California Pacific Conference

Last updated
California Pacific Conference
California pacific conf naia logo.svg
Association NAIA
Founded1996;29 years ago (1996)
CommissionerDon Ott
Sports fielded
  • 12
    • men's: 6
    • women's: 6
No. of teams6
Headquarters Oakland, California
Region West
Official website calpacathletics.com
Locations
CalPac conference map.png

The California Pacific Conference (Cal Pac) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The conference commissioner is Don Ott. Conference leadership is shared among the member institutions. The secretary is Marv Christopher of California Maritime Academy. The conference was formed in 1996.

Contents

History

California Pacific Conference
California Pacific Conference
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230km
143miles
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Cal Maritime
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Westcliff
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Stanton
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Northern New Mexico
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Simpson
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Pacific Union
Location of Cal Pac members: Blue 0080ff pog.svg current

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

  • Cal State–Monterey Bay and Cal State–East Bay 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 University left the Cal Pac when the school chose to discontinue its athletic program after the 2004–05 season.
  • 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 moved to NCAA Division III as an Independent in the 2011–12 season.

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

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

La Sierra University joined in 2013 to bring the conference up to 10 members. [3] William Jessup University left in 2014, leaving the conference with nine members. Membership rose to twelve schools in 2015 when the University of Antelope Valley, Benedictine University at Mesa, Providence Christian College, and Sierra Nevada University joined; while Menlo College 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 at Gilbert and Westcliff University were admitted to the NAIA. [5]

Sierra Nevada 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 scheduled for completion before 2022–23, [7] leading to Sierra Nevada's departure from Cal Pac.

On September 20, 2024, Cal Maritime announced it would withdraw from NAIA and Cal Pac membership at the conclusion of the 2024–25 academic year. [8] However, it later reneged on this decision and remained a Cal Pac and NAIA member through the 2025–26 academic year.

On December 20, 2024, Northern New Mexico College and Stanton University had accepted an invite as full members to join the Cal Pac, with the latter contingent on NAIA approval for membership, while Walla Walla University accepted an invite as an affiliate member for men's volleyball; all effective beginning the 2025–26 academic year. [9] Later on, Central Christian College of Kansas also joined the Cal Pac as an affiliate member for men's volleyball for the upcoming academic year.

Chronological timeline

Member schools

Current members

The Cal Pac currently has 6 full members, two are public schools:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoined [a] Basketball?
California State University Maritime Academy Vallejo, California 1929Public [b] 805 Keelhaulers 1996both
Northern New Mexico College Española, New Mexico 1909Public1,310 Eagles 2025both
Pacific Union College Angwin, California 1882Seventh-day
Adventist
938 Pioneers 1996both
Simpson University Redding, California 1921 Christian &
Missionary
Alliance
907 Red Hawks 1996both
Stanton University Anaheim, California 1996Nonsectarian379 Fighting Elks 2025both
Westcliff University Irvine, California 1993 For-profit 6,532 Warriors 2020 [5] both
Notes
  1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. Part of the California State University system.

Affiliate members

The Cal Pac currently has 2 affiliate members, both are private schools:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoined [a] Cal Pac
sport(s)
Primary
conference
Central Christian College of Kansas McPherson, Kansas 1884 Free Methodist 1,013 Tigers 2025men's volleyball Sooner (SAC)
Walla Walla University [10] College Place, Washington 1892 Seventh-day
Adventist
1,397 Wolves 2025men's volleyball Cascade (CCC)


Former members

The Cal Pac had 13 former full members, all but two were private schools:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoined [b] Left [c] Subsequent
conference(s)
Current
conference
University of Antelope Valley Lancaster, California 2009 For-profit N/A Pioneers 20152024Closed in 2024
University of California, Merced Merced, California 2005Public [d] 9,147 Golden Bobcats 20112025 California (CCAA) [e]
(2025–present)
Benedictine University at Mesa Mesa, Arizona 2013 Catholic
(Benedictines)
340 Redhawks 20152024 Great Southwest (GSAC)
(2025–present)
Bethany University Scotts Valley, California 1919 Assemblies
of God
N/A Bruins 19962011Closed in 2011
California State University, East Bay Hayward, California 1957Public [f] 13,333 Pioneers 19982009 California (CCAA) [e]
(2009–present)
California State University, Monterey Bay Seaside, California 1994Public [f] 6,742 Otters 19962004 California (CCAA) [e]
(2004–present)
Dominican University San Rafael, California 1890 Catholic
(D.S.S.R.)
2,026 Penguins 19962009 Pacific West (PacWest) [e]
(2009–present)
Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University–Prescott Prescott, Arizona 1978 Nonsectarian 3,286 Eagles 20122024 Great Southwest (GSAC)
(2024–present)
Holy Names University Oakland, California 1868Catholic
(S.N.J.M.)
N/A Hawks 19962012 Pacific West (PacWest) [e]
(2012–23)
Closed in 2023
La Sierra University Riverside, California 1922 Seventh-day
Adventist
1,611 Golden Eagles 20132025 Great Southwest (GSAC)
(2025–present)
Marymount California University [g] Rancho Palos Verdes, California 1932Catholic
(R.S.H.M.)
N/A Mariners 20122022Closed in 2022
Menlo College Atherton, California 1927Nonsectarian840 Oaks 19962015 Great Southwest (GSAC)
(2015–2024)
Pacific West (PacWest) [e]
(2024–present)
Mills College [h] [g] Oakland, California 1852Nonsectarian1,037 Cyclones 19992011various [j] N/A [k]
Notre Dame de Namur University Belmont, California 1851Catholic
(SNDdeN)
237 Argonauts 19982006 Pacific West (PacWest) [e]
(2006–20)
N/A [l]
Park University–Gilbert Gilbert, Arizona 2018Nonsectarian300 Buccaneers 2020 [5] 2024 Great Southwest (GSAC)
(2024–present)
Patten University [g] Oakland, California 1944 For-profit 300 Lions 19962005 NAIA Independent
(2005–12)
N/A [m]
Providence Christian College Pasadena, California 2002 Reformed
Christian
147 Sea Beggars 20152025Discontinued athletics in 2025
University of Saint Katherine San Marcos, California 2010 Eastern
Orthodox
N/A Firebirds 20192024Closed in 2024
Sierra Nevada University [g] Incline Village, Nevada 1969NonsectarianN/A Eagles 20152022N/A [n]
Soka University of America Aliso Viejo, California 2001Nonsectarian476 Lions 20122025 Great Southwest (GSAC)
(2025–present)
William Jessup University [o] Rocklin, California 1939 Nondenominational 1,484 Warriors 20042014 Great Southwest (GSAC)
(2014–2024)
Pacific West (PacWest) [e]
(2024–present)
Notes
  1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  3. Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.
  4. Part of the University of California system.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
  6. 1 2 Part of the California State University system.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Non-basketball member.
  8. This institution is a women's college, therefore it does not compete in men's sports.
  9. Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.
  10. Mills had joined the following subsequent conferences: as an NCAA D-III Independent from 2011–12 to 2012–13, and during the 2016–17 school year; the Great South Athletic Conference (GSAC) from 2013–14 to 2015–16; the American Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) from 2017–18 to 2019–20; and the Coast to Coast Athletic Conference [i] (C2C) from 2020–21 to 2021–22.
  11. Mills had discontinued its athletics program, as it was merged into Northeastern University (which has its own athletics program) in 2022.
  12. Notre Dame de Namur dropped its athletic program after the 2019–20 school year.
  13. Patten dropped its athletic program after the 2011–12 school year.
  14. Sierra Nevada merged its campus into the University of Nevada, Reno in 2022.
  15. Currently known as Jessup University since January 23, 2023.

Membership timeline

Stanton UniversityNorthern New Mexico CollegeWestcliff UniversityGolden State Athletic ConferencePark University GilbertUniversity of Saint KatherineSierra Nevada UniversityProvidence Christian CollegeGolden State Athletic ConferenceBenedictine University at MesaUniversity of Antelope ValleyGreat Southwest Athletic ConferenceLa Sierra UniversityGreat Southwest Athletic ConferenceSoka University of AmericaMarymount California UniversityGolden State Athletic ConferenceEmbry–Riddle Aeronautical University, PrescottCalifornia Collegiate Athletic AssociationUniversity of California, MercedPacific West ConferenceGolden State Athletic ConferenceJessup UniversityCoast to Coast Athletic ConferenceAmerican Collegiate Athletic AssociationNCAA Division III independent schoolsGreat South Athletic ConferenceNCAA Division III independent schoolsMills CollegePacific West ConferenceNotre Dame de Namur UniversityCalifornia Collegiate Athletic AssociationCalifornia State University, East BaySimpson UniversityNAIA independent schoolsPatten UniversityPacific Union CollegePacific West ConferenceGolden State Athletic ConferenceMenlo CollegePacific West ConferenceHoly Names UniversityPacific West ConferenceDominican University of CaliforniaCalifornia Collegiate Athletic AssociationCalifornia State University, Monterey BayCalifornia State University Maritime AcademyBethany UniversityCalifornia Pacific Conference

 Full member (non-football) 

Sports sponsored

Conference sports
SportMen'sWomen's
Baseball Green check.svg
Basketball Green check.svgGreen check.svg
Cross Country Green check.svgGreen check.svg
Golf Green check.svgGreen check.svg
Soccer Green check.svgGreen check.svg
Softball Green check.svg
Volleyball Green check.svgGreen check.svg

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. Archived from the original on May 25, 2017. 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. 1 2 3 "NAIA Approves Five Institutions for Membership". NAIA. March 31, 2020. 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.
  8. "Withdrawal from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and California Pacific Conference (Cal Pac)" (Press release). Cal Maritime Athletics. September 20, 2024. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
  9. "Cal Pac Membership Pathway Takes Positive Turn - California Pacific Conference (Cal Pac)" (Press release). December 20, 2024. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  10. "Cal Pac Membership Pathway Takes Positive Turn - California Pacific Conference (Cal Pac)" (Press release). December 20, 2024. Retrieved December 20, 2024.