Discover the Western Athletic Conference: A College Basketball Mid-Major

Power 6 conferences usually grab all the headlines in college basketball. But there are 31 other conferences that really make up the backbone of NCAA hoops.

The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) is one of those mid-major leagues with its own quirks and drama. As we get closer to conference tournaments, Selection Sunday, and the madness of March, it’s probably worth getting familiar with the WAC—especially since it won’t look the same after this year.

This is the last season for the WAC as we know it. So, let’s take a look at where things stand, who’s making noise, and what might be coming down the stretch.

The Current State of the Western Athletic Conference

The WAC’s not a big league. It has just seven teams, with schools scattered across California, Texas, and Utah.

This year is the swan song for the current lineup. After July 1, 2026, California Baptist and Utah Valley are heading to the Big West, while Southern Utah and Utah Tech will bolt for the Big Sky.

The rest will rebrand as the United Athletic Conference. They’ll bring in a few teams from the Atlantic Sun and the Ohio Valley’s Little Rock.

Conference Tournament Structure

The WAC tournament looks a little different this season with only seven teams. The top two seeds skip straight to the semifinals.

The bottom two teams play each other in the first round. Winner gets the third seed next, while the fourth and fifth seeds battle for a semifinal spot.

For the last three years, the WAC has only gotten one automatic NCAA tournament bid. That’s probably not changing anytime soon.

Standout Teams and Players

California Baptist sits at the top, and senior guard Dominique Daniels is a big reason why. He’s pouring in 22.1 points per game, good for 8th in Division I.

Cal Baptist shook off a rough start in conference play and rattled off nine straight wins. That streak put them in control of the standings.

Utah Valley and Utah Tech are right on their heels, both gunning for the second seed and that valuable bye to the semifinals.

Statistical Leaders

• Points Per Game: Dominique Daniels, California Baptist, 22.1
• Rebounds Per Game: Ethan Potter, Utah Tech, 7.7
• Assists Per Game: Trevon Leonhart, Utah Valley, 6.0
• Steals Per Game: Jackson Holcombe, Utah Valley, 2.3
• Blocks Per Game: Jaiden Feroah, Southern Utah, 1.8

Utah Valley leads the WAC in the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET), landing at 86th. They’re the only team in the top 100 from the conference.

Cal Baptist’s right behind at 106, with UT Arlington at 148. Utah Valley hasn’t had much luck in Quad 1 or Quad 2 games, dropping all three Quad 1 matchups and their lone Quad 2 game against Cal Baptist.

Potential March Madness Contenders

California Baptist and Utah Valley could make things interesting in March if they snag good seeds. Utah Tech isn’t as highly ranked, but they’ve played well in the league and could surprise folks if they grab the second seed and a double-bye.

Women’s Basketball in the WAC

On the women’s side, California Baptist is also leading, sitting at 10-2. They’re second in NET at 138th, though.

Abilene Christian actually tops the NET at 105 and trails by just one game in the standings. Southern Utah and Tarleton State are hanging around, so the women’s tournament could get wild too.

Statistical Leaders in Women’s Basketball

• Points Per Game: Payton Hull, Abilene Christian, 18.1
• Rebounds Per Game: Ava Uhrich, Southern Utah, 9.8
• Assists Per Game: Chardonnay Hartley, Utah Tech, 5.0
• Steals Per Game: Cambree Blackham, Utah Valley, 2.8
• Blocks Per Game: Emma Johansson, California Baptist, 3.0

California Baptist’s women’s team spreads the wealth. Freshman guard Lauren Olsen leads with 15.2 points per game.

Senior forward-center Emma Johansson cleans up on the glass and swats shots, ranking second in Division I for blocks per game.