Northwest Conference

For other uses, see Northwest Conference (disambiguation).

Northwest Conference

Association	NCAA
Founded	December 12, 1925 [1]
Commissioner	Shana Levine
Sports fielded	20 men's: 9 women's: 11
Division	Division III
No. of teams	9
Headquarters	Hillsboro, Oregon
Region	Pacific Northwest
Official website	nwcsports.com
Locations

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 1925 to 1984.

History

Northwest Conference

100km
62miles

Willamette

Whitworth

Whitman

Puget Sound

Pacific Lutheran

Pacific

Linfield

Lewis & Clark

George Fox

   

Griswold Stadium at Lewis & Clark

McCulloch Stadium at Willamette

See also: Northwest Conference (1908–1925) and Pacific Coast Conference

The original Northwest Conference was formed on February 8, 1908 when Whitman College invited the other leading educational institutions of the Northwest to form an athletic conference. ^[2] The resulting conference placed small, private Whitman College alongside the five large, public, state universities of and agricultural colleges of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.

In 1915, Washington, Oregon, and Oregon Agricultural joined with California to form the Pacific Coast Conference but continued to hold dual-membership in the Northwest Conference. Over the next several years, the PCC added more large schools from the Northwest and California. The Northwest Conference likewise expanded by adding Montana, Willamette, Pacific, and Gonzaga.

This two-conference situation lasted until December 1925. ^[1] At the annual dual meeting of the Northwest Conference and Pacific Coast Conference schools, the large colleges and universities announced they would continue solely in the PCC. ^[1] At the same time, the smaller colleges announced that they had already organized into a new conference, adding members and retaining the name and eligibility requirements of the prior Northwest Conference. ^[1] Officials of both conferences "emphasized the fact that the move was entirely harmonious and for mutual advantage." ^[1] Only Gonzaga was left without a conference. ^[1]

The charter members of the new Northwest Conference 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.

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 College of Idaho reinstated its football program in 2014 after a 37-year hiatus ^[3] 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. ^[4] 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, Pacific University, the College of Puget Sound, Whitman College and Willamette University. ^[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 2018 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:

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	Joined [a]	Colors	Football?
George Fox University	Newberg, Oregon	1885	Quakers	4,039 [5]	Bruins	1996		Yes
Lewis & Clark College	Portland, Oregon	1867	Nonsectarian	2,205	Pioneers	1931; 1949 [b]		Yes
Linfield University	McMinnville, Oregon	1858	Baptist	1,755 [6]	Wildcats	1926		Yes
Pacific University	Forest Grove, Oregon	1849	United Church of Christ	3,589 [7]	Boxers	1926		Yes
Pacific Lutheran University	Parkland, Washington	1890	Lutheran ELCA	3,100 [8]	Lutes	1965		Yes
University of Puget Sound	Tacoma, Washington	1888	United Methodist	2,600 [9]	Loggers	1926; 1996 [c]		Yes
Whitman College	Walla Walla, Washington	1859	Nonsectarian	1,544 [10]	Blues	1926		No
Whitworth University	Spokane, Washington	1890	Presbyterian	2,220 [11]	Pirates	1970; 1988 [d]		Yes
Willamette University	Salem, Oregon	1842	Methodist Mission	2,402 [12]	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:

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	Joined [a]	Left [b]	Colors	Current conference
College of Idaho	Caldwell, Idaho	1891	Presbyterian	1,042	Yotes	1926	1978		Cascade (CCC) [c]
Seattle University	Seattle, Washington	1891	Catholic (Jesuit)	7,755	Redhawks	1997	1999		West Coast (WCC) [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:

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	Joined [a]	Left [b]	Colors	Current conference	NWC sport
Menlo College	Atherton, California	1927	Nonsectarian	750	Oaks	2006	2011		Pacific West (PacWest) [c]	football [d]
Mills College	Oakland, California	1852	Nonsectarian	1,345	Cyclones	2017	2022		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

Sports

See also: Northwest Conference men's basketball tournament

The Northwest Conference sponsors championship competition in nine men's and 11 women's NCAA sanctioned sports. ^[13]

Teams in the Northwest Conference competition

Sport	Men's	Women's
Baseball	9	–
Basketball	9	9
Cross country	9	9
Football	8	–
Golf	9	9
Lacrosse	–	8
Soccer	9	9
Softball	–	8
Swimming	9	9
Tennis	8	8
Track and field	9	9
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. ^{[14] [15]}

McIlroy-Lewis All-Sports Trophy winners

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

National championships

Year	Sport	Institution	Location	Association/Division
2023	Women's Golf	George Fox	Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida	NCAA Division III
2018	Women's Track & Field	George Fox	La Crosse, Wisconsin	NCAA Division III (Co-Champions with UMass Boston)
2013	Baseball	Linfield	Appleton, Wisconsin	NCAA Division III
2012	Softball	Pacific Lutheran	Salem, Virginia	NCAA Division III
2011	Softball	Linfield	Salem, Virginia	NCAA Division III
2009	Women's Basketball	George Fox	Holland, Michigan	NCAA Division III
2007	Softball	Linfield	Salem, Virginia	NCAA Division III
2004	Football	Linfield	Salem, Virginia	NCAA Division III
2004	Baseball	George Fox	Appleton, Wisconsin	NCAA Division III
1999	Football	Pacific Lutheran	Salem, Virginia	NCAA Division III
1999	Women's Swimming	Puget Sound	Federal Way, Washington	NAIA
1998	Women's Swimming	Puget Sound	Federal Way, Washington	NAIA
1997	Men's Soccer	Seattle	Birmingham, Alabama	NAIA
1997	Men's Swimming	Puget Sound	Federal Way, Washington	NAIA
1996	Men's Swimming	Puget Sound	San Antonio, Texas	NAIA
1996	Women's Swimming	Puget Sound	San Antonio, Texas	NAIA
1995	Men's Swimming	Puget Sound	San Antonio, Texas	NAIA
1995	Women's Cross Country	Puget Sound	Kenosha, Wisconsin	NAIA
1994	Women's Cross Country	Puget Sound	Kenosha, Wisconsin	NAIA
1993	Football	Pacific Lutheran	Portland, Oregon	NAIA Division II
1993	Women's Cross Country	Puget Sound	Kenosha, Wisconsin	NAIA
1993	Volleyball	Puget Sound	San Diego, California	NAIA
1993	Men's Basketball	Willamette	Nampa, Idaho	NAIA Division II
1992	Women's Cross Country	Puget Sound	Kenosha, Wisconsin	NAIA
1992	Softball	Pacific Lutheran	Pensacola, Florida	NAIA
1991	Women's Soccer	Pacific Lutheran	Boca Raton, Florida	NAIA
1990	Women's Swimming	Puget Sound	Canton, Ohio	NAIA
1989	Women's Soccer	Pacific Lutheran	Due West, South Carolina	NAIA
1989	Women's Swimming	Puget Sound	Brown Deer, Wisconsin	NAIA
1988	Women's Cross Country	Pacific Lutheran	Kenosha, Wisconsin	NAIA
1988	Women's Soccer	Pacific Lutheran	Abilene, Texas	NAIA
1988	Softball	Pacific Lutheran	Pensacola, Florida	NAIA
1987	Football	Pacific Lutheran	Tacoma, Washington	NAIA Division II
1986	Football	Linfield	McMinnville, Oregon	NAIA Division II
1984	Football	Linfield	McMinnville, Oregon	NAIA Division II
1982	Football	Linfield	McMinnville, Oregon	NAIA Division II
1980	Football	Pacific Lutheran	Tacoma, Washington	NAIA Division II
1971	Baseball	Linfield	Phoenix, Arizona	NAIA
1966	Baseball	Linfield	St. Joseph, Missouri	NAIA
1960	Baseball	Whitworth†	Sioux City, Iowa	NAIA

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

Football champions

1926 – College of Idaho 1927 – College of Idaho 1928 – Whitman 1929 – Willamette 1930 – Whitman 1931 – Whitman 1932 – Puget Sound 1933 – Puget Sound 1934 – Willamette 1935 – Linfield and Willamette 1936 – Willamette 1937 – Willamette 1938 – Pacific (OR) and Willamette 1939 – Pacific 1940 – Willamette 1941 – Willamette 1942 – Willamette 1943 – No champion 1944 – No champion 1945 – No champion

1946 – Willamette 1947 – Willamette 1948 – College of Idaho 1949 – College of Idaho, Lewis & Clark, and Pacific (OR) 1950 – Lewis & Clark 1951 – Lewis & Clark and Pacific (OR) 1952 – Lewis & Clark and Pacific (OR) 1953 – College of Idaho 1954 – College of Idaho, Lewis & Clark, and Willamette 1955 – College of Idaho and Lewis & Clark 1956 – Linfield 1957 – Linfield 1958 – Willamette 1959 – Willamette 1960 – Willamette 1961 – Linfield 1962 – Linfield 1963 – Lewis & Clark 1964 – Linfield 1965 – Linfield

1966 – Lewis & Clark 1967 – Lewis & Clark, Linfield, and Willamette 1968 – Willamette 1969 – Lewis & Clark, Linfield, Pacific Lutheran, and Whitman 1970 – Linfield 1971 – Linfield 1972 – Linfield 1973 – Pacific Lutheran 1974 – Linfield 1975 – Linfield, Pacific Lutheran, and Whitworth (WA) 1976 – Linfield 1977 – Linfield 1978 – Linfield 1979 – Pacific Lutheran 1980 – Linfield 1981 – Pacific Lutheran 1982 – Linfield 1983 – Pacific Lutheran 1984 – Linfield

References

1. 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. Written at Walla Walla, WA. "Conference is Meeting Today — Six Colleges Represented at Walla Walla Trying to Improve Athletics". The Oregon Daily Journal . Vol. 6, no. 260. Portland, OR. February 7, 1908. p. 12. The Northwest Intercollegiate conference, called by Whitman college a few weeks ago, convened in this city this morning. The six leading educational institutions of the northwest are represented by delegates.
3. "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.
4. "NWC History". Northwest Conference.
5. "About George Fox" . Retrieved March 31, 2023.
6. "About Linfield: Facts and Figures" . Retrieved March 31, 2023.
7. "Pacific University About" . Retrieved March 31, 2023.
8. "About PLU: Quick Facts" . Retrieved March 31, 2023.
9. "Puget Sound Facts and Figures" . Retrieved March 31, 2023.
10. "Whitman College Enrollment" . Retrieved March 31, 2023.
11. "About Whitworth Facts & Rankings" . Retrieved March 31, 2023.
12. "About Willamette: Quick Facts" . Retrieved March 31, 2023.
13. "Northwest Conference". Northwest Conference. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
14. "Northwest Conference All-Sports Trophy". nwcsports.com. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
15. "Boxers finish seventh in final NWC All-Sports Trophy standings". Pacific University Athletics. 2024-05-20. Retrieved 2024-07-31.

External links

• Official website