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A Brief History of NWAC Basketball

Are you a fan of nwac basketball? Have you ever heard of NWAC basketball? If not, sit tight and get ready to dive into the fascinating history that paved the way for one of America’s most exciting college sports leagues. From its humble beginnings to becoming one of the best-known community college athletic conferences, we look at how NWAC has evolved. What is NWAC Basketball?

NWAC basketball is the basketball league of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Northwest Athletic Conference. The NWAC was founded in 1952 and has been home to some of the best collegiate basketball teams in the country.

The NWAC comprises 16 member schools, all located in Oregon and Washington. These schools are:

– Bellevue College
– Big Bend Community College
– Chemeketa Community College
– Clark College
– Columbia Gorge Community College
– Edmonds Community College
– Everett Community College
– Grays Harbor College
– Green River College
– Highline College
– North Idaho College
– Olympic College
– Peninsula College
– Pierce College at Puyallup
– Spokane Falls Community College

Each school year, the NWAC holds a men’s and women’s basketball tournament to determine which team will represent the conference at the National Junior college Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II Men’s Basketball Championship and NJCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Championship, respectively.

In recent years, the NWAC has seen a surge in popularity, thanks in part to the success of its teams. In 2017, the Bellevue Bulldogs (men’s) and Lane Titans (women’s) won the NJCAA Division II National Championships. The Bellevue Bulldogs have also won back-to-back titles in 2018 and 2019.

nwac-basketball
nwac-basketball

The Different Teams in the NWAC

The National Women’s Athletic Conference (NWAC) is composed of 14 member institutions located throughout the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The conference began in 1971 as the Oregon Intercollegiate Athletic Association (OIAA), which included six schools in Oregon. In 1973, the OIAA expanded to include Idaho and Washington State schools and was renamed the Northwest Athletic Association for Women (NWAAW).

In 1984, the NWAAW changed its name to the Northwest Athletic Conference to better reflect its expanded membership which now included community colleges. The NWAC is dedicated to providing equitable opportunities for participation in a wide range of sports for women at its member institutions.

The NWAC is comprised of two divisions, the North and South. Each division is then split into four regions. The North Division includes Big Bend Community College, Spokane Falls Community College, Wenatchee Valley College, and Whatcom Community College.

The East Region of the South Division consists of Columbia Basin College, Walla Walla Community College, and Yakima Valley Community College. Conversely, the West Region of the South Division comprises Evergreen State College, Green River Community College, Highline Community College, and Tacoma Community College.

How to Play NWAC Basketball

To play NWAC basketball, one must first be a student at an NWAC member school. After that, the rules are pretty simple. Each game is divided into two 20-minute halves with a running clock. The clock only stops during timeouts, in which each team is allowed three per half, and for the final two minutes of the second half, the score is within 10 points. There are also 10-minute overtime periods in case of a tie at the end of regulation.

Players can shoot the ball through the hoop or foul shots to score. A successful image inside the three-point line is worth two points, while a picture from behind the bar is worth three. Free throws are awarded after a player is fouled while shooting and are worth one point each.

The team with the most points wins at the end of regulation or overtime. Pretty simple. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and start playing!

nwac-basketball
nwac-basketball

NWAC basketball standings

The NWAC is split into two divisions, the East and the West. The East comprises teams from Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. The West includes units from Alaska, California, Hawaii, and Nevada. Each division has its basketball standings.

The College of Idaho currently leads the East Division with a record of 20-2. They are followed by North Idaho College at 18-4, Walla Walla Community College at 16-6, and Spokane Falls Community College at 15-7.

Sierra Nevada College currently leads the West Division with a record of 24-0. They are followed by Feather River College at 22-2, Yuba College at 20-4, and Shasta College at 18-6.

NWACbasketball 2022-23

The 2022-23 NWAC Basketball season will be the 50th season of the Northwest Athletic Conference. The conference was founded in 1973 and began competition in 1974. It is composed of 16 schools located in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana.

In its early years, the NWAC was a powerhouse conference, with several schools dominating the league. The University of Oregon won the first four conference championships and eight of the first nine. Other schools that had early success include Gonzaga University, Seattle University, and Eastern Washington University.

Over the years, the balance of power has shifted within the NWAC. While Oregon and Gonzaga have remained at the top of the conference, other schools like Central Washington University and Western Oregon University have become regular contenders for the title.

The most recent NWAC Basketball champions are Seattle U (men) and UC Davis (women). The 2021-22 season will culminate with the NWAC Basketball Tournament, held on March 10-13 at Spokane Arena in Spokane, WA.

nwac-basketball
nwac-basketball

NWAC basketball division

The NWAC Basketball Division was created in 1971 to promote and develop basketball in the Northwest region of the United States. The division comprises eight teams from Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.

The NWAC Basketball Division has seen many great players and teams. Some of the most notable players include Ken Bone, who played for the University of Washington and went on to coach at Washington State University; James Jones, who played for the University of Oregon and went on to play in the NBA; and Kobe Bryant, who played for Lower Merion High School in Pennsylvania before going on to have a successful career in the NBA.

The NWAC Basketball Division has also been home to some great teams. The University of Washington won the first-ever NWAC Basketball Division championship in 1971. The University of Oregon won back-to-back titles in 1972 and 1973. And in recent years, Gonzaga University has been one of the top teams in the division, winning championships in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2013, and 2015.

nwac men’s basketball

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a membership-driven organization that governs collegiate athletics in the United States. The Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) is one of three Division II conferences within the NCAA’s West Region. The NWAC was founded in 1926 and comprised 16 member institutions in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.

The NWAC has a long history of success in men’s basketball. The conference has produced more Division II Men’s Basketball Champions than any other conference in the West Region. The Seattle U Redhawks have won five NWAC Championships, including four consecutive titles from 2015 to 2018. The Eastern Washington Eagles have also been victorious, winning three NWAC Championships in 2008, 2010, and 2012.

Over the years, many NWAC student-athletes have gone on to have successful professional careers. Most notably, NBA All-Star Clyde Drexler played his collegiate basketball at the University of Houston before being drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in 1983. Drexler had an illustrious career with the Blazers, Nuggets, and Rockets, winning an NBA Championship with Houston in 1995. Other notable NWAC alums include former NBA players Detlef Schrempf and Greg Stiemsma.

nwac-basketball
nwac-basketball

nwac basketball stats

Since its inception in 1934, the Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) has been the premier destination for aspiring collegiate basketball players in the Pacific Northwest. The conference has produced some of the finest players and teams in the region and continues to do so today.

Regarding individual player accolades, the NWAC has seen its share of greats. Two-time NBA All-Star and Basketball Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler started at the University of Houston before transferring to Portland State, where he was named an All-American in 1982. Other notable NWAC alums include former Seattle Supersonics star Spencer Haywood, who played at Highline Community College; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damon Stoudamire, who starred at Mt. Hood Community College; and Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes, who played his junior college ball at Moorpark College.

As a whole, the NWAC has been equally as successful as its members. The conference has won numerous national championships, with Oregon schools accounting for the lion’s share of titles. NWAC teams have won 12 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I championships and one Division II title.

NWAC Basketball Playoffs

The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) is the governing body for junior college athletics in the United States. The NJCAA offers athletic scholarships to student-athletes who wish to compete at the collegiate level.

The Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) is a member of the NJCAA and comprises community colleges in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. The NWAC holds a conference tournament each year to determine the conference champion. The conference tournament is open to all teams in the NWAC, regardless of their regular season record.

The Sasquatch has won six straight NWAC championships and is currently on a streak of 21 consecutive wins in NWAC playoff games.

Despite their dominance, the Spokane Sasquatch is one of many teams with a chance to win the NWAC championship. Any of the 16 teams in the NWAC could make a run to the title game if they catch fire at the right time.

So far this season, there have been plenty of upsets and surprises in the NWAC. For example, unranked Walla Walla Community College defeated #1-ranked Wenatchee Valley College early in the conference play. This goes to show that anything can happen in the NWAC basketball playoffs!

nwac-basketball
nwac-basketball

NWAC Women’s Basketball

The National Women’s Athletic Conference (NWAC) is an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The NWAC was founded in 1971 and currently consists of member schools in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska.

The NWAC sponsors 14 championships in 12 sports for women’s athletics. Basketball is one of the sports offered by the NWAC, and the conference has been home to some very successful women’s basketball programs over the years.

Some of the most successful NWAC women’s basketball programs include the University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolves, who have won 10 conference championships and made three appearances in the NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship game; Central Washington University, who have won six conference championships; and Northwest Nazarene University, who have won five conference championships.

The NWAC has also produced some very talented individual players throughout its history. Some of the most notable NWAC women’s basketball players include Ann Meyers Drysdale ( UCLA Bruins), who was the Most Outstanding Player of the inaugural NWAC tournament in 1971; Nancy Lieberman (Old Dominion Monarchs), who was a three-time All-American while playing for Odessa College; and Jackie Stiles (Southwest Missouri State Lady Bears), who is the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division I women.’

Basketball tournament

The National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II Basketball Tournament is an annual event that determines the national champion of NCAA Division II men’s basketball. The tournament has been held every year since 1957 when it was first known as the National Invitation Tournament. It was renamed the NCAA Division II Basketball Championship in 1973. A tournament is a single-elimination event featuring 32 teams from around the country. The tournament’s first round is played at campus sites, with the higher-seeded team serving as the host. The regional semifinals and finals are holding at predetermined locations, and the national championship game is played at a different site each year.

Over the years, the tournament has seen its share of great players and teams. George Mikan, considered one of the greatest players in basketball history, led his DePaul team to the championship in 1945. UCLA has won 11 titles, including seven from 1967 to 1973. Kentucky Wesleyan holds the distinction of being the only team to win three consecutive championships, doing so from 1998 to 2000.

In recent years, the tournament is dominating by mid-major schools such as Gonzaga and Butler. But no matter who wins each year, the NWAC Basketball Tournament always provides exciting March Madness action for college hoops fans nationwide.

nwac-basketball
nwac-basketball

Pros and Cons

The National Collegiate Athletic Association, or NCAA, is the primary governing body for collegiate athletics in the United States. The National Junior College Athletic Association, or NJCAA, is the primary governing body for two-year colleges in the United States.

Nevertheless, it has quickly become one of the most competitive and popular basketball leagues in junior college athletics. There are many pros and cons to playing NWAC basketball.

On the positive side, NWAC basketball allows student-athletes to play at a high level of competition without committing to a four-year university immediately. This can benefit students who are still trying to decide on their educational path or want to improve their skills before moving on to a higher level of competition. Additionally, playing in the NWAC can expose players to college coaches and scouts who may not otherwise see them play.

There are also some disadvantages to playing NWAC basketball. Because it is less well-known than other junior college conferences (such as the ACCA or WCCA), there can be less visibility for players looking to move on to four-year universities.

Conclusion

NWAC basketball has a long and rich history full of exciting moments. From the development of the original rules to the introduction of new teams and tournaments, this sport has evolved to meet the needs of its athletes. Today, NWAC basketball remains one of the most popular sports in North America and continues to bring joy to thousands each year. Whether you’re an avid fan or a casual observer, there’s something for everyone regarding NWAC basketball.

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