Founded in July, 2001, the Great Northwest Athletic Conference connected institutions across the Western United States into the largest geographic footprint among NCAA Division II conferences. The conference sponsors 16 women’s and men’s varsity sports, including cross country, soccer, volleyball, basketball, baseball, softball, track and field, golf and rowing.
 
Located in five states and the Canadian province of British Columbia, and with a strong presence in or near the largest city of each, the Great Northwest Athletic Conference has established itself as one of the top NCAA Division II athletic conferences in the nation during its 24-year history.
 
On June 2, 2025, the GNAC released a new logo for the first time in its history. The former GNAC logo, featuring a green triangle with lower-case ‘gnac’ lettering, was utilized from the league’s inception in 2001 through the end of the 2024-25 academic year.
 
Membership
The GNAC’s 10 full-time members are located throughout one of the most picturesque areas of North America, covering five U.S. states and one Canadian province.
 
Representing the Evergreen State in the conference are Central Washington University, Saint Martin’s University, Seattle Pacific University and Western Washington University. All four schools are within 110 miles of Seattle, the state’s largest city.
 
Alaska is the home to GNAC members University of Alaska Anchorage and the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The only Canadian member in the NCAA is Simon Fraser University, which is located in Burnaby, B.C., a suburb of Canada's third-largest city, Vancouver.
 
Other conference members include Western Oregon University, which is a short drive from both the capital of Oregon (Salem) and the state’s largest city (Portland); Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, which is located near Idaho’s largest city and capital (Boise), and Montana State University Billings, which is situated in the largest city in the Treasure State.
 
The GNAC also has a presence in California with Cal Poly Humboldt (formerly Humboldt State) as an affiliate member in women’s rowing. Sitting outside the general conference footprint, the University of Central Oklahoma joined the GNAC in 2019 as an affiliate member in women’s rowing.
 
Cal Poly Humboldt and Seattle University were charter members of the conference. Cal Poly Humboldt left the GNAC following the 2005-06 season to join the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) and was an affiliate member in football until 2018. Seattle University departed following the 2007-08 season to compete in NCAA Division I.
 
Past affiliate members of the GNAC include Azusa Pacific University (football), Utah Tech (Dixie State University) (football), University of Mary (men’s soccer), University of Sioux Falls (men’s soccer), and South Dakota Mines (football & men’s soccer).
 
Concordia University-Portland joined the GNAC in 2014 and was recognized as a full NCAA Division II member in 2017. The university closed permanently following the 2019-20 academic year.
 

GNAC Membership History
Current Full-Time GNAC Members	Mascot	Location	Year Joined	GNAC Sports
University of Alaska	Nanooks	Fairbanks, Alaska	2001	Cross Country, Volleyball, Basketball
University of Alaska Anchorage	Seawolves	Anchorage, Alaska	2001	Cross Country, Volleyball, Basketball, Track & Field
Central Washington University	Wildcats	Ellensburg, Washington	2001	Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Soccer (W), Track & Field, Softball, Volleyball
Montana State University Billings	Yellowjackets	Billings, Montana	2007	Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Soccer (W), Track & Field, Softball, Volleyball, Golf
Northwest Nazarene University	Nighthawks	Nampa, Idaho	2001	Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Soccer, Track & Field, Softball, Volleyball, Golf
Saint Martin's University	Saints	Lacey, Washington	2001	Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Soccer, Track & Field, Softball, Volleyball, Golf
Seattle Pacific University	Falcons	Seattle, Washington	2001	Basketball, Cross Country, Soccer, Track & Field, Volleyball, Golf (W), Rowing
Simon Fraser University	Red Leafs	Burnaby, British Columbia	2010	Basketball, Cross Country, Soccer, Track & Field, Volleyball, Golf, Softball (Football until 2020)
Western Oregon University	Wolves	Monmouth, Oregon	2001	Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Soccer, Track & Field, Softball, Volleyball, Golf
Western Washington University	Vikings	Bellingham, Washington	2001	Basketball, Cross Country, Soccer, Track & Field, Volleyball, Golf, Softball, Rowing (Football until 2008)
Current Affiliate GNAC Members	Mascot	Location	Year Joined	GNAC Sports
California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt	Lumberjacks	Arcata, California	2019	Rowing
University of Central Oklahoma	Bronchos	Edmond, Oklahoma	2019	Rowing
Former GNAC Members	Mascot	Location	Years Active	GNAC Sports	Current Conference
California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt	Lumberjacks	Arcata, California	2001-06	Football (affiliate through 2018), Basketball, Cross Country, Soccer, Track & Field, Softball, Volleyball	CCAA (NCAA D2)
Seattle University	Redhawks	Seattle, Washington	2001-08	Basketball, Cross Country, Soccer, Track & Field, Softball, Volleyball	WCC (NCAA D1)
Concordia University-Portland	Cavaliers	Portland, Oregon	2014-20	Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Soccer, Track & Field, Softball, Volleyball, Golf	School Closed.
Azusa Pacific University (affiliate)	Cougars	Azusa, California	2012-19	Football	PWC (NCAA D2)
South Dakota School of Mines (affiliate)	Hardrockers	Rapid City, South Dakota	2013-15	Football, Men's Soccer	RMAC (NCAA D2)
University of Mary (affiliate)	Marauders	Bismarck, North Dakota	2012-15	Men's Soccer	NSIC (NCAA D2)
University of Sioux Falls (affiliate)	Cougars	Sioux Falls, South Dakota	2012	Men's Soccer	NSIC (NCAA D2)
Utah Tech University (Dixie State University) (affiliate)	Trailblazers	St. George, Utah	2008-15	Football	UAC (NCAA D1)

Athletic & Academic Champions
GNAC teams have won eight national championships. Former GNAC member Seattle University won the 2004 NCAA Division II men’s soccer national title before moving up to the Division I level. Seattle Pacific won the 2008 national championship in women’s soccer and was the national runner-up in 2005. The Western Washington men’s basketball program claimed the 2012 Division II national title. The Vikings’ women’s soccer program won national titles in 2016 and 2022 and was the runner up in 2019. The GNAC also claimed three women's rowing titles in a four-year span from 2021-24. Central Oklahoma won its third consecutive women’s rowing national championship in 2021 and its first as an affiliate member of the GNAC. Cal Poly Humboldt hoisted the 2023 women's rowing national trophy and Western Washington won the team title in 2024. It was the Vikings' ninth women's rowing national championship under the guidance of former head coach John Fuchs and first competing as a member of the GNAC.
 
Earning second-place national finishes have been Alaska Anchorage in volleyball (2016) and women's basketball (2016), Seattle Pacific in women’s soccer (2005), women’s basketball (2005) and women’s cross country (2007), Cal Poly Humboldt in women’s rowing (2025) and Western Washington in volleyball (2007 & 2018), women’s soccer (2019), women's basketball (2022), women's rowing (2022) and softball (2024).
 
In addition to team national championships, GNAC athletes have collected 65 individual national titles in the sports of cross country and track & field. A total of 12 women and one distance medley relay team have won 18 indoor track & field national titles, and four men and two distance medley relay teams have won eight indoor national titles. In outdoor track & field, there have been 13 different women totaling 21 national gold medals, and 10 men totaling 13 national gold medals in the history of the conference.
 
A complete listing of national champions, national athletes and scholar athletes of the year, national coaches of the year, and other major national award winners can be found online here.
 

NATIONAL AWARD WINNERS & GNAC HISTORY

 

GNAC Sport History, Archives & Records
GNAC Baseball History	GNAC Men's Basketball History	GNAC Women's Basketball History
GNAC Cross Country History	GNAC Men's Golf History	GNAC Women's Golf History
GNAC Women's Rowing History	GNAC Men's Soccer History	GNAC Women's Soccer History
GNAC Softball History	GNAC Track & Field History	GNAC Volleyball History

 

GNAC National Champion Teams (8 Total)
Sport	Year	Season	Schedule
Men's Soccer	2004	Seattle University	2004 Schedule
Women's Soccer	2008	Seattle Pacific University	2008 Schedule
Men's Basketball	2012	Western Washington University	2012 Schedule
Women's Soccer	2016	Western Washington University	2016 Schedule
Women's Rowing	2021	University of Central Oklahoma	2021 Schedule
Women's Soccer	2022	Western Washington University	2022 Schedule
Women's Rowing	2023	California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt	2023 Schedule
Women's Rowing	2024	Western Washington University	2024 Schedule

 

National Athletes of the Year
These awards are presented by each sport's governing body and recognize the top performing individual based on athletic achievement in a given season.
Sport	Athlete	School	Season	Entity
Men's Cross Country	Micah Chelimo	Alaska Anchorage	2012	USTFCCCA
Women's Cross Country	Jessica Pixler	Seattle Pacific	2007	USTFCCCA
Women's Cross Country	Jessica Pixler	Seattle Pacific	2008	USTFCCCA
Women's Cross Country	Jessica Pixler	Seattle Pacific	2009	USTFCCCA
Women's Cross Country	Caroline Kurgat	Alaska Anchorage	2017	USTFCCCA
Men's Soccer	Sam Charles	Montana State Billings	2009	Daktronics
Women's Soccer	Shannon Lovejoy	Seattle Pacific	2004	NSCAA
Women's Soccer	Meredith Teague	Seattle Pacific	2008	NSCAA
Women's Soccer	Sierra Shugarts	Western Washington	2016	NSCAA
Women's Soccer	Tera Ziemer	Western Washington	2022	NSCAA
Volleyball	Eve Stephens	Alaska Anchorage	2022	D2CCA
Men's Basketball	Parrish West	Alaska	2011	Daktronics
Men's Basketball	Taylor Rohde	Alaska Anchorage	2012	DII Bulletin
Women's Basketball	Samantha Bowman	Central Washington	2023	D2CCA
Men's Indoor Track & Field	Ryan Brown	Western Washington	2011	USTFCCCA
Women's Indoor Track & Field	Jessica Pixler	Seattle Pacific	2009	USTFCCCA
Women's Indoor Track & Field	Caroline Kurgat	Alaska Anchorage	2019	USTFCCCA
Baseball	Ernesto Lugo-Canchola	Northwest Nazarene	2025	D2 Baseball
Baseball	Cole Calnon	Northwest Nazarene	2025	D2 Baseball
Men's Outdoor Track & Field	Chris Randolph	Seattle Pacific	2006	USTFCCCA
Women's Outdoor Track & Field	Ashley Puga	Northwest Nazarene	2009	USTFCCCA
Women's Outdoor Track & Field	Jessica Pixler	Seattle Pacific	2010	USTFCCCA
Women's Outdoor Track & Field	Caroline Kurgat	Alaska Anchorage	2019	USTFCCCA
Women's Outdoor Track & Field	Emy Ntekpere	Central Washington	2025	USTFCCCA
Women's Rowing	Faith Brooks	Central Oklahoma	2023	CRCA
Women's Rowing	Mia Marie Knipe	Western Washington	2024	CRCA

 

National Coaches of the Year
These awards are presented by each sport's governing body and recognize the top coach and coaching staff based on athletic achievement in a given season.
Sport	Coach	School	Season	Entity
Women's Soccer	Chuck Sekyra	Seattle Pacific	2007	NSCAA
Women's Soccer	Travis Connell	Western Washington	2016	NSCAA
Women's Soccer	Travis Connell	Western Washington	2022	NSCAA
Men's Soccer	Peter Fewing	Seattle	2004	NSCAA
Volleyball	Chris Green	Alaska Anchorage	2016	AVCA
Men's Basketball	Brad Jackson	Western Washington	2012	Daktronics
Women's Basketball	Gordy Presnell	Seattle Pacific	2003	WBCA
Women's Basketball	Gordy Presnell	Seattle Pacific	2004	WBCA
Women's Rowing	Brian Ebke	Central Oklahoma	2021	CRCA
Women's Rowing	Matt Weise	Cal Poly Humboldt	2023	CRCA
Women's Rowing	John Fuchs	Western Washington	2024	CRCA

 

National Scholar Athletes of the Year
These awards are presented by each sport's governing body and recognize the top performing individual based on academic and athletic achievement in a given season.
Sport	Athlete	School	Season	Entity
Men's Cross Country	Micah Chelimo	Alaska Anchorage	2012	USTFCCCA
Women's Cross Country	Jessica Pixler	Seattle Pacific	2007	USTFCCCA
Women's Cross Country	Jessica Pixler	Seattle Pacific	2008	USTFCCCA
Women's Cross Country	Jessica Pixler	Seattle Pacific	2009	USTFCCCA
Women's Cross Country	Caroline Kurgat	Alaska Anchorage	2017	USTFCCCA
Women's Basketball	Suzanna Ohlsen	Seattle Pacific	2015	CoSIDA
Men's Indoor Track & Field	Dustin Nading	Western Oregon	2018	USTFCCCA/CoSIDA
Women's Indoor Track & Field	Jessica Pixler	Seattle Pacific	2007	USTFCCCA
Women's Indoor Track & Field	Jessica Pixler	Seattle Pacific	2009	USTFCCCA
Women's Indoor Track & Field	Jessica Pixler	Seattle Pacific	2010	USTFCCCA
Women's Indoor Track & Field	Helen Crofts	Simon Fraser	2013	USTFCCCA
Women's Indoor Track & Field	Caroline Kurgat	Alaska Anchorage	2019	USTFCCCA
Men's Outdoor Track & Field	Cody Thomas	Alaska Anchorage	2016	USTFCCCA
Men's Outdoor Track & Field	David Ribich	Western Oregon	2017	USTFCCCA
Men's Outdoor Track & Field	Dustin Nading	Western Oregon	2018	USTFCCCA
Women's Outdoor Track & Field	Jessica Pixler	Seattle Pacific	2007	USTFCCCA
Women's Outdoor Track & Field	Ashley Puga	Northwest Nazarene	2009	USTFCCCA
Women's Outdoor Track & Field	Jessica Pixler	Seattle Pacific	2010	USTFCCCA
Women's Outdoor Track & Field	Bethany Drake	Western Washington	2014	USTFCCCA
Women's Outdoor Track & Field	Bethany Drake	Western Washington	2017	USTFCCCA
Women's Outdoor Track & Field	Caroline Kurgat	Alaska Anchorage	2018	USTFCCCA
Women's Outdoor Track & Field	Caroline Kurgat	Alaska Anchorage	2019	USTFCCCA

 

NCAA Elite 90 Award
The Elite 90 is proudly awarded to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA at the finals site for each of the NCAA's 90 championships. Click here for more information.
Sport	Athlete	School	Season
Men's Cross Country	Tyler Jones	Western Oregon	2018
Women's Cross Country	Alexa Shindruk	Central Washington	2018
Women's Cross Country	Yvonne Jeschke	Alaska Anchorage	2019
Baseball	Ben Johnson	Northwest Nazarene	2021
Baseball	Kellen Newsome	Northwest Nazarene	2025
Men's Outdoor Track & Field	Laurenz Waldbauer	Northwest Nazarene	2025
Women's Rowing	Clarice Ruhlin-Hicks	Western Washington	2022
Women's Rowing	Clarice Ruhlin-Hicks	Western Washington	2023
Women's Rowing	Audrey Rekedal	Seattle Pacific	2024

 

Collegiate Women Sports (Honda) Award Finalists
The Collegiate Women Sports Awards program annually recognizes the accomplishments of female athletes in NCAA-member colleges with a variety of prestigious awards. Click here for more information.
Sport	Athlete	School	Season
Women's Cross Country/Track & Field	Caroline Kurgat (Won - Press Release)	Alaska Anchorage	2018
Women's Soccer	Sierra Shugarts (Press Release)	Western Washington	2017
Women's Soccer	Tera Ziemer (Press Release)	Western Washington	2023