Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox sports league

The Big Sky Conference is a collegiate athletic conference, affiliated with the NCAA's Division I with football competing in the Football Championship Subdivision. Template:As of, ten full member institutions are located in the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. Two affiliate members from California are football–only participants.

HistoryEdit

Template:OSM Location map

Initially conceived for Template:Nowrap the Big Sky was founded Template:Years or months ago on July 1, 1963, with six members in Template:Nowrap 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,<ref name=tconsbndsm>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=ovsplop>Template:Cite news</ref> and was adopted with the announcement of the new conference five days later.<ref name=srsixwst/><ref name=bsrdflc/>

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).<ref name=bsstpsup>Template:Cite news</ref> Football moved to the new Division I-AA in 1978, which was renamed Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) in 2006.

In 1974, half of the Big Sky's ten included sports were dropped (baseball, skiing, swimming, golf, and tennis), leaving football, basketball, wrestling, track, and cross country skiing.<ref name=ioffpr>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=baseaxe>Template:Cite news</ref>

Women's sports were added Template:Time ago in 1988, moving from the women's-only Mountain West Athletic Conference (1982–88).

Fiftieth anniversaryEdit

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, indoor and outdoor track and field, basketball, and tennis. There are also championships in football, and in women's volleyball, golf, soccer, and softball.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It is one of two Division I all-sports conferences to not sponsor baseball, the other being the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

Member schoolsEdit

Current full membersEdit

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Endowment
(millions)
Nickname Joined Colors
Eastern Washington University Cheney, Washington 1882 Public 10,915 $32.1 Eagles 1987 Template:College color boxes
Template:Sort Moscow, Idaho 1889 12,286 $465 Vandals 1963,
  2014Template:Efn
Template:College color boxes
Idaho State University Pocatello, Idaho 1901 12,301 $75 Bengals 1963 Template:College color boxes
Template:Sort Missoula, Montana 1893 10,104 $241.6 GrizzliesTemplate:Efn 1963 Template:College color boxes
Montana State University Bozeman, Montana 1893 17,144 $264 Bobcats 1963 Template:College color boxes
Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, Arizona 1899 28,194 $198.2 Lumberjacks 1970 Template:College color boxes
Template:Sort Greeley, Colorado 1889 9,881 $100.5 Bears 2006 Template:College color boxes
Portland State University Portland, Oregon 1946 26,012 $98 Vikings 1996 Template:College color boxes
Template:Sort Sacramento, California 1947 31,181 $92.9 Hornets 1996 Template:College color boxes
Weber State University Ogden, Utah 1889 29,914 $219.5 Wildcats 1963 Template:College color boxes
Notes

Template:Notelist

Affiliate membersEdit

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Colors Big Sky
sport(s)
Primary
conference
Template:Sort San Luis Obispo, California 1901 Public 21,812 Mustangs 2012 Template:College color boxes Football Big West (BWC)
Template:Sort Davis, California 1905 38,369 Aggies Template:College color boxes Big West (BWC)
Template:Small


Former full membersEdit

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Colors Subsequent
conference
Current
conference
Boise State University Boise, Idaho 1932 Public 26,155 Broncos 1970 1996 Template:College color boxes Big West (BWC)
(1996–2001)
Western (WAC)
(2001–11)
Mountain West (MW)
(2011–2026)
Pac-12
(2026–future)
California State University, Northridge Northridge, California 1958 38,511 Matadors 1996 2001 Template:College color boxes Big West (BWC)
(2001–present)
Gonzaga UniversityTemplate:Efn Spokane, Washington 1887 Private
Template:Small
7,421 Bulldogs 1963 1979 Template:College color boxes West Coast (WCC)
(1979–2026)
Pac-12
(2026–future)
Template:Sort Reno, Nevada 1874 Public 21,034 Wolf Pack 1979 1992 Template:College color boxes Big West (BWC)
(1992–2000)
Western (WAC)
(2000–12)
Mountain West (MW)
(2012–present)
Template:Sort Grand Forks, North Dakota 1883 13,772 Fighting Hawks 2012 2018 Template:College color boxes Summit
(2018–present)
Southern Utah University Cedar City, Utah 1897 14,330 Thunderbirds 2012 2022 Template:College color boxes Western (WAC)
(2022–present)
Notes

Template:Notelist

Former affiliate membersEdit

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Colors Big Sky
sport(s)
Primary
conference
Conference
in former
Big Sky sport
Binghamton University, SUNY Vestal, New York 1946 Public 17,768 Bearcats 2014 2023 Template:College color boxes men's golf America East Northeast (NEC)
University of Hartford West Hartford, Connecticut 1877 Nonsectarian 6,792 Hawks 2014 2023 Template:College color boxes men's golf New England (CNE)Template:Efn
Notes

Template:Notelist

Membership timelineEdit

<timeline>

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Period = from:1963 till:2030

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         id:line     value:black
         id:bg       value:white
         id:Full value:rgb(0.742,0.727,0.852) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports
         id:FullxF value:rgb(0.551,0.824,0.777) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports except for football
         id:AssocF value:rgb(0.98,0.5,0.445) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member for football only
         id:AssocOS value:rgb(0.5,0.691,0.824) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in some sports, but not all (consider identifying in legend or a footnote)
         id:OtherC1 value:rgb(0.996,0.996,0.699) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved to another conference
         id:OtherC2 value:rgb(0.988,0.703,0.383) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved to another conference where OtherC1 has already been used, to distinguish the two

PlotData=

  width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s
  bar:1  color:FullxF from:1963 till:1979 text:Gonzaga (1963–1979)
  bar:1  color:OtherC1 from:1979 till:2026 text:WCC
  bar:1  color:OtherC2 from:2026 till:end text:Pac-12
  bar:2  color:Full from:1963 till:1996 text:Idaho (1963–1996)
  bar:2  color:OtherC1 from:1996 till:2005 text:Big West
  bar:2  color:OtherC2 from: 2005 till:2014 text:WAC
  bar:2  color:FullxF from:2014 till:2018 text:(2014–present)
  bar:2  color:Full from:2018 till:end text:
  bar:3  color:Full from:1963 till:end text:Idaho State (1963–present)
  bar:4  color:Full from:1963 till:end text:Montana (1963–present)
  bar:5  color:Full from:1963 till:end text:Montana State (1963–present)
  bar:6  color:Full from:1963 till:end text:Weber State (1963–present)
  bar:7  color:OtherC1 from:1963 till:1967 text:ICAC (NJCAA)
  bar:7  shift:(20) color:OtherC2 from:1967 till:1970 text:Ind.
  bar:7  color:Full from:1970 till:1996 text:Boise State (1970–1996)
  bar:7  color:OtherC1 from:1996 till:2001 text:Big West
  bar:7  color:OtherC2 from:2001 till:2011 text:WAC
  bar:7  color:OtherC1 from:2011 till:2026 text:Mountain West
  bar:7  color:OtherC2 from:2026 till:end text:Pac-12
  bar:8  color:OtherC1 from:1963 till:1970 text:Independent
  bar:8  color:Full from:1970 till:end text:Northern Arizona (1970–present)
  bar:9 color:OtherC1 from:1963 till:1969 text:FWC
  bar:9 color:OtherC2 from:1969 till:1979 text:WCC
  bar:9 color:Full from:1979 till:1992 text:Nevada (1979–1992)
  bar:9 color:OtherC1 from:1992 till:2000 text:Big West
  bar:9 color:OtherC2 from:2000 till:2012 text:WAC
  bar:9 color:OtherC1 from:2012 till:end text:Mountain West
  bar:10 color:OtherC1 from:1963 till:1979 text:Evergreen (NAIA)
  bar:10 color:OtherC2 from:1979 till:1984 text:D-II Ind.
  bar:10 shift:(-15) color:OtherC1 from:1984 till:1987 text:DI-AA Ind.
  bar:10 color:Full from:1987 till:end text:Eastern Washington (1987–present)
  bar:11 color:OtherC1 from:1963 till:1990 text:CCAA
  bar:11 color:OtherC2 from:1990 till:1994 text:D-I Ind.
  bar:11 color:OtherC1 from:1994 till:1996 text:AWC
  bar:11 color:Full from:1996 till:2001 text:Cal State Northridge (1996–2001)
  bar:11 shift:(95) color:OtherC1 from:2001 till:end text:Big West
  bar:12 color:OtherC1 from:1963 till:1982 text:FWC
  bar:12 color:OtherC2 from:1982 till:1985 text:NCAC
  bar:12 color:OtherC1 from:1985 till:1994 text:Independent
  bar:12 color:OtherC2 from:1994 till:1996 text:AWC
  bar:12 color:Full from:1996 till:end text:Sacramento State (1996–present)
  bar:13 color:OtherC1 from:1963 till:1964 text:OCC
  bar:13 shift:(20) color:OtherC2 from:1964 till:1992 text:Independent
  bar:13 color:OtherC1 from:1992 till:1996 text:PacWest
  bar:13 color:Full from:1996 till:end text:Portland State (1996–present)
  bar:14 color:OtherC1 from:1963 till:1967 text:RMFAC
  bar:14 color:OtherC2 from:1967 till:1972 text:RMAC
  bar:14 color:OtherC1 from:1972 till:1978 text:D-II Ind.
  bar:14 color:OtherC2 from:1978 till:2003 text:NCC
  bar:14 color:OtherC1 from:2003 till:2006 text:D-I Ind.
  bar:14 color:Full from:2006 till:end text:Northern Colorado (2006–present)
  bar:15 color:OtherC1 from:1963 till:2008 text:NCC
  bar:15 color:OtherC2 from:2008 till:2012 text:GWC
  bar:15 color:Full from:2012 till:2018 text:North Dakota (2012–2018)
  bar:15 shift:(50) color:OtherC1 from:2018 till:end text:Summit
  bar:16 color:OtherC1 from:1963 till:1967 text:NAIA Ind.
  bar:16 color:OtherC2 from:1967 till:1986 text:RMAC
  bar:16 color:OtherC1 from:1986 till:1988 text:D-II Ind.
  bar:16 shift:(15) color:OtherC2 from:1988 till:1994 text:DI-AA Ind.
  bar:16 color:OtherC1 from:1994 till:1996 text:AWC
  bar:16 color:OtherC2 from:1996 till:1997 text:Ind.
  bar:16 shift:(15) color:OtherC1 from:1997 till:2007 text:Mid-Con
  bar:16 color:OtherC1 from:2007 till:2012 text:Summit
  bar:16 color:Full from:2012 till:2022 text:Southern Utah (2012–2022)
  bar:16  color:OtherC1 from:2022 till:end text:WAC
  bar:17 color:AssocF from:2012 till:end text:Cal Poly (2012–present)
  bar:18 color:AssocF from:2012 till:end text:UC Davis (2012–present)

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  1. > If the chart uses more than one bar color, add a legend by selecting the appropriate fields from the following six options (use only the colors that are used in the graphic.) Leave a blank line after the end of the timeline, then add a line with the selected values from the list, separated by a space. Template:Font color Template:Font color Template:Font color Template:Font color Template:Font color Template:Font color <# </timeline>

Template:Font color Template:Font color Template:Font color Template:Font color Template:Font color Template:Font color

NCAA championshipsEdit

Template:See also

NCAA Division I national championships as of 2021.

School Team Individual
Men's Women's Total Men's Women's Total
Eastern Washington 1 0 1 0 0 0
Idaho 0 0 0 4 0 4
Idaho State 1 0 1 2 0 2
Montana 2 0 2 3 0 3
Montana State 1 0 1 1 1 2
Northern Arizona 4 0 4 6 8 14
Northern Colorado 0 0 0 0 0 0
Portland State 0 0 0 0 0 0
Sacramento State 0 0 0 0 0 0
Southern Utah 0 0 0 0 0 0
Weber State 0 0 0 3 1 4
Conference total 9 0 9 19 10 29

† Northern Arizona is the only Big Sky program to win D1 team national titles outside of the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).

SportsEdit

As of the 2022–23 school year, the Big Sky sponsors championships in seven men's and nine women's NCAA-sanctioned sports.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 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.

AffiliatesEdit

File:CalPolyStadiumBigSkyFootballIn2023.jpg
Cal Poly quarterback Sam Huard looks downfield during a Big Sky Conference football game against Northern Colorado on Oct. 21, 2023.

Cal Poly and UC Davis participate as football-only affiliates, otherwise participating in the Big West Conference. The Mustangs and Aggies were welcomed by the BSC in September 2010 in response to both nationwide conference realignment<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and an expansion of the FCS playoff bracket at the time, according to then-commissioner Doug Fullerton.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Both Binghamton and Hartford of the America East Conference were affiliates in men's golf only from 2014 to 2023. 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.<ref name="Big Sky men's golf">Template:Cite news</ref> 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. Both schools left after the 2022–23 athletic season, after Binghamton moved their program to the Northeast Conference and Hartford reclassified to Division III and joined the Commonwealth Coast Conference. By this time the number of full Big Sky members that sponsored men's golf had dropped to 4, below the 6 member minimum necessary for the conference champion to receive an autobid to the NCAA Division I men's golf championship, so with the departure of the two affiliates, the Big Sky ceased sponsoring men's golf again after the 2024 season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

BaseballEdit

The Big Sky is unusual among Division I all-sports conferences in not sponsoring baseball, a distinction that it shares only with the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, and which it held alone prior to the 2022–23 school year. 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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Montana State<ref name= msuout71>Template:Cite news</ref> 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 Template:Nowrap

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.<ref name=ioffpr/><ref name=baseaxe/> Of the eleven Big Sky baseball titles, four each went to Idaho<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and Gonzaga, and three to Weber State.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Gonzaga won the final title in 1974 over Idaho State in three games, after losing the first game in Pocatello.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Southern division champion Idaho State chose to end its baseball program weeks following the conference's announcement,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and Gonzaga, Idaho, and Boise State joined the new Northern Pacific Conference (NorPac) for baseball Template:Nowrap Boise State and Idaho competed in the NorPac for six seasons, then discontinued baseball after the Template:Nowrap

  • Idaho (4) 1964, 1966, 1967, 1969
  • Gonzaga (4) 1965, 1971, 1973, 1974
  • Weber State (3) 1968, 1970, 1972

In 2016, North Dakota announced in April that it was their last baseball season.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Since then, only Northern Colorado and Sacramento State have competed in the sport, both as affiliate members in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) until Northern Colorado baseball moved to the Summit League after the 2021 season.

WrestlingEdit

Through the 1987 season, the conference sponsored wrestling. Boise State and Idaho State dominated in most years, winning ten and eight conference titles, respectively. BSU won seven consecutive from 1974 to 1980. Montana State and Weber State also had some good years; Montana won their only conference title in the last year Big Sky sponsored the sport.

  • Montana State (3) 1964, 1965, 1966
  • Idaho State (8) 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1984
  • Boise State (10) 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1986
  • Weber State (2) 1981, 1983
  • Montana (1) 1987

Boise State continued its wrestling program as an affiliate member of the Pac-10 (now Pac-12) Conference.

Teams in Big Sky Conference competition
Sport Men's Women's
Basketball check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }} check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}
Cross country check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }} check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}
Football check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }} check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}
Golf check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }} check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}
Soccer check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }} check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}
Softball check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }} check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}
Tennis check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }} check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}
Track and field (Indoor) check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }} check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}
Track and field (Outdoor) check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }} check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}
Volleyball check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }} check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}

Men's sponsored sports by schoolEdit

School Basketball Cross
country
Football Tennis Track and field
(indoor)
Track and field
(outdoor)
Total
Sports
Eastern Washington Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:YesTemplate:Efn Template:Yes Template:Yes 6
Idaho Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 6
Idaho State Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 6
Montana Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 6
Montana State Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 6
Northern Arizona Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 6
Northern Colorado Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes 5
Portland State Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 6
Sacramento State Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 6
Weber State Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 6
Totals 10 10 10+2Template:Efn 9 10 10 61+2

Template:Notelist

Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the Big Sky Conference which are played by Big Sky schools:

School Baseball Golf Skiing Soccer Wrestling
Eastern Washington No NoTemplate:Efn No No No
Idaho No Big West No No No
Montana State No No Independent No No
Northern Colorado Summit Summit No No Big 12
Sacramento State WAC Big West No Big West No
Weber State No Summit No No No

Template:Notelist

Women's sponsored sports by schoolEdit

School Basketball Cross
country
Golf Soccer Softball Tennis Track and field
(indoor)
Track and field
(outdoor)
Volleyball Total
Sports
Eastern Washington Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 8
Idaho Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 8
Idaho State Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 9
Montana Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 9
Montana State Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 7
Northern Arizona Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 8
Northern Colorado Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 8
Portland State Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 9
Sacramento State Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 9
Weber State Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes 9
Totals 10 10 10 9 6 9 10 10 10 92

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 WACTemplate:Efn
Montana State No No No Independent No
Northern Arizona No No No No WACTemplate:Efn
Northern Colorado No No No No WACTemplate:Efn
Sacramento State Big West MPSF WCC No No

Template:Notelist

FacilitiesEdit

Template:CollegePrimaryHeader
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| [[Cal Poly Mustangs football|Template:Ifsubst style="color:white">Cal Poly]] Mustang Memorial Field Template:Nts Football-only member
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| [[Eastern Washington Eagles|Template:Ifsubst style="color:white">Eastern Washington]] Roos Field Template:Nts Reese Court Template:Nts
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| [[Idaho Vandals|Template:Ifsubst style="color:white">Idaho]] Kibbie Dome Template:Nts Idaho Central Credit Union Arena Template:Nts
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| [[Idaho State Bengals|Template:Ifsubst style="color:white">Idaho State]] Holt Arena Template:Nts Reed Gym Template:Nts
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| [[Montana Grizzlies|Template:Ifsubst style="color:white">Montana]] Washington–Grizzly Stadium Template:Nts Dahlberg Arena Template:Nts
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| [[Montana State Bobcats|Template:Ifsubst style="color:white">Montana State]] Bobcat Stadium Template:Nts Brick Breeden Fieldhouse Template:Nts
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| [[Northern Arizona Lumberjacks|Template:Ifsubst style="color:white">Northern Arizona]] Walkup Skydome Template:Nts Walkup Skydome Template:Nts
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| [[Northern Colorado Bears|Template:Ifsubst style="color:white">Northern Colorado]] Nottingham Field Template:Nts<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

Bank of Colorado Arena Template:Nts
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| [[Portland State Vikings|Template:Ifsubst style="color:white">Portland State]] Hillsboro Stadium Template:Nts Viking Pavilion Template:Nts
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| [[Sacramento State Hornets|Template:Ifsubst style="color:white">Sacramento State]] Hornet Stadium Template:Nts Hornets Nest Template:Nts<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| [[UC Davis Aggies football|Template:Ifsubst style="color:white">UC Davis]] UC Davis Health Stadium Template:Nts Football-only member
style="text-align:center; Template:CollegePrimaryStyle"| [[Weber State Wildcats|Template:Ifsubst style="color:white">Weber State]] Stewart Stadium Template:Nts Dee Events Center Template:Nts

Template:Notelist

BasketballEdit

{{ safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst||date=__DATE__ |$B= {{ safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst||date=__DATE__ |$B= Template:Ambox }} }}

Current NBA playersEdit

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Conference rivalriesEdit

Non-conference rivalriesEdit

2021–22 home game attendance averagesEdit

citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

Total Games

(Includes Away Games)

Total Home

Game Attendance

Average Home

Game Attendance

Weber State 32 67,678 4,511
Montana 32 53,917 3,171
Montana State 34 42,634 3,045
Southern Utah 32 24,712 1,647
Idaho 31 19,804 1,320
Eastern Washington 34 14,392 1,199
Idaho State 30 15,153 1,165
Northern Colorado 35 14,775 1,136
Portland State 31 13,256 946
Northern Arizona 31 8,465 604
Sacramento State 29 7,846 603

RivalriesEdit

Protected football rivalriesEdit

Because there are 12 teams in the conference, but each team only plays eight conference football games per year, the conference has set two "protected rivalry" games for each team. These rivalry match-ups are played every season, while football games against other conference teams are played twice every three years. Many of the protected rivalries are traditional, due to the teams either being in the same state or within close geographical proximity. With the departure of Southern Utah from the conference, new protected rivalries were announced for 2022–2024;<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> these rivalries have since been extended through 2027.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

School Rival 1 Rival 2
UC Davis Cal Poly Sacramento State
Cal Poly UC Davis Sacramento State
Eastern Washington Idaho Montana State
Idaho Idaho State Eastern Washington
Idaho State Idaho Weber State
Montana Montana State Portland State
Montana State Montana Eastern Washington
Northern Arizona Weber State Northern Colorado
Northern Colorado Northern Arizona Portland State
Portland State Montana Northern Colorado
Sacramento State UC Davis Cal Poly
Weber State Idaho State Northern Arizona

ConferenceEdit

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 22–20–2
Eastern Washington Montana 1938 EWU-UM Governor's Cup Eastern Washington Montana leads 27–17–1
Eastern Washington Portland State 1968 Dam Cup Portland State Portland State leads 21–20–1
Idaho Idaho State 1916 Battle of the Domes Idaho Idaho leads 30–13
Idaho Montana 1903 Little Brown Stein Montana Idaho leads 55–28–2
Montana Montana State 1897 Brawl of the Wild Montana Montana leads 72–40–5
UC Davis Sacramento State 1954 Causeway Classic Sacramento State UC Davis leads 46–21

Non-conferenceEdit

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 73-16-3 Last played in 2022
Southern Utah Northern Arizona 1983 Grand Canyon Rivalry Northern Arizona Northern Arizona leads 13–9 Last played in 2021
Southern Utah Weber State 1984 Beehive Bowl Weber State Weber State leads 19–8 Last played in 2021

CommissionersEdit

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    • Ron Loghry (interim, 2018)
  • Tom Wistrcill (2018–present)

HeadquartersEdit

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Big Sky championshipsEdit

Men's basketballEdit

Template:See also

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 Northern Arizona 15 West 0
1999 Weber State Weber State 14 West 1 Round of 32
2000 Montana, Eastern Washington Northern Arizona 15 West 0
2001 Cal State Northridge Cal State Northridge 13 Midwest 0
2002 Montana State Montana 15 Midwest 0
2003 Weber State Weber State 12 Midwest 0
2004 Eastern Washington Eastern 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 Northern 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, Eastern Washington Eastern 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
2019 Montana Montana 15 West 0
2020 Eastern Washington canceled canceled
2021 Southern Utah Eastern Washington 14 West 0
2022 Montana State Montana State 14 West 0
2023 Eastern Washington Montana State 14 East 0
2024 Eastern Washington Montana State 16 First Four 0
2025 Northern Colorado, Montana Montana 14 East 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 2025, the Big Sky has yet to have an at-large team in the NCAA tournament

Championships (by school)Edit

School Member years Conference
titles
Tournament
titles
Last won
Weber State 1963–present 22 10 2016
Montana 1963–present 13 12 2025
Montana State 1963–present 6 5 2024
Eastern Washington 1987–present 6 3 2024
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
Nevada 1979–92 2 2 1985
Portland State 1996–present 2 2 2009
Gonzaga 1963–79 2 0 1967
Northern Colorado 2006–present 2 1 2025
Cal State Northridge 1996–2001 1 1 2001
North Dakota 2012–18 1 1 2017
Southern Utah 2012–22 1 0 2021
Sacramento State 1996–present 0 0 Template:N/a

NCAA tournamentEdit

Since 1968, the Big Sky champion has received a berth in the 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 Template:Nowrap

Seeding was introduced in 1979 when it expanded to forty teams, and the highest seed granted a Big Sky team was in 1982 in a 48-team bracket: ranked eighth in the final polls with a Template:Nowrap 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 heavily-favored 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 2025, 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).

Women's basketballEdit

Template:See also

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 Cal State Northridge Portland State
2000 Montana Cal State 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 Idaho State
2018 Northern Colorado Idaho
2019 Portland State Eastern Washington
2020 Canceled (final): Montana State / Idaho
2021 Idaho State Idaho
2022 Montana State Northern Arizona
2023 Sacramento State Northern Arizona
2024 Eastern Washington Northern Arizona
2025 Montana State Montana

Football titlesEdit

Bold = National Champions

Season Champions Record (Conf.)
1963 Idaho State 3–1
1964 Montana State 3–0
1965 Weber State, Idaho 3–1
1966 Montana State 4–0
1967 Montana State 3–1
1968 Weber State, Montana State, Idaho 3–1
1969 Montana 4–0
1970 Montana 5–0
1971 Idaho 4–1
1972 Montana State 5–1
1973 Boise State 6–0
1974 Boise State 6–0
1975 Boise State 5–0–1
1976 Montana State 6–0
1977 Boise State 6–0
1978 Northern Arizona 6–0
1979 Montana State 6–1
1980 Boise State 6–1
1981 Idaho State 6–1
1982 Idaho, Montana, Montana State 5–2
1983 Nevada 6–1
1984 Montana State 6–1
1985 Idaho 6–1
1986 Nevada 7–0
1987 Idaho 7–1
1988 Idaho 7–1
1989 Idaho 8–0
1990 Nevada 7–1
1991 Nevada 8–0
1992 Idaho, Eastern Washington 6–1
1993 Montana 7–0
1994 Boise State 6–1
1995 Montana 6–1
1996 Montana 8–0
1997 Eastern Washington 7–1
1998 Montana 6–2
1999 Montana 7–1
2000 Montana 8–0
2001 Montana 7–0
2002 Montana State, Montana, Idaho State 5–2
2003 Montana State, Montana, Northern Arizona 5–2
2004 Montana, Eastern Washington 6–1
2005 Eastern Washington, Montana State, Montana 5–2
2006 Montana 8–0
2007 Montana 8–0
2008 Montana, Weber State 7–1
2009 Montana 8–0
2010 Eastern Washington, Montana State 7–1
2011 Montana State 7–1
2012 Eastern Washington, Montana State, Cal Poly 7–1
2013 Eastern Washington 8–0
2014 Eastern Washington 7–1
2015 Southern Utah 7–1
2016 Eastern Washington, North Dakota 8–0
2017 Southern Utah, Weber State 7–1
2018 Weber State, Eastern Washington, UC Davis 7–1
2019 Weber State, Sacramento State 7–1
2020 Weber State 5–1
2021 Sacramento State 8–0
2022 Sacramento State, Montana State 8–0
2023 Montana 7–1
2024 Montana State 8–0

Football championships (by school)Edit

School member years total titles Last won
Montana 1963–present 19 2023
Montana State 1963–present 17 2024
Eastern Washington 1987–present 10 2018
Idaho 1965–95
2018–present
8 1992
Boise State 1970–95 6 1994
Nevada 1979–92 4 1991
Weber State 1963–present 5 2019
Idaho State 1963–present 3 2002
Sacramento State 1996–present 3 2022
Northern Arizona 1970–present 2 2003
Southern Utah 2012–present 2 2017
Cal Poly 2012–present 1 2012
North Dakota 2012–2017 1 2016
UC Davis 2012–present 1 2018
Cal State Northridge 1996–2001 0
Portland State 1996–present 0
Northern Colorado 2006–present 0

All-time school records by wins for current teamsEdit

This list goes through the 2020 season.

This list includes former member North Dakota and excludes current member Idaho. Records do not match NCAA record book.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

# Team Records Pct. Big Sky
Championships
National
Championships
1 North Dakota 622-383-30 Template:Winning percentage 1 1
2 Montana 564-478-26 Template:Winning percentage 18 2
3 Eastern Washington 503-404-23 Template:Winning percentage 10 1
4 UC Davis 495-384-35 Template:Winning percentage 1 0
5 Cal Poly 485-383-19 Template:Winning percentage 1 1
6 Montana State 470-467-33 Template:Winning percentage 16 3
7 Idaho State 449-488-21 Template:Winning percentage 3 1
8 Northern Arizona 445-438-23 Template:Winning percentage 2 0
9 Northern Colorado 425-450-26 Template:Winning percentage 0 2
10 Portland State 331-354-10 Template:Winning percentage 0 0
11 Weber State 266-294-3 Template:Winning percentage 6 0
12 Sacramento State 263-351-8 Template:Winning percentage 2 0
13 Southern Utah 261-319-13 Template:Winning percentage 2 1

Overall Big Sky Conference championsEdit

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 17 2 1 8 4 19 7
Men's Basketball 2 1 1 2 2 5 4 2 4 1 1 8 31
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

ReferencesEdit

Template:Reflist

External linksEdit

Template:Commons cat

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