Great Southwest Athletic Conference

Great Southwest Athletic Conference

Association	NAIA
Founded	1986
Commissioner	Mike Daniels (2012–)
Sports fielded	17 men's: 8 women's: 9
No. of teams	8 (10 in 2025)
Headquarters	Aliso Viejo, California
Region	Western United States
Official website	gsacsports.org
Locations

The Great Southwest Athletic Conference (GSAC), formerly known as the Golden State Athletic Conference, 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.

History

Great Southwest Athletic Conference

150km
100miles

Hope International

La Sierra

Soka

BU Mesa

Park–Gilbert

ERAU Prescott

OUAZ

Life Pacific

ACU

The Master's

  

Location of GSAC members: current, future

Old logo

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.

Recent years

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 departures to the NCAA continued into the 2020s, with Westmont departing for the PacWest in 2023 and Jessup, Menlo, and Vanguard all following in 2024. To combat this, the GSAC added Benedictine–Mesa, Embry–Riddle at Prescott and Park–Gilbert, to bring membership back to 8 members. Immediately following these additions, the GSAC announced that it would undergo a rebrand to the Great Southwest Athletic Conference, to reflect its membership now including schools located outside of California. ^[2]

Chronological timeline

• 1986 – The Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) was founded. Charter members included Azusa Pacific University, California Lutheran University (a.k.a. Cal Lutheran), Fresno Pacific College (now Fresno Pacific University), Point Loma Nazarene College (now Point Loma Nazarene University), Southern California College (now Vanguard University of Southern California) and Westmont College, beginning the 1986–87 academic year.
• 1987 – California Baptist College (now California Baptist University; a.k.a. Cal Baptist) and Christ College Irvine (now Concordia University Irvine) joined the GSAC in the 1987–88 academic year.
• 1989 – Cal Lutheran left the GSAC to become an independent (before joining the Division III ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) beginning the 1991–92 academic year) after the 1988–89 academic year.
• 1994 – Biola University joined the GSAC in the 1994–95 academic year.
• 1999 – Pacific Christian College (now Hope International University) and San Diego Christian College joined the GSAC in the 1999–2000 academic year.
• 2001 – The Master's College (now The Master's University) joined the GSAC in the 2001–02 academic year.
• 2011 – Cal Baptist left the GSAC and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the Pacific West Conference (PacWest) after the 2010–11 academic year.
• 2012 – Azusa Pacific, Fresno Pacific and Point Loma Nazarene left the GSAC and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the PacWest after the 2011–12 academic year.
• 2012 – Arizona Christian University joined the GSAC in the 2012–13 academic year.
• 2014 – William Jessup University (now Jessup University) joined the GSAC in the 2012–13 academic year.
• 2015 – Concordia–Irvine left the GSAC and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the PacWest after the 2014–15 academic year.
• 2015 – Menlo College joined the GSAC in the 2015–16 academic year.
• 2015 – Lewis–Clark State College joined the GSAC as an affiliate member for men's and women's tennis in the 2016 spring season (2015–16 academic year).
• 2017 – Biola left the GSAC and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the PacWest after the 2016–17 academic year.
• 2017 – Lewis–Clark State left the GSAC as an affiliate member for men's and women's tennis after the 2017 spring season (2016–17 academic year).
• 2017 – Life Pacific College (now Life Pacific University) joined the GSAC in the 2017–18 academic year.
• 2018 – Ottawa University–Arizona joined the GSAC in the 2018–19 academic year.
• 2018 – Marymount California University and the University of Saint Katherine joined the GSAC as affiliate members for men's and women's tennis in the 2019 spring season (2018–19 academic year).
• 2020 – Westcliff University joined the GSAC as an affiliate member for men's tennis in the 2021 spring season (2020–21 academic year).
• 2021 – Westcliff added women's tennis into its GSAC affiliate membership in the 2022 spring season (2021–22 academic year).
• 2022 – Two institutions left the GSAC as affiliate members (and/or removed other single sports from their affiliate memberships), all effective after the 2021–22 academic year:
  • Marymount (Cal.) for men's and women's tennis; as the school ceased operations
  • and Saint Katherine for women's tennis
• 2023 – Westmont left the GSAC and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the PacWest after the 2022–23 academic year.
• 2023 – San Diego Christian left the GSAC after the 2022–23 academic year; as the school was placing their athletic department on hiatus since. ^[3]
• 2024 – Jessup, Menlo and Vanguard left the GSAC and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the PacWest after the 2023–24 academic year.
• 2024 – Westcliff left the GSAC as an affiliate member for men's and women's tennis after the 2023–24 academic year:
• 2024 – Benedictine University at Mesa, Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott and Park University Gilbert joined the GSAC in the 2024–25 academic year. Then-affiliate member for men's tennis Saint Katherine (USK) was also alongside those three prior schools at the same time; however, the school ceased operations before they could make the move.
• 2024 – The GSAC has rebranded as the Great Southwest Athletic Conference, beginning the 2024–25 academic year.
• 2025 – La Sierra University and Soka University of America will join the GSAC, beginning the 2025–26 academic year.

Member schools

Current members

The GSAC currently has eight full members, all are private schools:

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	Joined [a]
Arizona Christian University	Glendale, Arizona	1960	Nondenominational	820	Firestorm	2012
Benedictine University at Mesa	Mesa, Arizona	2013	Catholic (Benedictines)	340	Redhawks	2024
Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University–Prescott	Prescott, Arizona	1978	Nonsectarian	1,700	Eagles	2024
Hope International University	Fullerton, California	1928	Nondenominational	987	Royals	1999
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
Ottawa University–Arizona	Surprise, Arizona	2015	American Baptist	750	Spirit	2018
Park University–Gilbert	Gilbert, Arizona	2018	Nonsectarian	300	Buccaneers	2024

Notes

1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.

Future members

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	Joining [a]	Current conference
La Sierra University	Riverside, California	1922	Seventh-day Adventist	2,199	Golden Eagles	2025	California Pacific (CalPac)
Soka University of America	Aliso Viejo, California	2001	Nonsectarian	441	Lions

Notes

1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.

Former members

The GSAC had twelve former full members, all were private schools:

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	Joined [a]	Left [b]	Subsequent conference(s)	Current conference
Azusa Pacific University	Azusa, California	1899	Interdenominational	8,539	Cougars	1986	2012	Pacific West (PacWest) [c] (2012–present)
Biola University	La Mirada, California	1908	Nondenominational	5,942	Eagles	1994	2017	Pacific West (PacWest) [c] (2017–present)
California Baptist University	Riverside, California	1950	Baptist	11,491	Lancers	1987	2011	Pacific West (PacWest) [c] (2011–18)	Western (WAC) [d] (2018–present)
California Lutheran University	Thousand Oaks, California	1959	Lutheran ELCA	3,298	Kingsmen & Regals	1986	1989	NAIA/D-III Independent (1989–91)	Southern California (SCIAC) [e] (1991–present)
Concordia University–Irvine	Irvine, California	1976	Lutheran LCMS	2,564	Eagles	1987	2015	Pacific West (PacWest) [c] (2015–present)
Fresno Pacific University	Fresno, California	1944	Mennonite	3,700	Sunbirds	1986	2012	Pacific West (PacWest) [c] (2012–present)
Jessup University	Rocklin, California	1939	Nondenominational	1,743	Warriors	2014	2024	Pacific West (PacWest) [c] (2024–present)
Menlo College	Atherton, California	1927	Nonsectarian	750	Oaks	2015	2024	Pacific West (PacWest) [c] (2024–present)
Point Loma Nazarene University	San Diego, California	1902	Nazarene	3,487	Sea Lions	1986	2012	Pacific West (PacWest) [c] (2012–present)
San Diego Christian College	Santee, California	1970	Nondenominational	916	Hawks	1999	2023	N/A [f]
Vanguard University of Southern California	Costa Mesa, California	1920	Assemblies of God	2,552	Lions	1986	2024	Pacific West (PacWest) [c] (2024–present)
Westmont College	Montecito, California	1937	Christian	1,313	Warriors	1986	2023	Pacific West (PacWest) [c] (2023–present)

Notes

1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
2. Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.
3. Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
4. Currently an NCAA Division I athletic conference.
5. Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.
6. San Diego Christian suspended all their athletic programs after 2022–23.

Former affiliate members

The GSAC had four former affiliate members, one was a public school and three were private schools:

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	Joined [a]	Left [b]	GSAC sport(s)	Primary conference
Lewis–Clark State College	Lewiston, Idaho	1893	Public	4,200	Warriors & Lady Warriors	2015m.ten.; 2015w.ten.	2017m.ten.; 2017w.ten.	men's tennis; women's tennis	Cascade (CCC)
Marymount California University	Rancho Palos Verdes, California	1932	Catholic (R.S.H.M.)	923	Mariners	2018m.ten.; 2018w.ten.	2022m.ten.; 2022w.ten.	men's tennis; women's tennis	Closed in 2022
University of Saint Katherine	San Marcos, California	2010	Eastern Orthodox	240	Firebirds	2018m.ten.; 2018w.ten.	2024m.ten.; 2022w.ten.	men's tennis; women's tennis	Closed in 2024
Westcliff University	Irvine, California	1993	For-profit	2,000	Warriors	2020m.ten.; 2021w.ten.	2024m.ten.; 2024w.ten.	men's tennis; women's tennis	California Pacific (CalPac)

Notes

1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
2. Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.

Membership timeline

 Full member (non-football)  Associate member (sport) 

Sports sponsored

Conference sports

Sport	Men's	Women's
Baseball	Y
Basketball	Y	Y
Cross Country	Y	Y
Soccer	Y	Y
Softball		Y
Tennis	Y	Y
Track & Field Outdoor	Y	Y
Volleyball	Y	Y
Beach Volleyball		Y
Golf	Y	Y

References

1. Staff (June 2, 2011). "PacWest conference expands to 14 schools". Honolulu Star-Advertiser . Retrieved June 2, 2011.
2. "A New Era Has Begun" (Press release). Great Southwest Athletic COnference. July 2, 2024. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
3. "SDCC to Suspend Hawks Athletic Program Operations for 2023–24 Season". San Diego Christian College. 28 April 2023.

External links

• Official website