California Pacific Conference

The California Pacific Conference (Cal Pac) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The conference commissioner is Don Ott. Conference leadership is shared among the member institutions. The secretary is Marv Christopher of California Maritime Academy. The conference was formed in 1996.

California Pacific Conference

Association	NAIA
Founded	1996
Commissioner	Don Ott
Sports fielded	12 men's: 6 women's: 6
No. of teams	8 (6 in 2025–26)
Headquarters	Oakland, California
Region	West
Official website	calpacathletics.com
Locations

Conference members range from members of the University of California and California State University systems to religious and liberal arts colleges.

History

California Pacific Conference

300km
200miles

Cal Maritime

Westcliff

Providence Christian

Stanton

La Sierra

Soka

Northern New Mexico

UC Merced

Simpson

Pacific Union

  

Location of Cal Pac members: current, departing, future

California State University at East Bay, California State University at Monterey Bay, Dominican University, Mills College, and Notre Dame de Namur University are former members of the conference that have left the Cal Pac and the NAIA for the Division II and Division III ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

• Cal State–Monterey Bay and Cal State–East Bay left the Cal Pac to join the NCAA Division II California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) in the 2004–05 and 2008–09 seasons, respectively.
• Patten University left the Cal Pac when the school chose to discontinue its athletic program after the 2004–05 season.
• Notre Dame de Namur left the Cal Pac to join the NCAA Division II Pacific West Conference in the 2006–07 season, followed by Dominican in the 2008–09 season.
• Mills moved to NCAA Division III as an Independent in the 2011–12 season.

In June 2011, Bethany University announced it was ceasing operations effective immediately, decreasing the Cal Pac to seven active members.^[1]

In 2012, Holy Names University left the Cal Pac to join the Pacific West Conference; while Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University at Prescott, Marymount California University, and Soka University of America joined to increase the conference membership to nine schools.^[2]

La Sierra University joined in 2013 to bring the conference up to 10 members.^[3] William Jessup University left in 2014, leaving the conference with nine members. Membership rose to twelve schools in 2015 when the University of Antelope Valley, Benedictine University at Mesa, Providence Christian College, and Sierra Nevada University joined; while Menlo College left for the Golden State Athletic Conference.

The University of Saint Katherine joined in 2019.^[4] In March 2020, the conference announced two additions for the 2020–21 academic year when Park University at Gilbert and Westcliff University were admitted to the NAIA.^[5]

Sierra Nevada approved in July 2021 an agreement to merge with NCAA Division I's University of Nevada, Reno (Nevada).^[6] The merger was given accreditation approval in late December and scheduled for completion before 2022–23,^[7] leading to Sierra Nevada's departure from Cal Pac.

On September 20, 2024, Cal Maritime announced it would withdraw from NAIA and Cal Pac membership at the conclusion of the 2024–25 academic year.^[8]

On December 20, 2024, Northern New Mexico College and Stanton University had accepted an invite as full members to join the Cal Pac, with the latter contingent on NAIA approval for membership, while Walla Walla University accepted an invite as an affiliate member for men's volleyball; all effective beginning the 2025–26 academic year.^[9]

Chronological timeline

• 1995 – The California Pacific Conference (Cal Pac) was founded. Charter members included Bethany College (later Bethany University), California Maritime Academy (now California State University Maritime Academy, or CSU Maritime), California State University at Monterey Bay (CSUMB), Dominican College (now the Dominican University of California), Holy Names College (now Holy Names University), Menlo College, Pacific Union College, Patten College (now Patten University), and Simpson College (now Simpson University); beginning the 1996–97 academic year.
• 1998 – California State University at Hayward (now California State University East Bay, or CSUEB) and the College of Notre Dame (later Notre Dame de Namur University) joined the Cal Pac in the 1998–99 academic year.
• 1999 – Mills College joined the Cal Pac in the 1999–2000 academic year.
• 2004
  • Cal State–Monterey Bay (CSUMB) left the Cal Pac to join the Division II ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) after the 2003–04 academic year.
  • William Jessup University (now Jessup University) joined the Cal Pac in the 2004–05 academic year.
• 2005 – Patten left the Cal Pac to become an NAIA Independent after the 2004–05 academic year.
• 2006 – Notre Dame de Namur left the Cal Pac to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the Pacific West Conference (PacWest) after the 2005–06 academic year.
• 2009 – Two institutions left the Cal Pac and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and to their respective new home primary conferences: Cal State–East Bay (CSUEB) to the CCAA, and Dominican (Cal.) to the PacWest after the 2008–09 academic year.
• 2011 – The University of California at Merced joined the Cal Pac in the 2011–12 academic year.
• 2012
  • Holy Names left the Cal Pac and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the PacWest after the 2011–12 academic year.
  • Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University–Prescott, Marymount California University, and Soka University of America joined the Cal Pac in the 2012–13 academic year.
• 2013 – La Sierra University joined the Cal Pac in the 2013–14 academic year.
• 2014 – William Jessup left the Cal Pac to join the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC; now the Great Southwest Athletic Conference) after the 2013–14 academic year.
• 2015
  • Menlo left the Cal Pac to join the GSAC after the 2014–15 academic year.
  • The University of Antelope Valley, Benedictine University at Mesa, Providence Christian College, and Sierra Nevada College (later Sierra Nevada University) joined the Cal Pac in the 2015–16 academic year.
• 2019 – The University of Saint Katherine joined the Cal Pac in the 2019–20 academic year.
• 2020 – Park University Gilbert and Westcliff University joined the Cal Pac in the 2020–21 academic year.
• 2021 – Sierra Nevada left the Cal Pac at the end of the 2021–22 academic year as the school announced plans to merge with the University of Nevada, Reno, dropping all athletic programs in the process.
• 2022 – Marymount California left the Cal Pac after the 2021–22 academic year as the school announced its closure in August of that year.
• 2023
  • Benedictine at Mesa, Embry-Riddle Prescott, Park–Gilbert, and Saint Katherine all left the Cal Pac to join the GSAC, beginning the 2024–25 academic year.
  • UC Merced announced it would be leaving the Cal Pac and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the CCAA, beginning the 2025–26 academic year.
• 2024
  • Antelope Valley left the Cal Pac during the 2023–24 academic year as the school suddenly closed after an order from the state of California to cease operations.
  • St. Katherine left the Cal Pac during the 2023–24 academic year ahead of its planned departure to the GSAC, as the university announced it would cease all operations at the end of the academic year.
• 2025
  • La Sierra and Soka will leave the Cal Pac to join the GSAC, beginning the 2025–26 academic year.
  • Cal Maritime will leave the Cal Pac and the NAIA via withdrawal at the conclusion of the 2024–25 academic year, coinciding with the school's integration into Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
  • Northern New Mexico College and Stanton University will join the Cal Pac beginning the 2025–26 academic year (with the latter contingent on NAIA approval for membership).
  • Walla Walla University will join the Cal Pac as an affiliate member for men's volleyball beginning the 2026 spring season (2025–26 academic year).

Member schools

Current members

The Cal Pac currently has 8 full members, all but two are private schools:

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	Joined[a]	Basketball?
California State University Maritime Academy	Vallejo, California	1929	Public[b]	700	Keelhaulers	1996	both
University of California, Merced	Merced, California	2005	Public[c]	9,148	Golden Bobcats	2011	both
La Sierra University	Riverside, California	1922	Seventh-day Adventist	2,199	Golden Eagles	2013	both
Pacific Union College	Angwin, California	1882	Seventh-day Adventist	1,400	Pioneers	1996	both
Providence Christian College	Pasadena, California	2002	Reformed Christian	160	Sea Beggars	2015	none
Simpson University	Redding, California	1921	Christian & Missionary Alliance	1,280	Red Hawks	1996	both
Soka University of America	Aliso Viejo, California	2001	Nonsectarian	441	Lions	2012	none
Westcliff University	Irvine, California	1993	For-profit	2,800	Warriors	2020[5]	both

Notes

1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
2. Part of the California State University system.
3. Part of the University of California system.

Future members

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	Joining[a]	Current conference
Northern New Mexico College	Española, New Mexico	1909	Public	3,873	Eagles	2025	Continental
Stanton University	Anaheim, California	1996	Nonsectarian	379	Fighting Elks		USCAA Independent

Notes

1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.

Future affiliate members

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	Joining[a]	Cal Pac sport(s)	Primary conference
Walla Walla University[10]	College Place, Washington	1892	Seventh-day Adventist	1,940	Wolves	2025	men's volleyball	Cascade (CCC)

Notes

1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.

Former members

The Cal Pac had 13 former full members, all but two were private schools:

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	Joined[a]	Left[b]	Subsequent conference(s)	Current conference
University of Antelope Valley	Lancaster, California	2009	For-profit	1,517	Pioneers	2015	2024	Closed in 2024
Benedictine University at Mesa	Mesa, Arizona	2013	Catholic (Benedictines)	340	Redhawks	2015	2024	Great Southwest (GSAC) (2024–present)
Bethany University	Scotts Valley, California	1919	Assemblies of God	N/A	Bruins	1996	2011	Closed in 2011
California State University, East Bay	Hayward, California	1957	Public[c]	14,525	Pioneers	1998	2009	California (CCAA)[d] (2009–present)
California State University, Monterey Bay	Seaside, California	1994	Public[c]	7,079	Otters	1996	2004	California (CCAA)[d] (2004–present)
Dominican University	San Rafael, California	1890	Catholic (D.S.S.R.)	2,125	Penguins	1996	2009	Pacific West (PacWest)[d] (2009–present)
Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University–Prescott	Prescott, Arizona	1978	Nonsectarian	1,700	Eagles	2012	2024	Great Southwest (GSAC) (2024–present)
Holy Names University	Oakland, California	1868	Catholic (S.N.J.M.)	9,000	Hawks	1996	2012	Pacific West (PacWest)[d] (2012–23)	Closed in 2023
Marymount California University[e]	Rancho Palos Verdes, California	1932	Catholic (R.S.H.M.)	923	Mariners	2012	2022	Closed in 2022
Menlo College	Atherton, California	1927	Nonsectarian	750	Oaks	1996	2015	Great Southwest (GSAC) (2015–2024)	Pacific West (PacWest)[d] (2024–present)
Mills College[f][e]	Oakland, California	1852	Nonsectarian	1,345	Cyclones	1999	2011	various[h]	N/A[i]
Notre Dame de Namur University	Belmont, California	1851	Catholic (SNDdeN)	1,967	Argonauts	1998	2006	Pacific West (PacWest)[d] (2006–20)	N/A[j]
Park University–Gilbert	Gilbert, Arizona	2018	Nonsectarian	300	Buccaneers	2020[5]	2024	Great Southwest (GSAC) (2024–present)
Patten University[e]	Oakland, California	1944	For-profit	900	Lions	1996	2005	NAIA Independent (2005–12)	N/A[k]
University of Saint Katherine	San Marcos, California	2010	Eastern Orthodox	240	Firebirds	2019	2024	Closed in 2024
Sierra Nevada University[e]	Incline Village, Nevada	1969	Nonsectarian	1,040	Eagles	2015	2022	N/A[l]
William Jessup University[m]	Rocklin, California	1939	Nondenominational	1,743	Warriors	2004	2014	Great Southwest (GSAC) (2014–2024)	Pacific West (PacWest)[d] (2024–present)

Notes

1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
2. Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.
3. Part of the California State University system.
4. Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
5. Non-basketball member.
6. This institution is a women's college, therefore it does not compete in men's sports.
7. Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.
8. Mills had joined the following subsequent conferences: as an NCAA D-III Independent from 2011–12 to 2012–13, and during the 2016–17 school year; the Great South Athletic Conference (GSAC) from 2013–14 to 2015–16; the American Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) from 2017–18 to 2019–20; and the Coast to Coast Athletic Conference^[g] (C2C) from 2020–21 to 2021–22.
9. Mills had discontinued its athletics program, as it was merged into Northeastern University in 2022.
10. Notre Dame de Namur dropped its athletic program after the 2019–20 school year.
11. Patten dropped its athletic program after the 2011–12 school year.
12. Sierra Nevada merged its campus into the University of Nevada, Reno in 2022.
13. Currently known as Jessup University since January 23, 2023.

Membership timeline

 Full member (non-football) 

Sports sponsored

A divisional format is used for women's volleyball.
North Cal–Merced Pacific Union Simpson	South 1 La Sierra Providence Christian	South 2 Saint Katherine Westcliff	Arizona Benedictine–Mesa Embry–Riddle–Prescott Park–Gilbert
A divisional format is used for men's & women's basketball.
North Cal Maritime Cal–Merced Pacific Union Simpson	South La Sierra Saint Katherine Westcliff	Arizona Benedictine–Mesa Embry–Riddle–Prescott Park–Gilbert

Conference sports

Sport	Men's	Women's
Baseball	Y
Basketball	Y	Y
Cross Country	Y	Y
Golf	Y	Y
Soccer	Y	Y
Softball		Y
Volleyball	Y	Y

See also

• Big West Conference, a conference that competes in Division I and that consisted entirely of California schools from 2005 to 2012
• California Collegiate Athletic Association, an all-California school conference that competes in Division II
• Golden State Athletic Conference, an NAIA conference that consisted entirely of California schools from its formation in 1986 until 2012.

References

1. McCord, Shanna (June 14, 2011). "Bethany University will close: Private funding didn't materialize". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Archived from the original on June 16, 2011. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
2. "Cal Pac Adds Three New Members for 2012-13". January 25, 2012. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
3. "La Sierra University Becomes 10th Cal Pac Member". November 19, 2012. Retrieved November 24, 2012.
4. Ulrich, Pauly (January 17, 2019). "USK Official Members of the Cal Pac". University of Saint Katherine Athletics. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
5. "NAIA Approves Five Institutions for Membership". NAIA. March 31, 2020. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
6. "Sierra Nevada Approves Plan to Merge Into U of Nevada at Reno". Inside Higher Ed. July 8, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
7. "Proposed UNR acquisition of Sierra Nevada University clears accreditation hurdle". CarsonNow.org. December 27, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
8. "Withdrawal from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and California Pacific Conference (Cal Pac)" (Press release). Cal Maritime Athletics. September 20, 2024. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
9. "Cal Pac Membership Pathway Takes Positive Turn - California Pacific Conference (Cal Pac)" (Press release). December 20, 2024. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
10. "Cal Pac Membership Pathway Takes Positive Turn - California Pacific Conference (Cal Pac)" (Press release). December 20, 2024. Retrieved December 20, 2024.

External links

• Official website