Association | NAIA |
---|---|
Founded | 1986 |
Commissioner | Mike Daniels (2012–) |
Sports fielded |
|
No. of teams | 8 (9 in 2024-25) |
Headquarters | Aliso Viejo, California |
Region | Western United States |
Official website | gsacsports.org |
Locations | |
The Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The conference commissioner is Mike Daniels. Conference leadership is shared among the member institutions. Seven of the eight members of the GSAC are Christian colleges located in California and Arizona. Conference teams have won 22 national championships.
The Golden State Athletic Conference was formed in the fall of 1986, with Azusa Pacific University, California Lutheran University, Fresno Pacific University, Point Loma Nazarene University, Vanguard University and Westmont College as the charter members. California Baptist University and Concordia University joined the GSAC in the fall of the following year (1987). Cal Lutheran left the GSAC after the spring of 1989. Biola University joined the GSAC in the fall of 1994. Hope International University and San Diego Christian College joined the GSAC in the fall of 1999. The Master's University, joined the GSAC in the fall of 2001. Lewis–Clark State College of Lewiston, Idaho joined the GSAC as an affiliate member for men's and women's tennis in 2016.
In recent years, the conference has seen changes with members leaving the GSAC and the NAIA for the NCAA. In 2011 Cal Baptist left the GSAC to join the Pacific West Conference followed by the announcement that Azusa Pacific, Fresno Pacific and Point Loma Nazarene joined Cal Baptist in the PacWest in 2012. [1] Concordia then left to join the PacWest in 2015, and Biola applied to make the same move in 2017. To replace these schools, the GSAC has added Arizona Christian, Menlo and William Jessup (now known as Jessup). Life Pacific joined in 2017 and Ottawa (AZ) joined in 2018 to bring the GSAC to 10 members.
The GSAC currently has eight full members, all are private schools:
Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined [lower-alpha 1] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arizona Christian University | Glendale, Arizona | 1960 | Nondenominational | 820 | Firestorm | 2012 |
Hope International University | Fullerton, California | 1928 | Nondenominational | 987 | Royals | 1999 |
Jessup University | Rocklin, California | 1939 | Nondenominational | 1,743 | Warriors | 2014 |
Life Pacific University | San Dimas, California | 1923 | Foursquare Gospel | 686 | Warriors | 2017 |
The Master's University | Santa Clarita, California | 1927 | Nondenominational | 2,600 | Mustangs | 2001 |
Menlo College | Atherton, California | 1927 | Nonsectarian | 750 | Oaks | 2015 |
Ottawa University–Arizona | Surprise, Arizona | 2015 | American Baptist | 750 | Spirit | 2018 |
Vanguard University of Southern California | Costa Mesa, California | 1920 | Assemblies of God | 2,552 | Lions | 1986 |
The GSAC will have four future full members; all are private schools:
Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joining [lower-alpha 1] | Colors | Current conference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Benedictine University at Mesa | Mesa, Arizona | 2013 | Catholic (Benedictines) | 340 | Redhawks | 2024–25 | California Pacific (CalPac) | |
Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University–Prescott | Prescott, Arizona | 1978 | Nonsectarian | 1,700 | Eagles | 2024–25 | ||
Park University–Gilbert | Gilbert, Arizona | 2018 | Nonsectarian | 300 | Buccaneers | 2024–25 | ||
University of Saint Katherine | San Marcos, California | 2010 | Eastern Orthodox | 240 | Firebirds | 2024–25 |
The GSAC currently has two affiliate members, both are private schools:
Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined [lower-alpha 1] | GSAC sport(s) | Primary conference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
University of Saint Katherine | San Marcos, California | 2010 | Eastern Orthodox | 240 | Firebirds | 2020–21m.ten.; 2020–21w.ten. | men's tennis; women's tennis | California Pacific (CalPac) |
Westcliff University | Irvine, California | 1993 | For-profit | 2,000 | Warriors |
The GSAC had nine former full members, all were private schools:
The GSAC had two former affiliate members, one was a public school and one was a private school:
Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined [lower-alpha 1] | Left [lower-alpha 2] | GSAC sport(s) | Primary conference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lewis–Clark State College | Lewiston, Idaho | 1893 | Public | 4,200 | Warriors & Lady Warriors | 2015–16m.ten.; 2015–16w.ten. | 2016–17m.ten.; 2016–17w.ten. | men's tennis; women's tennis | Cascade (CCC) |
Marymount California University | Rancho Palos Verdes, California | 1932 | Catholic (R.S.H.M.) | 923 | Mariners | 2020–21m.ten.; 2020–21w.ten. | 2021–22m.ten.; 2021–22w.ten. | Closed in 2022 |
Full member (non-football) Associate member (sport)
Sport | Men's | Women's |
---|---|---|
Baseball | ||
Basketball | ||
Cross Country | ||
Soccer | ||
Softball | ||
Tennis | ||
Track & Field Outdoor | ||
Volleyball | ||
Beach Volleyball | ||
Golf |
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