Big West Conference
From BR Bullpen
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. By the early '70's, charter members UCSB and CSLA had dropped football and SDSU left the conference in football only. In 1974, Cal State Fullerton moved into the conference. By 1977, UC Irvine joined the conference and UCSB was back in - both as non-football playing institutions, 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.
[edit] Current Members & First Year of Baseball
- Long Beach State Dirtbags - 1970
- Pacific Tigers - 1972
- Cal State Fullerton Titans - 1975
- UC Santa Barbara Gauchos - 1970-1972 & 1977-
- UC Irvine Anteaters - 1978
- Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Mustangs - 1997
- Cal State Northridge Matadors - 2002
- UC Riverside Highlanders - 2002
- UC Davis Aggies - 2008
[edit] Former Memebers
- San Jose State Spartans - 1970-1996
- Fresno State Bulldogs - 1970-1991
- San Diego State Aztecs - 1970-1976
- Cal State LA Golden Eagles - 1970-1974
- UNLV Runnin' Rebels - 1983-1996
- New Mexico St. Aggies - 1992-2003
- Nevada Wolfpack - 1993-2000
- Sacramento St. Hornets - 1997-2002
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.
[edit] Conference Baseball Champions
- 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
- 1976 California State University, Fullerton
- 1985 Fresno State University
- 1986 University of California, Santa Barbara
- 1987 California State University, Fullerton
- 1988 Fresno State University
- 1989 Fresno State University / California State University, Long Beach
- 1990 Fresno State University / California State University, Fullerton
- 1991 Fresno State University / California State University, Fullerton
- 1992 California State University, Long Beach
- 1993 California State University, Long Beach
- 1994 University of Nevada / California State University, Long Beach / California State University, Fullerton
- 1995 California State University, Fullerton
- 1996 California State University, Long Beach
- 1997 California State University, Fullerton
- 1998 California State University, Long Beach
- 1999 California State University, Fullerton
- 2000 University of Nevada / California State University, Fullerton
- 2001 California State University, Fullerton
- 2002 California State University, Northridge
- 2003 California State University, Long Beach
- 2004 California State University, Fullerton
- 2005 California State University, Fullerton
- 2006 California State University, Fullerton
- 2007 University of California, Riverside
- 2008 California State University, Long Beach / California State University, Fullerton
