Big West Conference

From BR Bullpen

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The Big West Conference was formed as the Pacific Coast Athletic Association on July 1, 1969. Cal State LA, Fresno State, Long Beach State and San Diego State University were joined by San Jose State University, UC Santa Barbara and University of the Pacific in the original line-up. In 1974, Cal State Fullerton moved into the conference. By 1977, UC Irvine joined the conference and UCSB was back in while Utah State University became the first non-California member of the circuit, transforming the PCAA into a regional conference. UNLV (1981) and New Mexico State University (1984) soon followed suit, bringing the league's membership to 10 universities. The PCAA began its 20th year of existence in 1988 by changing its name to the Big West Conference.

From 1977 to 1984 the conference's teams played in two different conferences for their baseball season. Half the teams played in the Northern California Baseball Association, while the others were in the Southern California Baseball Association.

Long Beach State, UC Santa Barbara, and Pacific are the conference's longest tenured members, and are three of the original charter institutions. Long Beach State is the only school that has held membership every year in the conference since its inaugural season in 1969. Cal State Fullerton and UC Irvine have both been Big West members for over three decades, with Cal Poly entering its ninth year of affiliation. Cal State Northridge and UC Riverside are the Big West's most recent members, as the two schools joined the conference in 2001-02. The Big West is also set to add a ninth conference member with UC Davis coming aboard in the 2007-08 season. In 2013, the University of Hawaii would join the Big West, followed by both; Cal State Bakersfield and UC San Diego for the 2021 season.

2024 Conference Members & First Year of Baseball[edit]

Logo 2005-2021

Former Memebers[edit]

Utah State University, University of North Texas, University of Idaho and Boise State University have all been members in the past but did not support baseball.

Conference Baseball Champions[edit]

Year Regular Season Tournament Notes
1970 California State University, Long Beach
1971 San Jose State University / Fresno State University
1972 University of California, Santa Barbara
1973 California State University, Los Angeles
1974 California State University, Los Angeles
1975 California State University, Fullerton Fullerton goes to CWS.
1976 California State University, Fullerton
1985 Fresno State University
1986 University of California, Santa Barbara
1987 California State University, Fullerton
1988 Fresno State University Fullerton goes to CWS.
1989 Fresno State University / California State University, Long Beach Long Beach goes to CWS.
1990 Fresno State University / California State University, Fullerton Fullerton goes to CWS
1991 Fresno State University / California State University, Fullerton Long Beach goes to CWS.
1992 California State University, Long Beach Fullerton CWS runner-up.
1993 California State University, Long Beach Long Beach goes to CWS.
1994 University of Nevada / California State University, Long Beach / California State University, Fullerton Fullerton goes to CWS
1995 California State University, Fullerton Fullerton CWS Champion.
1996 California State University, Long Beach
1997 California State University, Fullerton
1998 California State University, Long Beach Long Beach goes to CWS.
1999 California State University, Fullerton Fullerton goes to CWS.
2000 University of Nevada / California State University, Fullerton
2001 California State University, Fullerton Fullerton goes to CWS.
2002 California State University, Northridge
2003 California State University, Long Beach Fullerton goes to CWS.
2004 California State University, Fullerton Fullerton CWS Champion.
2005 California State University, Fullerton
2006 California State University, Fullerton Fullerton goes to CWS.
2007 University of California, Riverside UC Irvine goes to CWS.
2008 California State University, Long Beach / California State University, Fullerton
2009 University of California, Irvine Fullerton goes to CWS.
2010 California State University, Fullerton
2011 California State University, Fullerton
2012 California State University, Fullerton
2013 California State University, Fullerton
2014 Cal Poly San Luis Obispo UC Irvine goes to CWS.
2015 California State University, Fullerton Fullerton goes to CWS.
2016 California State University, Fullerton Santa Barbara goes to CWS.
2017 California State University, Long Beach Fullerton goes to CWS.
2018 California State University, Fullerton
2019 University of California, Santa Barbara
2020 Season cancelled in March
2021 University of California, Irvine
2022 University of California, Santa Barbara
2023 University of California, San Diego CSUF received regional bid as UCSD still in transitional phase from DII to DI.
2024 University of California, Santa Barbara
2025 First year of Big West Tournament