Northwest Conference

Last updated
Northwest Conference
Northwest Conference.jpg
Formerly Northwest Conference (1908–1925)
Association NCAA
FoundedDecember 12, 1925 [1]
CommissionerShana Levine
Sports fielded
  • 20
    • men's: 9
    • women's: 11
Division Division III
No. of teams9
Headquarters Hillsboro, Oregon
Region Pacific Northwest
Official website nwcsports.com
Locations
Northwest-Conference-states.png

The Northwest Conference (NWC) is an intercollegiate athletic conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. Member teams are located in the states of Oregon and Washington. It was known as the Pacific Northwest Conference from 1926 to 1984.

Contents

History

Northwest Conference
Northwest Conference
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100km
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Willamette
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Whitworth
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Whitman
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Puget Sound
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Pacific Lutheran
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Pacific
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Griswold Stadium at Lewis & Clark L&C Griswold Stadium bleachers.JPG
Griswold Stadium at Lewis & Clark
McCulloch Stadium at Willamette McCullochStadium.JPG
McCulloch Stadium at Willamette

The Northwest Conference was formed in 1925, [1] making it one of the oldest continuously existing athletics conferences in the western United States. For 60 years, the NWC sponsored sports exclusively for men, but in 1984 it joined with the Women's Conference of Independent Colleges to become the Northwest Conference of Independent Colleges, shortening the name to its current moniker in 1996 when it joined the NCAA.

The charter members included Willamette University, Pacific University, Whitman College, the College of Puget Sound (now the University of Puget Sound), Linfield College (now Linfield University), and the College of Idaho. In 1931, Albany College joined, left in 1938, and re-joined in 1949 using its present name of Lewis & Clark College. Pacific Lutheran University was added in 1965, and Whitworth University in 1970. In 1978, the College of Idaho dropped out of the conference. Whitworth also left in 1984, but then returned in 1988. In 1996, George Fox University joined when the conference moved to the NCAA and Puget Sound re-joined in that same year since 1948. From 2006 to 2010, Menlo College was also a part of the conference as an associate member in football.

The College of Idaho reinstated its football program in 2014 after a 37-year hiatus [2] and joined the Frontier Conference for football. College of Idaho is now a member of the NAIA's Cascade Collegiate Conference for other sports. Whitworth left the NWC in 1984 but returned in 1988. George Fox University and Seattle University joined the conference in 1997. Seattle dropped out again in 1999 to become members of NCAA Division II. [3] Menlo College joined the conference in 2005 as a football-only member.

Chronological timeline

  • 1925 – The NWC was founded as the Pacific Northwest Conference (PNWC). Charter members include the College of Idaho, Linfield College (now Linfield University), Pacific University, the College of Puget Sound (now the University of Puget Sound), Whitman College and Willamette University, beginning the 1926–27 academic year. [1]
  • 1931 – Albany College (now Lewis & Clark College) joined the PNWC in the 1931–32 academic year.
  • 1938 – Lewis & Clark left the PNWC after the 1937–38 academic year.
  • 1948 – Puget Sound left the PNWC after the 1947–48 academic year.
  • 1949 – Lewis & Clark re-joined back to the PNWC in the 1949–50 academic year.
  • 1965 – Pacific Lutheran College (now Pacific Lutheran University) joined the PNWC in the 1965–66 academic year.
  • 1970 – Whitworth College (now Whitworth University) joined the PNWC in the 1970–71 academic year.
  • 1978 – The College of Idaho left the PNWC after the 1977–78 academic year.
  • 1984 – Whitworth left the PNWC after the 1983–84 academic year.
  • 1984 – The PNWC merged with the Women's Conference of Independent Colleges (WCIC) to become the Northwest Conference of Independent Colleges (NCIC), therefore adding women's sports in the conference, beginning the 1984–85 academic year.
  • 1988 – Whitworth re-joined back to the NCIC in the 1988–89 academic year.
  • 1995 – George Fox College (now George Fox University) joined the NCIC in the 1995–96 academic year.
  • 1996 – Puget Sound re-joined back to the NCIC in the 1996–97 academic year.
  • 1996 – The NCIC has rebranded its name to become the Northwest Conference (NWC), beginning the 1996–97 academic year.
  • 1996 – The NWC has joined full membership in the Division III ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) after years spent in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), beginning the 1996–97 academic year.
  • 1997 – Seattle University joined the NWC in the 1997–98 academic year.
  • 1999 – Seattle left the NWC to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the Pacific West Conference (PacWest) after the 1998–99 academic year.
  • 2006 – Menlo College joined the NWC as an associate member for football in the 2006 fall season (2006–07 academic year).
  • 2011 – Menlo left the NWC as an associate member for football after the 2010 fall season (2010–11 academic year).
  • 2018 – Mills College joined the NWC as an associate member for women's rowing for the 20178 spring season (2017-18 academic year)
  • 2022 - Mills left the NWC as an associate member for women's rowing as the school merged with Northeastern University and put their athletics programs on hold

Member schools

Current members

The NWC currently has nine full members, all are private schools:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoined [a] ColorsFootball?
George Fox University Newberg, Oregon 1885 Quakers 4,039 [4] Bruins 1996  Yes
Lewis & Clark College Portland, Oregon 1867Nonsectarian2,205 Pioneers 1931;
1949 [b] 		  Yes
Linfield University McMinnville, Oregon 1858 Baptist 1,755 [5] Wildcats 1926  Yes
Pacific University Forest Grove, Oregon 1849 United Church of Christ 3,589 [6] Boxers 1926  Yes
Pacific Lutheran University Parkland, Washington 1890 Lutheran ELCA 3,100 [7] Lutes 1965  Yes
University of Puget Sound Tacoma, Washington 1888 United Methodist 2,600 [8] Loggers 1926;
1996 [c] 		  Yes
Whitman College Walla Walla, Washington 1859Nonsectarian1,544 [9] Blues 1926  No
Whitworth University Spokane, Washington 1890 Presbyterian 2,220 [10] Pirates 1970;
1988 [d] 		  Yes
Willamette University Salem, Oregon 1842 Methodist Mission 2,402 [11] Bearcats 1926  Yes
Notes
  1. ↑ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. ↑ Lewis & Clark left the NWC after the 1937–38 school year before re-joining back in the 1949–50 school year.
  3. ↑ Puget Sound left the NWC after the 1947–48 school year before re-joining back in the 1996–97 school year.
  4. ↑ Whitworth left the NWC after the 1983–84 school year before re-joining back in the 1988–89 school year.

Former members

The NWC had two former full members, which both were private schools:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoined [a] Left [b] ColorsCurrent
conference
College of Idaho Caldwell, Idaho 1891 Presbyterian 1,042 Yotes 19261978   Cascade (CCC) [c]
Seattle University Seattle, Washington 1891 Catholic
(Jesuit)		7,755 Redhawks 19971999   Western (WAC) [d]
Notes
  1. ↑ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. ↑ Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.
  3. ↑ Currently an NAIA athletic conference.
  4. ↑ Currently an NCAA Division I athletic conference.

Former associate members

The NWC had two former associate members, which were also a private school:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoined [a] Left [b] ColorsCurrent
conference		NWC
sport
Menlo College Atherton, California 1927Nonsectarian750 Oaks 20062011    Pacific West (PacWest) [c] football [d]
Mills College Oakland, California 1852Nonsectarian1,345 Cyclones 20172022   N/A [e] women's rowing
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. ↑ Menlo dropped football after the 2014 fall season (2014–15 school year).
  5. ↑ Mills was acquired by Northeastern University in 2023, becoming part of that university's extended operations in the San Francisco Bay Area. In advance of this, Mills dropped athletics after the 2021–22 school year.

Membership timeline

Mills College at Northeastern UniversityMenlo CollegeSeattle UniversityGeorge Fox UniversityWhitworth UniversityPacific Lutheran UniversityLewis %26 Clark CollegeWillamette UniversityWhitman CollegeUniversity of Puget SoundPacific UniversityLinfield CollegeCollege of IdahoNorthwest Conference

Sports

The Northwest Conference sponsors championship competition in nine men's and 11 women's NCAA sanctioned sports. [12]

Teams in the Northwest Conference competition
SportMen'sWomen's
Baseball 9–
Basketball 99
Cross country 99
Football 8–
Golf 99
Lacrosse –8
Soccer 99
Softball –8
Swimming 99
Tennis 88
Track and field 99
Volleyball –9
Rowing –4

McIlroy-Lewis All-Sports Trophy

Each year the NWC awards one of its member institutions the NWC McIlroy-Lewis All-Sports Trophy, based on a points system. The award is named in honor of Jane McIlroy, former athletic director of Linfield (1950-82), and John Lewis of Willamette (1947-72).

In each sport, the conference champion is awarded 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. 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.

Pacific Lutheran has won the award 15 times, more than any other school. Whitworth has won the trophy 14 times, Linfield has won the trophy three times while Puget Sound and George Fox have won it twice. [13] [14]

McIlroy-Lewis All-Sports Trophy winners
YearInstitution
2024Whitworth
2023George Fox
2022George Fox
2021No trophy awarded
2020No trophy awarded
2019Whitworth
2018Whitworth
2017Whitworth
2016Whitworth
2015Whitworth
2014Whitworth
2013Whitworth
2012Whitworth
2011Whitworth
2010Whitworth
2009Whitworth
2008Whitworth
2007Puget Sound
2006Puget Sound
2005Whitworth
2004Linfield
2003Linfield
2002Pacific Lutheran
2001Linfield
2000Pacific Lutheran
1999Pacific Lutheran
1998Pacific Lutheran
1997Pacific Lutheran
1996Pacific Lutheran
1995Pacific Lutheran
1994Willamette
1993Pacific Lutheran
1992Pacific Lutheran
1991Pacific Lutheran
1990Pacific Lutheran
1989Pacific Lutheran
1988Pacific Lutheran
1987Pacific Lutheran
1986Pacific Lutheran

National championships

YearSportInstitutionLocationAssociation/Division
2023Women's GolfGeorge Fox Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida NCAA Division III
2018Women's Track & FieldGeorge Fox La Crosse, Wisconsin NCAA Division III (Co-Champions with UMass Boston)
2013BaseballLinfield Appleton, Wisconsin NCAA Division III
2012SoftballPacific Lutheran Salem, Virginia NCAA Division III
2011SoftballLinfield Salem, Virginia NCAA Division III
2009Women's BasketballGeorge Fox Holland, Michigan NCAA Division III
2007SoftballLinfield Salem, Virginia NCAA Division III
2004FootballLinfield Salem, Virginia NCAA Division III
2004BaseballGeorge Fox Appleton, Wisconsin NCAA Division III
1999FootballPacific Lutheran Salem, Virginia NCAA Division III
1999Women's SwimmingPuget Sound Federal Way, Washington NAIA
1998Women's SwimmingPuget Sound Federal Way, Washington NAIA
1997Men's SoccerSeattle Birmingham, Alabama NAIA
1997Men's SwimmingPuget Sound Federal Way, Washington NAIA
1996Men's SwimmingPuget Sound San Antonio, Texas NAIA
1996Women's SwimmingPuget Sound San Antonio, Texas NAIA
1995Men's SwimmingPuget Sound San Antonio, Texas NAIA
1995Women's Cross CountryPuget Sound Kenosha, Wisconsin NAIA
1994Women's Cross CountryPuget Sound Kenosha, Wisconsin NAIA
1993FootballPacific Lutheran Portland, Oregon NAIA Division II
1993Women's Cross CountryPuget Sound Kenosha, Wisconsin NAIA
1993VolleyballPuget Sound San Diego, California NAIA
1993Men's BasketballWillamette Nampa, Idaho NAIA Division II
1992Women's Cross CountryPuget Sound Kenosha, Wisconsin NAIA
1992SoftballPacific Lutheran Pensacola, Florida NAIA
1991Women's SoccerPacific Lutheran Boca Raton, Florida NAIA
1990Women's SwimmingPuget Sound Canton, Ohio NAIA
1989Women's SoccerPacific Lutheran Due West, South Carolina NAIA
1989Women's SwimmingPuget Sound Brown Deer, Wisconsin NAIA
1988Women's Cross CountryPacific Lutheran Kenosha, Wisconsin NAIA
1988Women's SoccerPacific Lutheran Abilene, Texas NAIA
1988SoftballPacific Lutheran Pensacola, Florida NAIA
1987FootballPacific Lutheran Tacoma, Washington NAIA Division II
1986FootballLinfield McMinnville, Oregon NAIA Division II
1984FootballLinfield McMinnville, Oregon NAIA Division II
1982FootballLinfield McMinnville, Oregon NAIA Division II
1980FootballPacific Lutheran Tacoma, Washington NAIA Division II
1971BaseballLinfield Phoenix, Arizona NAIA
1966BaseballLinfield St. Joseph, Missouri NAIA
1960BaseballWhitworth† Sioux City, Iowa NAIA

† - Whitworth was not a member of the NWC until 1970.

Football champions

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Written at Seattle. "Withdrawal of Large Universities Is End of Old Northwest Conference". The Spokesman-Review . No. 213. Spokane. Associated Press. December 13, 1925. p. C1. Gonzaga Left as Free Lance — Six Small Colleges Form Another Conference, Retaining Old Name and Rules — Officials of all colleges concerned emphasized the fact that the move was entirely harmonious and for mutual advantage.
  2. ↑ "College of Idaho reinstates football program". The College of Idaho. May 14, 2012. Archived from the original on March 13, 2013. Retrieved January 28, 2013.
  3. ↑ "NWC History". Northwest Conference.
  4. ↑ "About George Fox" . Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  5. ↑ "About Linfield: Facts and Figures" . Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Pacific University About" . Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  7. ↑ "About PLU: Quick Facts" . Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Puget Sound Facts and Figures" . Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Whitman College Enrollment" . Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  10. ↑ "About Whitworth Facts & Rankings" . Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  11. ↑ "About Willamette: Quick Facts" . Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Northwest Conference". Northwest Conference. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
  13. ↑ "Northwest Conference All-Sports Trophy". nwcsports.com. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
  14. ↑ "Boxers finish seventh in final NWC All-Sports Trophy standings". Pacific University Athletics. 2024-05-20. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
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