WAC has been home to many institutions
The history of the Western Athletic Conference is full of various characters, and as of Thursday, Utah State and New Mexico State are prepared to take on its roles starting for the 2005-06 season.
The announcement came just a year after USU accepted an invitation to join the Sun Belt Conference.
This season is the 42nd for the WAC, which was originally formed in 1962 with six members. The concept came about in 1958 when BYU’s Edwin Kimball, Oregon’s Leo Harris and Oregon State’s Roy S. Keen met during a NCAA convention in New York to come up with the “ideal conference.”
The men thought the conference should have eight members who had about the same goals, ideals and resources. Washington State, Oregon State, Oregon, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Arizona State and BYU were all thought to be the perfect combination.
Four years later, proposals were made with finances becoming the biggest factor as seen through membership criteria. According to www.wacsports.com, institutions need to have “large facilities or a commitment to build them, location in or near a large population center, a large student body, easy access by means of large jet aircraft, demonstrated fan support, winning athletic tradition and a commitment to maintain a varied and extensive athletic program.”
Charter members of the conference were Arizona, Arizona State, BYU, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.
Arizona and Arizona State were previously members of the Boarder Conference, while the remaining schools were part of the Skyline Conference.
Since then, numerous schools have come and gone from the league and WAC Commissioner Karl Benson said he is sure the transition to come with the addition of USU and NMSU will be the beginning of yet another great era.
“Over the past 40 years, the WAC has been able to successfully overcome membership changes,” he said. “Each time the WAC has been able to add schools that have ultimately allowed the WAC to continue to be nationally recognized, credible and a valuable league. With the addition of Utah State and New Mexico State, I expect the same to hold true for the WAC as these two schools take their place with the remaining WAC schools and to continue to build upon the storied history of the WAC.”
Benson said adding the two Aggie schools was an easy decision because they not only fit athletically, but academically as well.
The commissioner also said he was appreciative that both institutions were patient while waiting for an invitation to join the WAC.
“I am confident that their patience will be rewarded by the benefits they will receive from the WAC and vice versa,” Benson said. “The WAC will be rewarded by the anticipated success both schools will have under the WAC banner.”
Thursday had a much different feel than the previous Friday when Rice, SMU and Tulsa made the announcement that each is joining Conference USA in the future.
Prior to 1990, the WAC only sponsored championships in men’s sports. With a merger with the High Country Athletic Conference, a single league was formed under one administrative structure and the following year men and women were able to compete under the WAC name.
Currently, the Western Athletic Conference has team and individual championships in 18 sports – baseball, basketball (men and women), cross country (men and women), football, golf, tennis (men and women), indoor track and field (men and women), outdoor track and field (men and women), women’s soccer, softball, women’s swimming and diving and women’s volleyball.
The league offices are located just outside Denver, Colo., and have been there since the conference was formed, with the exception of a two-year stint in Phoenix from 1964 to 1966.
New Mexico State President William Flores said he doesn’t think this is the end of changes within the WAC.
“All of the conferences are going through a realignment and this is a process that takes place every five to eight years with big changes that affect all of football,” he said. “I suspect that there will be more changes. I think we are going to see some real changes with Division I football and with all Division I sports over the next few years. As that occurs, there will be realignment with the WAC and with every single conference.”
-juag@cc.usu.edu