Golden State Athletic Conference

Golden State Athletic Conference
GSAC
Established 1986
Association NAIA
Division Division I
Members 9
Sports fielded
  • 13
    • men's: 6
    • women's: 7
Region Western United States
Region II of the NAIA
Headquarters Azusa, California
Commissioner Mike Daniels (2012–)
Website gsacsports.org
Locations

The Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) is a college athletics conference in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The conference commissioner is Mike Daniels. Conference leadership is shared among the member institutions. Eight of the nine members of the GSAC are Christian colleges located in California and Arizona. Conference teams have won 20 national championships.

History

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 College, 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. Life Pacific College joined the GSAC in 2017 bringing the total members back to nine schools.

Member schools

Current members

Institution Location Founded Enrollment Nickname Joined
Arizona Christian University Phoenix, Arizona 1960 820 Firestorm 2012
Hope International University Fullerton, California 1928 987 Royals 1999
Life Pacific College San Dimas, California 1923 686 Warriors 2017
The Master's University Santa Clarita, California 1927 1,348 Mustangs 2001
Menlo College Atherton, California 1927 750 Oaks 2015
San Diego Christian College Santee, California 1970 916 Hawks 1999
Vanguard University Costa Mesa, California 1920 1,923 Lions 1986
Westmont College Santa Barbara, California 1937 1,308 Warriors 1986
William Jessup University Rocklin, California 1939 1,200 Warriors 2014

Former members

Institution Location Founded Nickname Joined Left Current
Conference
Azusa Pacific University Azusa, California 1899 Cougars 1986 2012 Pacific West
(NCAA D-II)
Biola University La Mirada, California 1908 Eagles 1994 2017 Pacific West
(NCAA D-II)
California Baptist University Riverside, California 1950 Lancers 1987 2011 Western Athletic
(NCAA D-I)
California Lutheran University Thousand Oaks, California 1959 Kingsmen
&
Regals		 1986 1989 Southern California
(NCAA D-III)
Concordia University–Irvine Irvine, California 1976 Eagles 1987 2015 Pacific West
(NCAA D-II)
Fresno Pacific University Fresno, California 1944 Sunbirds 1986 2012 Pacific West
(NCAA D-II)
Point Loma Nazarene University San Diego, California 1902 Sea Lions 1986 2012 Pacific West
(NCAA D-II)

Membership timeline

 Full member (non-football) 

Sports sponsored

Conference sports
SportMen'sWomen's
BaseballGreen tick
BasketballGreen tickGreen tick
Cross CountryGreen tickGreen tick
SoccerGreen tickGreen tick
SoftballGreen tick
TennisGreen tickGreen tick
Track & Field OutdoorGreen tickGreen tick
VolleyballGreen tick

References

  1. ↑ Staff (June 2, 2011). "PacWest conference expands to 14 schools". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Retrieved June 2, 2011.
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