California Pacific Conference

Last updated
California Pacific Conference
California Pacific Conference logo.svg
Association NAIA
Founded1996
CommissionerDon Ott
Sports fielded
  • 12
    • men's: 6
    • women's: 6
No. of teams12 (8 in 2024–25, 7 in 2025–26)
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

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

History

California Pacific Conference
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Mapscaleline.svg
300km
200miles
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Cal Maritime
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Westcliff
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Park–Gilbert
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Saint Katherine
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Providence Christian
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Benedictine–Mesa
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La Sierra
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Soka
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ERAU–Prescott
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UC Merced
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Simpson
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Pacific Union
California Pacific Conference
Location of Cal Pac members: Blue 0080ff pog.svg current and Black pog.svg departing

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).

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.

Chronological timeline

Member schools

Current members

The Cal Pac currently has 13 full members, all but two are private schools:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoined [lower-alpha 1] Basketball?
Benedictine University at Mesa Mesa, Arizona 2013 Catholic
(Benedictines)
340 Redhawks 2015both
California State University Maritime Academy Vallejo, California 1929Public [lower-alpha 2] 700 Keelhaulers 1996both
University of California, Merced Merced, California 2005Public [lower-alpha 3] 7,400 Golden Bobcats 2011both
Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University–Prescott Prescott, Arizona 1978 Nonsectarian 1,700 Eagles 2012both
La Sierra University Riverside, California 1922 Seventh-day
Adventist
2,199 Golden Eagles 2013both
Pacific Union College Angwin, California 1882Seventh-day
Adventist
1,400 Pioneers 1996both
Park University–Gilbert Gilbert, Arizona 2018Nonsectarian300 Buccaneers 2020 [5] both
Providence Christian College Pasadena, California 2002 Reformed
Christian
160 Sea Beggars 2015none
University of Saint Katherine San Marcos, California 2010 Eastern
Orthodox
240 Firebirds 2019both
Simpson University Redding, California 1921 Christian &
Missionary
Alliance
1,280 Red Hawks 1996both
Soka University of America Aliso Viejo, California 2001Nonsectarian441 Lions 2012none
Westcliff University Irvine, California 1993 For-profit 2,800 Warriors 2020 [5] both
Notes
  1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. Part of the California State University system.
  3. Part of the University of California system.


Former members

The Cal Pac had 12 former full members, all but two were private schools:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoined [lower-alpha 1] Left [lower-alpha 2] Subsequent
conference(s)
Current
conference
University of Antelope Valley Lancaster, California 2009 For-profit 1,517 Pioneers 20152024Closed in 2024
Bethany University Scotts Valley, California 1919 Assemblies
of God
N/A Bruins 19962011Closed in 2011
California State University, East Bay Hayward, California 1957Public [lower-alpha 3] 14,525 Pioneers 19982009 California (CCAA) [lower-alpha 4]
(2009–present)
California State University, Monterey Bay Seaside, California 1994Public [lower-alpha 3] 7,079 Otters 19962004 California (CCAA) [lower-alpha 4]
(2004–present)
Dominican University San Rafael, California 1890 Catholic
(D.S.S.R.)
2,125 Penguins 19962009 Pacific West (PacWest) [lower-alpha 4]
(2009–present)
Holy Names University Oakland, California 1868Catholic
(S.N.J.M.)
9,000 Hawks 19962012 Pacific West (PacWest) [lower-alpha 4]
(2012–23)
Closed in 2023
Marymount California University [lower-alpha 5] Rancho Palos Verdes, California 1932Catholic
(R.S.H.M.)
923 Mariners 20122022Closed in 2022
Menlo College Atherton, California 1927Nonsectarian750 Oaks 19962015 Golden State (GSAC)
(2015–present)
Mills College [lower-alpha 6] [lower-alpha 5] Oakland, California 1852Nonsectarian1,345 Cyclones 19992011various [lower-alpha 8] N/A [lower-alpha 9]
Notre Dame de Namur University Belmont, California 1851Catholic
(SNDdeN)
1,967 Argonauts 19982006 Pacific West (PacWest) [lower-alpha 4]
(2006–20)
N/A [lower-alpha 10]
Patten University [lower-alpha 5] Oakland, California 1944 For-profit 900 Lions 19962005 NAIA Independent
(2005–12)
N/A [lower-alpha 11]
Sierra Nevada University [lower-alpha 5] Incline Village, Nevada 1969Nonsectarian1,040 Eagles 20152022N/A [lower-alpha 12]
William Jessup University [lower-alpha 13] Rocklin, California 1939 Nondenominational 1,743 Warriors 20042014 Golden State (GSAC)
(2014–present)
Notes
  1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.
  3. 1 2 Part of the California State University system.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Non-basketball member.
  6. This institution is a women's college, therefore it does not compete in men's sports.
  7. Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.
  8. 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 [lower-alpha 7] (C2C) from 2020–21 to 2021–22.
  9. Mills had discontinued its athletics program, as it was merged into Northeastern University in 2022.
  10. Notre Dame de Namur dropped its athletic program after the 2019–20 school year.
  11. Patten dropped its athletic program after the 2011–12 school year.
  12. Sierra Nevada merged its campus into the University of Nevada, Reno in 2022.
  13. Currently known as Jessup University since January 23, 2023.

Membership timeline

Westcliff UniversityGolden State Athletic ConferencePark University GilbertGolden State Athletic ConferenceUniversity of Saint KatherineSierra Nevada UniversityProvidence Christian CollegeGolden State Athletic ConferenceBenedictine University at MesaUniversity of Antelope ValleyLa Sierra UniversitySoka 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 CollegeGolden 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

A divisional format is used for women's volleyball.
North
  • Cal–Merced
  • Pacific Union
  • Simpson
South 1
  • La Sierra
  • Providence Christian
South 2
  • Saint Katherine
  • Westcliff
Arizona
  • Benedictine–Mesa
  • Embry–Riddle–Prescott
  • Park–Gilbert
A divisional format is used for men's & women's basketball.
North
  • Cal Maritime
  • Cal–Merced
  • Pacific Union
  • Simpson
South
  • La Sierra
  • Saint Katherine
  • Westcliff
Arizona
  • Benedictine–Mesa
  • Embry–Riddle–Prescott
  • Park–Gilbert
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

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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. 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.