 1849 | Private/United Church of Christ | 2,500 |
| Pacific Lutheran University | Tacoma, Washington | Lutes | 1890 | Private/Lutheran | 3,669 |
| University of Puget Sound | Tacoma, Washington | Loggers | 1888 | Private/Non-sectarian | 2,785 |
| Whitman College | Walla Walla, Washington | Fighting Missionaries | 1859 | Private/Non-sectarian | 1,450 |
| Whitworth University | Spokane, Washington | Pirates | 1890 | Private/Presbyterian | 2,504 |
| Willamette University | Salem, Oregon | Bearcats | 1842 | Private/Methodist | 2,469 |
[edit] Football-only member
[edit] Sports sponsored
The Northwest Conference sponsors championships in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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