Big Sky Conference
| Big Sky Conference | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Established | 1963, 55 years ago |
| Association | NCAA |
| Division | Division I |
| Subdivision | FCS |
| Members | 11 full-time |
| Sports fielded |
|
| Region | Western United States |
| Headquarters | Ogden, Utah |
| Commissioner | Tom Wistrcill |
| Website | bigskyconf.com |
| Locations | |
 | |
The Big Sky Conference is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I, with football competing in the Football Championship Subdivision. Member institutions are located in the western United States in the nine states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. Four affiliate members each participate in one sport. Two schools from California are football-only participants, and two schools from the Northeast participate only in men's golf.
Contents
1 History
1.1 Fiftieth anniversary
2 Members
2.1 Full members
2.2 Affiliate members
2.3 Former members
2.4 Membership timeline
3 Sports
3.1 Baseball
3.2 Men's sponsored sports by school
3.3 Women's sponsored sports by school
4 Facilities
5 Basketball
5.1 Current NBA players
5.2 Conference rivalries
5.3 Non-conference rivalries
6 Rivalries
6.1 Protected football rivalries
6.2 Conference
6.3 Non-conference
7 Commissioners
8 Headquarters
9 Big Sky championships
9.1 Big Sky men's basketball
9.2 Basketball championships (by school)
9.2.1 NCAA Tournament
9.3 Big Sky women's basketball
9.4 Big Sky football titles
9.5 Football championships (by school)
9.6 All-time school records by wins for current teams
9.7 Overall Big Sky Conference champions
9.8 Football
9.9 Basketball
10 References
11 External links
History
Initially conceived for basketball,[1] the Big Sky was founded 55 years ago in 1963 with six members in four states;[2][3] four of the charter members have been in the league from its founding, and a fifth returned in 2014 after an 18-year absence.
The name "Big Sky" came from the popular 1947 western novel by A. B. Guthrie Jr.; it was proposed by Harry Missildine, a sports columnist of the Spokesman-Review just prior to the founding meetings of the conference in Spokane in February 1963,[4][5] and was adopted with the announcement of the new conference five days later.[2][3]
Starting in 1968, the conference competed at the highest level (university division) in all sports except football (college division). The sole exception was Idaho, in the university division for football through 1977 (except 1967, 1968).[6]
In 1974, half of the Big Sky's ten sports were dropped (baseball, skiing, swimming, golf, and tennis), leaving football, basketball, wrestling, track, and cross country.[7][8]
Women's sports were added 30 years ago in 1988, moving from the women's-only Mountain West Athletic Conference (1982–88).
Fiftieth anniversary
The 2012–13 season marked the completion of a half century of athletic competition and a quarter century sponsoring women's collegiate athletics. Before the season the league introduced a new logo to celebrate this.
The 25th season of women's athletics also marked a first for the league, as Portland State won the league's inaugural softball championship. From 1982 to 1988, women's sports were conducted in the Mountain West Athletic Conference.
The Big Sky sponsors championships in sixteen sports, including men's and women's cross country, golf, indoor and outdoor track and field, basketball, and tennis. There are also championships in football, and in women's volleyball, soccer, and softball.[9]
Members
Full members
| Institution | Location | Founded | Joined | Enrollment | Nickname | Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eastern Washington University | Cheney, Washington | 1882 | 1987 | 13,453 | Eagles | |
University of Idaho | Moscow, Idaho | 1889 | 1963, 2014[a 1] | 11,534 | Vandals | |
Idaho State University | Pocatello, Idaho | 1901 | 1963 | 15,553 | Bengals | |
University of Montana | Missoula, Montana | 1893 | 1963 | 10,092 | Grizzlies[a 2] | |
Montana State University | Bozeman, Montana | 1893 | 1963 | 16,069 | Bobcats | |
Northern Arizona University | Flagstaff, Arizona | 1899 | 1970 | 27,715 | Lumberjacks | |
University of Northern Colorado | Greeley, Colorado | 1889 | 2006 | 12,087 | Bears | |
Portland State University | Portland, Oregon | 1946 | 1996 | 28,241 | Vikings | |
California State University, Sacramento | Sacramento, California | 1947 | 1996 | 28,811 | Hornets | |
Southern Utah University | Cedar City, Utah | 1897 | 2012 | 7,656 | Thunderbirds | |
Weber State University | Ogden, Utah | 1889 | 1963 | 27,949 | Wildcats |
^ Idaho had been a charter member of the Big Sky in 1963, but left the conference in 1996.
^ The Montana women's basketball team is known as the Lady Griz, but all other women's teams are known as Grizzlies.
North Dakota left the Big Sky in 2018, with its non-football sports joining the Summit League.[10] The football team became an FCS independent for the 2018 and 2019 seasons, but continues to play a full Big Sky football schedule due to contractual commitments. In those seasons, football games against North Dakota will count in the Big Sky standings for their opponents. Afterwards, North Dakota will join the Missouri Valley Football Conference in 2020.[11]
Affiliate members
| Institution | Location | Founded | Joined | Type | Enrollment | Endowment 2014) | Nickname | Colors | Primary conference | Big Sky sport |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Binghamton University, SUNY | Vestal, New York | 1946 | 2014 | Public | 16,695 | $101,414,229 | Bearcats | America East | Men's golf | |
California Polytechnic State University | San Luis Obispo, California | 1901 | 2012 | Public | 20,186 | $207,485,860 | Mustangs | Big West | Football | |
University of California, Davis | Davis, California | 1905 | 2012 | Public | 35,415 | $968,230,000 | Aggies | Big West | Football | |
University of Hartford | West Hartford, Connecticut | 1877 | 2014 | Private | 7,025 | $146,113,000 | Hawks | America East | Men's golf |
Former members
| Institution | Location | Founded | Joined | Left | Type | Enrollment | Nickname | Subsequent conference membership |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boise State University | Boise, Idaho | 1932 | 1970 | 1996 | Public | 22,678 | Broncos | Big West (1996–2001) WAC (2001–2011) Mountain West (2011–present) |
| California State University, Northridge | Northridge, California | 1958 | 1996 | 2001 | Public | 36,070 | Matadors | Big West (2001–present) |
| Gonzaga University | Spokane, Washington | 1887 | 1963 | 1979 | Private | 7,764 | Bulldogs | WCC (1979–present) |
| University of Nevada | Reno, Nevada | 1874 | 1979 | 1992 | Public | 18,227 | Wolf Pack | Big West (1992–2000) WAC (2000–2012) Mountain West (2012–present) |
| University of North Dakota | Grand Forks, North Dakota | 1883 | 2012 | 2018 | Public | 14,906 | Fighting Hawks | Summit League (2018–present) |
- Notes
- Gonzaga, which has not fielded a football team since 1941, was a charter member in 1963.
Membership timeline
Full members Assoc. members (football only) Full members (except football) Assoc. members (other sports) Other conference Other conference
Sports
– Full members
– Only members for football
– Only members for men's golfAs of the 2016–17 school year, the Big Sky sponsors championships in seven men's and nine women's NCAA sanctioned sports.[12] Each core member institution is required to participate in all of the 13 core sports. Men's core sports are basketball, cross country, football, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, and tennis. Women's core sports are basketball, cross country, golf, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, tennis, and volleyball.
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and UC Davis participate as football-only affiliates, otherwise participating in the Big West Conference. Binghamton and Hartford are affiliates in men's golf only, otherwise participating in the America East Conference. Before the 2014–15 school year, the latter two schools had participated in men's golf alongside five full Big Sky members in the single-sport America Sky Conference.[13] The return of Idaho brought the number of members participating in men's golf to six, which led to the Big Sky adding men's golf and absorbing the America Sky Conference.
Baseball
The Big Sky is unusual among Division I all-sports conferences in not sponsoring baseball. The conference originally sponsored baseball in 1964, with all members participating. When Boise State and Northern Arizona arrived for the 1971 season, competition was split into two divisions of four teams each, with the winners in a best-of-three championship series.[14][15] Montana State[16] and Montana soon dropped the sport and by the 1973 season, only six teams remained but the divisions were kept, and Boise State moved over to the North Division for two years.[17]
In May 1974, the Big Sky announced its intention to discontinue five of its ten sponsored sports. It retained football, basketball, cross-country, track, and wrestling, and dropped conference competition in baseball, golf, tennis, swimming, and skiing.[7][8] Of the eleven Big Sky baseball titles, four each went to Idaho (1964,'66,'67,'69)[18] and Gonzaga (1965,'71,'73,'74), and three to Weber State (1968,'70,'72).[19] Gonzaga won the final title in 1974 over Idaho State in three games, after losing the first game in Pocatello.[20] Southern division champion Idaho State chose to end its baseball program weeks following the conference's announcement,[21] and Gonzaga, Idaho, and Boise State joined the new Northern Pacific Conference (NorPac) for baseball in 1975.[22] Boise State and Idaho competed in the NorPac for six seasons, then discontinued baseball after the 1980 season.[23][24]
In 2016, North Dakota announced on April 12 that it was their last baseball season.[25] As of 2017, only Northern Colorado and Sacramento State compete in the sport, both as affiliate members in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).
| Sport | Men's | Women's |
|---|---|---|
| Basketball | 11 | 11 |
| Cross country | 11 | 11 |
| Football | 13 | - |
| Golf | 7 | 11 |
| Soccer | - | 10 |
| Softball | - | 7 |
| Tennis | 11 | 11 |
| Track and field (Indoor) | 11 | 11 |
| Track and field (Outdoor) | 11 | 11 |
| Volleyball | - | 11 |
Men's sponsored sports by school
| School | Basketball | Cross country | Football | Golf | Tennis | Track and field (indoor) | Track and field (outdoor) | Total Sports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Washington |  Y | Y | Y |  N | Y | Y | Y | 6 |
| Idaho | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 7 |
| Idaho State | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | 6 |
| Montana | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | 6 |
| Montana State | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | 6 |
| Northern Arizona | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | 6 |
| Northern Colorado | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 7 |
| Portland State | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | 6 |
| Sacramento State | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 7 |
| Southern Utah | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 7 |
| Weber State | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 7 |
| Totals | 11 | 11 | 11+2[a] | 5+2[b] | 11 | 11 | 11 | 69+4 |
^ Affiliates Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and UC Davis.
^ Affiliates Binghamton and Hartford.
Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the Big Sky Conference which are played by Big Sky schools:
| School | Baseball | Skiing | Soccer | Wrestling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montana State | No | Independent | No | No |
| Northern Colorado | WAC | No | No | Big 12 |
| Sacramento State | WAC | No | Big West | No |
Women's sponsored sports by school
| School | Basketball | Cross country | Golf | Soccer | Softball | Tennis | Track and field (indoor) | Track and field (outdoor) | Volleyball | Total Sports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Washington | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | 8 |
| Idaho | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | 8 |
| Idaho State | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 9 |
| Montana | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 9 |
| Montana State | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | 7 |
| Northern Arizona | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | 8 |
| Northern Colorado | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 9 |
| Portland State | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 9 |
| Sacramento State | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 9 |
| Southern Utah | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 9 |
| Weber State | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 9 |
| Totals | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 94 |
Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the Big Sky Conference which are played by Big Sky schools:
| School | Beach volleyball | Gymnastics | Rowing | Skiing | Swimming |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | No | No | No | No | WAC |
| Montana State | No | No | No | Independent | No |
| Northern Arizona | No | No | No | No | WAC |
| Northern Colorado | No | No | No | No | WAC |
| Sacramento State | Independent | MPSF | The American | No | No |
| Southern Utah | No | Mountain Rim | No | No | No |
Facilities
| School | Football stadium | Capacity | Basketball arena | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cal Poly | Alex G. Spanos Stadium | 7004110750000000000♠11,075 | Football-only member | |
Eastern Washington | Roos Field | 7003860000000000000♠8,600 | Reese Court | 7003600000000000000♠6,000 |
Idaho | Kibbie Dome | 7004160000000000000♠16,000 | Cowan Spectrum Memorial Gymnasium | 7003700000000000000♠7,000 7003250000000000000♠2,500 |
Idaho State | Holt Arena | 7004120000000000000♠12,000 | Holt Arena (men) Reed Gym (women) | 7003800000000000000♠8,000 7003304000000000000♠3,040 |
Montana | Washington–Grizzly Stadium | 7004252030000000000♠25,203 | Dahlberg Arena | 7003732100000000000♠7,321 |
Montana State | Bobcat Stadium | 7004207670000000000♠20,767 | Worthington Arena | 7003725000000000000♠7,250 |
Northern Arizona | Walkup Skydome | 7004100000000000000♠10,000 | Walkup Skydome | 7003700000000000000♠7,000 |
Northern Colorado | Nottingham Field | 7003853300000000000♠8,533[26] | Bank of Colorado Arena | 7003299200000000000♠2,992 |
Portland State | Providence Park | 7004200000000000000♠20,000 | Viking Pavilion | 7003150000000000000♠1,500 |
Sacramento State | Hornet Stadium | 7004211950000000000♠21,195 | Colberg Court | 7003101200000000000♠1,012[27] |
Southern Utah | Eccles Coliseum | 7003850000000000000♠8,500 | America First Events Center | 7003530000000000000♠5,300 |
UC Davis | Aggie Stadium | 7004103670000000000♠10,367 | Football-only member | |
Weber State | Stewart Stadium | 7004175000000000000♠17,500 | Dee Events Center | 7004115000000000000♠11,500 |
Note: The Idaho Vandals men's basketball team plays early-season home games at Memorial Gym, home of the Vandals volleyball team.
Basketball
Current NBA players
[when?]
Joel Bolomboy, Weber State
Damian Lillard, Weber State
Jake Wiley, Montana, Eastern Washington
Conference rivalries
Eastern Washington and Portland State
Idaho and Idaho State
Idaho and Montana
Idaho State and Weber State
Idaho State and Montana
Montana and Montana State
Portland State and Sacramento State
Weber State and Southern Utah
Eastern Washington and Montana
Weber State and Montana
Non-conference rivalries
Weber State and Utah State/Utah/BYU/Utah Valley
Eastern Washington and Gonzaga
Idaho and Boise State
Idaho State and Wyoming
Montana and Wyoming
Montana State and Wyoming
Sacramento State and UC Davis
Portland State and Portland
Northern Colorado and Colorado State
Northern Colorado and Denver
Rivalries
Protected football rivalries
| School | Rival 1 | Rival 2 |
|---|---|---|
| UC Davis | Cal Poly | Sacramento State |
| Cal Poly | UC Davis | Sacramento State |
| Eastern Washington | Idaho | Portland State |
| Idaho | Montana | Eastern Washington |
| Idaho State | Weber State | Portland State |
| Montana | Montana State | Idaho |
| Montana State | Montana | North Dakota |
| North Dakota | Montana State | Northern Colorado |
| Northern Arizona | Southern Utah | Northern Colorado |
| Northern Colorado | North Dakota | Northern Arizona |
| Portland State | Eastern Washington | Idaho State |
| Sacramento State | UC Davis | Cal Poly |
| Southern Utah | Northern Arizona | Weber State |
| Weber State | Idaho State | Southern Utah |
[28]
Conference
| Schools | First Meeting | Game | Winner (Last Meeting) | All-time Record | |
| Cal Poly | UC Davis | 1939 | Battle for the Golden Horseshoe | UC Davis | UC Davis leads 20–17–2 |
| Eastern Washington | Montana | 1938 | EWU-UM Governor's Cup | Montana | Montana leads 27–15–1 |
| Eastern Washington | Portland State | 1968 | Dam Cup | Eastern Washington | Portland State leads 20–17–1 |
| Idaho | Idaho State | 1916 | Battle of the Domes | Idaho State | Idaho leads 28–12 |
| Idaho | Montana | 1903 | Little Brown Stein | Montana | Idaho leads 55–27–2 |
| Montana | Montana State | 1897 | Brawl of the Wild | Montana State | Montana leads 71–38–5 |
| UC Davis | Sacramento State | 1954 | Causeway Classic | UC Davis | UC Davis leads 39–18 |
| Southern Utah | Northern Arizona | 1983 | Grand Canyon Rivalry | Northern Arizona | Northern Arizona leads 13-9 |
| Southern Utah | Weber State | 1984 | Beehive Bowl | Weber State | Weber State leads 16–7 |
Non-conference
| Schools | First Meeting | Trophy | Winner (Last Meeting) | All-time Record | Note | |
| Idaho | Boise State | 1971 | Governor's Cup | Boise State | Boise State leads 22–17-1 | Last competed for in 2010 |
| Idaho | Washington State | 1894 | Battle of the Palouse | Washington State | Washington State leads 72-16-3 | Last played in 2016 |
Commissioners
Jack Friel (1963–71)[29]
John Roning (1971–77)[30][31]
Steve Belko (1977–81)[32]
- Ron Stephenson (1981–95)[33]
- Doug Fullerton (1995–2016)[34][35]
- Andrea Williams (2016–2018)[36]
- Ron Loghry (Interim) (2018)
- Tom Wistrcill (2018–present)
Headquarters
Pullman, Washington (1963–1971)[37][31]
Boise, Idaho (1971–)[31]
Ogden, Utah (1995–)[34]
Big Sky championships
Big Sky men's basketball
| Season | Regular Season Champion(s) | Tournament Champion | NCAA Seed | Region | Wins | Advancement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1964 | Montana State | no tournament | — | |||
1965 | Weber State | — | ||||
1966 | Weber State, Gonzaga | — | ||||
1967 | Gonzaga, Montana State | — | ||||
1968 | Weber State | West | 0 | |||
1969 | Weber State | West | 1 | Round of 16 | ||
1970 | Weber State | West | 0 | |||
1971 | Weber State | West | 0 | |||
1972 | Weber State | West | 1 | Round of 16 | ||
1973 | Weber State | West | 0 | |||
1974 | Idaho State (playoff over Montana) | West | 0 | |||
1975 | Montana | West | 1 | Round of 16 | ||
1976 | Weber State, Boise State, Idaho State | Boise State | West | 0 | ||
1977 | Idaho State | Idaho State | West | 2 | Round of 8 | |
1978 | Montana | Weber State | West | 0 | ||
1979 | Weber State | Weber State | 7 | Midwest | 1 | Round of 32 |
1980 | Weber State | Weber State | 7 | West | 0 | |
1981 | Idaho | Idaho | 7 | West | 0 | |
1982 | Idaho | Idaho | 3 | West | 1 | Round of 16 |
1983 | Nevada, Weber State | Weber State | 9 | West | 0 | |
1984 | Weber State | Nevada | 11 | West | 0 | |
1985 | Nevada | Nevada | 14 | West | 0 | |
1986 | Northern Arizona, Montana | Montana State | 16 | West | 0 | |
1987 | Montana State | Idaho State | 16 | West | 0 | |
1988 | Boise State | Boise State | 14 | West | 0 | |
1989 | Boise State | Idaho | 13 | West | 0 | |
1990 | Idaho | Idaho | 13 | West | 0 | |
1991 | Montana | Montana | 16 | West | 0 | |
1992 | Montana | Montana | 14 | West | 0 | |
1993 | Idaho | Boise State | 14 | West | 0 | |
1994 | Weber State, Idaho State | Boise State | 14 | West | 0 | |
1995 | Weber State, Montana | Weber State | 14 | Southeast | 1 | Round of 32 |
1996 | Montana State | Montana State | 13 | West | 0 | |
1997 | Northern Arizona | Montana | 16 | West | 0 | |
1998 | Northern Arizona | No. Arizona | 15 | West | 0 | |
1999 | Weber State | Weber State | 14 | West | 1 | Round of 32 |
| 2000 | Montana, Eastern Washington | No. Arizona | 15 | West | 0 | |
| 2001 | Cal State-Northridge | CS-Northridge | 13 | Midwest | 0 | |
| 2002 | Montana State | Montana | 15 | Midwest | 0 | |
| 2003 | Weber State | Weber State | 12 | Midwest | 0 | |
| 2004 | Eastern Washington | E. Washington | 15 | East | 0 | |
| 2005 | Portland State | Montana | 16 | West | 0 | |
2006 | Northern Arizona | Montana | 12 | Midwest | 1 | Round of 32 |
| 2007 | Weber State, Northern Arizona | Weber State | 15 | West | 0 | |
| 2008 | Portland State | Portland State | 16 | Midwest | 0 | |
| 2009 | Weber State | Portland State | 13 | East | 0 | |
2010 | Weber State | Montana | 14 | East | 0 | |
2011 | Northern Colorado | No. Colorado | 15 | West | 0 | |
2012 | Montana | Montana | 13 | East | 0 | |
2013 | Montana | Montana | 13 | East | 0 | |
2014 | Weber State | Weber State | 16 | West | 0 | |
2015 | Montana | E. Washington | 13 | South | 0 | |
2016 | Weber State | Weber State | 15 | East | 0 | |
2017 | North Dakota | North Dakota | 15 | West | 0 | |
2018 | Montana | Montana | 14 | West | 0 |
- Prior to 1976, each NCAA regional had a third place game (won 1969; lost 1972, 1975)
- The only Big Sky team to reach the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament was Idaho State in 1977
- The only Big Sky team to earn a bye in the NCAA tournament was Idaho in 1982
- Through 2018, the Big Sky has yet to have an at-large team in the NCAA tournament
Basketball championships (by school)
| School | Member years | Conference Titles | Tournament Titles | Last won |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weber State | 1963–present | 22 | 10 | 2016 |
| Montana | 1963–present | 11 | 10 | 2018 |
| Montana State | 1963–present | 5 | 2 | 2002 |
| Northern Arizona | 1970–present | 5 | 2 | 2007 |
| Idaho | 1963–96, 2014–present | 4 | 4 | 1993 |
| Idaho State | 1963–present | 4 | 2 | 1994 |
| Boise State | 1970–96 | 3 | 4 | 1989 |
| Eastern Washington | 1987–present | 2 | 2 | 2015 |
| Nevada | 1979–92 | 2 | 2 | 1985 |
| Portland State | 1996–present | 2 | 2 | 2009 |
| Gonzaga | 1963–79 | 2 | 0 | 1967 |
| Northern Colorado | 2006–present | 1 | 1 | 2011 |
| CS-Northridge | 1996–2001 | 1 | 1 | 2001 |
| North Dakota | 2012–2018 | 1 | 1 | 2017 |
| Sacramento State | 1996–present | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| Southern Utah | 2012–present | 0 | 0 | N/A |
NCAA Tournament
Since 1968, the Big Sky champion has received a berth in NCAA Tournament; the conference tournament winner has been the representative since its introduction in 1976.
The best finish by a Big Sky team came in 1977, when the Idaho State Bengals of Jim Killingsworth advanced to the Elite Eight, with a one-point upset of UCLA in the Sweet Sixteen in Provo, Utah. Two days later, the Bengals led UNLV by a point at halftime, but lost by seventeen and finished at 25–5.
Seeding was introduced in 1979 when it expanded to forty teams, and the highest seed granted a Big Sky team was in 1982: ranked eighth in the final polls with a 26–2 record, the Idaho Vandals under Don Monson were seeded third in the West regional. After a first round bye, they beat Lute Olson's Iowa Hawkeyes in nearby Pullman in overtime, but lost to second-seeded (and fourth-ranked) Oregon State in the regional semifinals (Sweet Sixteen), also played in Provo. (Idaho had defeated OSU by 22 points in December in the Far West Classic at Portland.)
Other Big Sky teams that advanced to regional semifinals (Sweet Sixteen) include the Weber State Wildcats in 1969 and 1972, when the total field was 25 teams, and the Montana Grizzlies under Jud Heathcote in the 32-team field in 1975. The Griz fell to UCLA by just three points, who went on to win another title in John Wooden's final year as head coach. (A year later, Heathcote was hired at Michigan State with Monson as an assistant for the first two years; in his third season, the Spartans won the national title in 1979.)
Since 1982, only three teams from the Big Sky have advanced within the NCAA tournament, and none past the round of 32. Weber State won in 1995 and 1999, coached by Ron Abegglen, and Montana in 2006, led by alumnus Larry Krystkowiak. Prior to Idaho in 1982, the Big Sky had been seeded seventh (Weber State, 1979 & 1980; and Idaho, 1981); the highest seed for the conference since 1982 is ninth (Weber State, 1983), and the highest since expanding to 64 teams in 1985 is twelfth (Weber State in 2003; Montana in 2006).
Through 2018, the Big Sky has yet to receive an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. The first NIT appearance for the conference was Idaho in 1983; two Big Sky teams advanced to the NIT's round of 16: Weber State (1984) and Boise State (1987).
Big Sky women's basketball
| Season | Tournament Champion | Tournament Runner-Up |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Montana | Weber State |
| 1984 | Montana | Eastern Washington |
| 1985 | Idaho | Montana |
| 1986 | Montana | Eastern Washington |
| 1987 | Eastern Washington | Montana |
| 1988 | Montana | Eastern Washington |
| 1989 | Montana | Idaho |
| 1990 | Montana | Idaho |
| 1991 | Montana | Montana State |
| 1992 | Montana | Boise State |
| 1993 | Montana State | Montana |
| 1994 | Montana | Boise State |
| 1995 | Montana | Montana State |
| 1996 | Montana | Weber State |
| 1997 | Montana | Montana State |
| 1998 | Montana | Northern Arizona |
| 1999 | CS Northridge | Portland State |
| 2000 | Montana | CS-Northridge |
| 2001 | Idaho State | Montana |
| 2002 | Weber State | Montana State |
| 2003 | Weber State | Montana State |
| 2004 | Montana | Idaho State |
| 2005 | Montana | Weber State |
| 2006 | Northern Arizona | Weber State |
| 2007 | Idaho State | Northern Arizona |
| 2008 | Montana | Montana State |
| 2009 | Montana | Portland State |
| 2010 | Portland State | Montana State |
| 2011 | Montana | Portland State |
| 2012 | Idaho State | Northern Colorado |
| 2013 | Montana | Northern Colorado |
| 2014 | North Dakota | Montana |
| 2015 | Montana | Northern Colorado |
| 2016 | Idaho | Idaho State |
| 2017 | Montana State | Montana State |
| 2018 | Northern Colorado | Northern Colorado |
Mountain West Athletic Conference (MWAC) through 1988 season
Big Sky football titles
Season, conference record,[38][39] and champion
- 1963 – (3–1) – Idaho State
- 1964 – (3–0) – Montana State – won Camellia Bowl
- 1965 – (3–1) – Weber State^ and Idaho
- 1966 – (4–0) – Montana State
- 1967 – (4–0) – Montana State
- 1968 – (3–1) – Idaho, Montana State, and Weber State
- 1969 – (4–0) – Montana
- 1970 – (5–0) – Montana
- 1971 – (4–1) – Idaho – (Boise State won Camellia Bowl, UI was Div. I)
- 1972 – (5–1) – Montana State
- 1973 – (6–0) – Boise State – Div. II semifinalist
- 1974 – (6–0) – Boise State
- 1975 – (5–0–1) – Boise State
- 1976 – (6–0) – Montana State – won Div. II national championship
- 1977 – (6–0) – Boise State – had late regular season game, runner-up Northern Arizona invited to Div. II playoffs
- 1978 – (6–0) – Northern Arizona – not invited to inaugural four-team I-AA playoffs – (independent Nevada selected from West)
- 1979 – (6–1) – Montana State – (Boise State (7–0) ineligible) – Nevada (5–2) to four-team I-AA playoffs
- 1980 – (6–1) – Boise State – won I-AA national championship
- 1981 – (6–1) – Idaho State^ – (also 6-1 – Boise State – both to eight-team I-AA playoffs) – ISU won I-AA national championship
- 1982 – (5–2) – Montana^, Idaho, and Montana State (UM @ UI in twelve-team I-AA playoffs, MSU excluded)
- 1983 – (6–1) – Nevada – I-AA semifinalist
- 1984 – (6–1) – Montana State – won I-AA national championship
- 1985 – (6–1) – Idaho^ – (also 6-1 – Nevada – both to I-AA playoffs)
- 1986 – (7–0) – Nevada – I-AA semi-finalist
- 1987 – (7–1) – Idaho^ – (also 7-1 – Weber State – both to I-AA playoffs)
- 1988 – (7–1) – Idaho – I-AA semifinalist
- 1989 – (8–0) – Idaho – (Montana – I-AA semifinalist)
- 1990 – (7–1) – Nevada – I-AA runner-up, defeated Boise State in I-AA semifinals in 3OT
- 1991 – (8–0) – Nevada
- 1992 – (6–1) – Idaho^ and Eastern Washington – (both to I-AA playoffs)
- 1993 – (7–0) – Montana – (Idaho – I-AA semifinalist)
- 1994 – (6–1) – Boise State – I-AA runner-up – (Montana – I-AA semifinalist)
- 1995 – (6–1) – Montana – won I-AA national championship
- 1996 – (8–0) – Montana – I-AA runner-up
- 1997 – (7–1) – Eastern Washington – I-AA semifinalist
- 1998 – (6–2) – Montana
- 1999 – (7–1) – Montana
- 2000 – (8–0) – Montana – I-AA runner-up
- 2001 – (7–0) – Montana – won I-AA national championship
- 2002 – (5–2) – Montana, Montana State, and Idaho State – (UM, MSU to I-AA playoffs, ISU excluded)
- 2003 – (5–2) – Montana State^, Montana, and Northern Arizona – (all three to I-AA playoffs)
- 2004 – (6–1) – Montana^ and Eastern Washington – (both to I-AA playoffs) – UM – I-AA runner-up
- 2005 – (5–2) – Eastern Washington^, Montana State, and Montana – (EWU, UM to I-AA playoffs, MSU excluded)
- 2006 – (8–0) – Montana – FCS semifinalist
- 2007 – (8–0) – Montana
- 2008 – (7–1) – Weber State^ and Montana – (both to FCS playoffs) – UM – FCS runner-up
- 2009 – (8–0) – Montana – FCS runner-up
- 2010 – (7–1) – Montana State^ and Eastern Washington – (both to FCS playoffs) – EWU won FCS national championship
- 2011 – (7–1) – Montana State and Montana^^
- 2012 – (7–1) – Eastern Washington^, Montana State, and Cal Poly SLO – (all three to FCS playoffs)
- 2013 – (8–0) – Eastern Washington – FCS semifinalist
- 2014 – (7–1) – Eastern Washington
- 2015 – (7–1) – Southern Utah
- 2016 – (8–0) – Eastern Washington – FCS semifinalist and North Dakota
- 2017 – (7–1) – Southern Utah^ and Weber State – (both to FCS playoffs)
- 2018 – (7–1) – Weber State^, Eastern Washington and UC Davis – (all three to FCS playoffs)
^ - winner of head-to-head matchup(s) in conference game(s) during the regular season.
^^ - vacated due to NCAA violations
Football championships (by school)
| School | member years | total titles | Last won |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montana | 1963–present | 18 | 2009 |
| Montana State | 1963–present | 15 | 2012 |
| Eastern Washington | 1987–present | 10 | 2018 |
| Idaho | 1965–95 2018–future | 8 | 1992 |
| Boise State | 1970–95 | 6 | 1994 |
| Nevada | 1979–92 | 4 | 1991 |
| Weber State | 1963–present | 5 | 2018 |
| Idaho State | 1963–present | 3 | 2002 |
| Northern Arizona | 1970–present | 2 | 2003 |
| Southern Utah | 2012–present | 2 | 2017 |
| Cal Poly San Luis Obispo | 2012–present | 1 | 2012 |
| North Dakota | 2012–2017 | 1 | 2016 |
| UC Davis | 2012–present | 1 | 2018 |
| Cal State Northridge | 1996–2001 | 0 | |
| Sacramento State | 1996–present | 0 | |
| Portland State | 1996–present | 0 | |
| Northern Colorado | 2006–present | 0 |
All-time school records by wins for current teams
This list goes through the 2013 season.
| # | Team | Records | Pct. | Big Sky Championships | National Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | 622-383-30 | .615 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | Montana | 564-478-26 | .540 | 18 | 2 |
| 3 | Eastern Washington | 503-404-23 | .553 | 7 | 1 |
| 4 | UC Davis | 495-384-35 | .561 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Cal Poly San Luis Obispo | 485-383-19 | .557 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | Montana State | 470-467-33 | .502 | 15 | 3 |
| 7 | Idaho State | 449-488-21 | .480 | 3 | 1 |
| 8 | Northern Arizona | 445-438-23 | .504 | 2 | 0 |
| 9 | Northern Colorado | 425-450-26 | .486 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | Portland State | 331-354-10 | .483 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Weber State | 266-294-3 | .475 | 3 | 0 |
| 12 | Sacramento State | 263-351-8 | .429 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Southern Utah | 261-319-13 | .451 | 1 | 1 |
Overall Big Sky Conference champions
| Boise State Broncos (1970–1996) | Cal State Northridge Matadors (1996–2001) | Eastern Washington Eagles (1987– ) | Gonzaga Bulldogs (1963–1979) | Idaho State Bengals (1963– ) | Montana State Bobcats (1963– ) | Northern Arizona Lumberjacks (1970– ) | Portland State Vikings (1996– ) | Sacramento State Hornets (1996– ) | Idaho Vandals (1963–1996) | Nevada Wolf Pack (1979–1992) | Northern Colorado Bears (2006– ) | Montana Grizzlies (1963– ) | Weber State Wildcats (1963– ) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Football | 6 | – | 7 | – | 3 | 15 | 2 | – | – | 8 | 4 | – | 18 | 3 |
| Men's Basketball | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 2 | – | 4 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 22 |
| Women's Basketball (RS/Tourn) | 1/0 | 1/1 | 1/1 | – | 3/3 | 3/1 | 1/1 | 1/1 | – | 1/1 | – | 1/0 | 21/20 | 2/2 |
| Men's Cross Country | 2 | – | – | – | 5 | 2 | 18 | – | – | 2 | 3 | – | 8 | 7 |
| Women's Cross Country | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | 15 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 4 |
| Men's Indoor Track and Field | 2 | – | – | – | 5 | – | 12 | – | 2 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 5 |
| Women's Indoor Track and Field | 6 | 3 | – | – | 1 | 1 | 7 | – | 2 | 1 | – | – | 1 | 4 |
| Men's Outdoor Track and Field | 1 | – | – | – | 12 | 1 | 15 | – | – | 4 | 2 | – | 1 | 9 |
| Women's Outdoor Track and Field | 6 | 3 | – | – | 1 | 1 | 7 | – | 3 | 1 | – | – | 1 | 5 |
| Men's Tennis | 5 | – | 1 | – | 2 | 4 | 2 | – | 10 | 10 | 2 | – | – | 11 |
| Women's Tennis | 2 | 1 | – | – | 2 | – | 3 | – | 9 | – | 1 | – | – | 10 |
| Women's Soccer | – | – | 1 | – | 2 | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | 4 | 4 |
| Volleyball | 1 | 1 | 5 | – | 3 | – | 1 | 5 | 11 | 3 | – | 2 | 3 | – |
| Women's Golf | 1 | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1 | – | – | – | 1 | 1 |
| Men's Golf | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 2 | – | 2 | – | 6 | 17 |
| Baseball (1963–74) | – | – | – | 4 | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | – | – | – | 3 |
| Men's Swimming (1963–74) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 8 | – |
| Wrestling (1963–87) | 10 | – | – | – | 7 | 3 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 2 |
| Men's Skiing (1963–74) | 1 | – | – | – | – | 4 | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | 3 | – |
Total |
Football
- Eastern Washington Eagles football
- Montana Grizzlies football
- Idaho State Bengals football
- 2016 Big Sky Conference football season
Basketball
- Big Sky Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
- Big Sky Conference Women's Basketball Tournament
References
^ "Six intermountain colleges move toward athletic ties". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. Associated Press. October 30, 1962. p. 8..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}
^ ab Missildine, Harry (February 26, 1963). "Six western schools create Big Sky athletic conference". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. 12.
^ ab "Big Sky is ready for league action". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. February 26, 1963. p. 13.
^ Missildine, Harry (February 20, 1963). "The conference should band smoothly". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. 12.
^ "Officials view sports loop". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. February 25, 1963. p. 13.
^ "Big Sky steps up". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. May 24, 1968. p. 12.
^ ab "Idaho off probation, loop titles dwindle". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. May 5, 1974. p. 13.
^ ab "Baseball axed in Big Sky". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. May 29, 1974. p. 15.
^ "Big Sky Set to Celebrate Anniversaries". BigSkyConf.com. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
^ "The Summit League Adds The University of North Dakota" (Press release). The Summit League. January 26, 2017. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
^ "UND to Join Missouri Valley Football Conference" (Press release). Missouri Valley Football Conference. January 26, 2017. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
^ "Big Sky Conference". BigSkyConf.com. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
^ Burton, Roy (June 4, 2014). "WSU joins friends/foes as Big Sky brings back men's golf". Standard-Examiner. Ogden, Utah. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
^ "Big Sky baseball: split loop planned". Spokane Daily Chronicle. May 19, 1970. p. 13.
^ "Vandals list baseball play". Spokane Daily Chronicle. January 28, 1971. p. 22.
^ "Big Sky baseball altered; MSU out, NAU in playoffs". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Associated Press. May 19, 1971. p. 13.
^ "Key games: Big Sky Conference". Spokane Daily Chronicle. April 23, 1973. p. 17.
^ "Vandals Arizona-bound". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. May 29, 1969. p. 13.
^ "Baseball champions". Big Sky Conference. Retrieved August 9, 2012.
^ "Gonzaga blasts ISU for conference title". Lewiston Morning Tribune. May 22, 1974. p. 15.
^ "Idaho (State) drops baseball". Ellensburg Daily Record. (Washington). June 5, 1974. p. 9.
^ "Idaho, Gonzaga join new baseball circuit". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. June 24, 1974. p. 16.
^ "Boise State drops baseball program". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. Associated Press. May 6, 1980. p. C1.
^ Goodwin, Dale (May 13, 1980). "Baseball's 'out' at Idaho". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 19.
^ "UND to reduce number of sports after 2015-16 season". University of North Dakota. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
^ "Gameday at Northern Colorado". University of Northern Colorado. Retrieved April 4, 2015.Stadium Capacity: 8,533
^ "The Nest-Basketball, Volleyball, Gymnastics". Sacramento State Athletics. Retrieved March 3, 2016.
^ "League Announces Future Conference Football Schedules". Big Sky Conference. Retrieved May 9, 2016.
^
"Friel named Big Sky loop commissioner". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Associated Press. June 8, 1963. p. 2.
^ "Frosh can play Sky frosh grid sport: but not Idaho". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Associated Press. November 25, 1970. p. 12.
^ abc Payne, Bob (May 19, 1971). "New Big Sky commissioner Roning sees fine future". Spokesman-Review. p. 10.
^ Newnham, Blaine (January 6, 1977). "A chance in the Sky". Eugene Register-Guard. p. 1C.
^ "New Big Sky boss balks at expansion". Spokesman-Review. Associated Press. May 21, 1981. p. 26.
^ ab "Changing Big Sky prepares for final fling". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Associated Press. September 1, 1995. p. 1B.
^ Staff, Missoulian. "Big Sky commissioner Doug Fullerton to retire in June". Missoulian.com. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
^ "Big Sky announces new commissioner". Big Sky Conference. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
^ http://cahnrs.wsu.edu/alumni/profile/jack-friel/
^ bigskyconf.com – football – 1963–2007 – accessed 2012-04-01
^ MSU Bobcats.com – 2009 media guide – Big Sky conference standings – p.93
External links
Official website
