Great West Conference Logo PNG
The Great West Conference logo is dynamic and patriotic. Its national colors reflect pride in belonging to America’s large collegiate sports community. The design emphasizes the pursuit of new heights that have always accompanied the union’s athletes.
The Great West Conference was founded in 2004 as a Division I-AA football league for western programs seeking a permanent conference home. Its six original members were Cal Poly, UC Davis, North Dakota State, Northern Colorado, South Dakota State, and Southern Utah. The first season ended with the San Luis Obispo program holding the best league record. However, several schools were already exploring stronger and older conferences.
South Dakota joined in 2006, but the structure weakened when three Dakota programs moved to the Missouri Valley Football Conference. In 2008, Great West expanded beyond football and began sponsoring basketball, baseball, track and field, and other sports. Chicago State, Houston Baptist, NJIT, Utah Valley, and Texas-Pan American entered while building their NCAA Division I programs.
By 2011, the remaining football members had accepted invitations elsewhere. The two California schools moved to the Big Sky, Northern Colorado had already joined that league, and Southern Utah followed. With too few teams left, Great West stopped organizing a football championship after the 2011 season.
The remaining members shared little geography and soon found new homes. Utah Valley, Texas-Pan American, and Chicago State entered the WAC, NJIT joined the Atlantic Sun, and Houston Baptist moved to the Southland. Great West formally dissolved in 2013 after nine years, ending a league repeatedly used as a temporary stop during divisional transitions across the country.
Meaning and History
What is the Great West Conference?
It is an association of NCAA schools from the western United States, providing opportunities for competition in several sports. The conference brings together universities with a broad geographic reach and supports the development of sports programs.
2004 – 2013
The conference emblem is designed in a bright and expressive style. The double-layered background for the lettering symbolizes professional growth and the ability to renew, enabling participants to compete with fresh energy.
The composition of collegiate teams is constantly changing, reflecting the arrival and departure of students, making the logo a representation of an ongoing process. The white base highlights innovation, the introduction of new approaches, the use of modern techniques, and the emergence of leaders.
Despite continuous transformations, the high standards for admitting new members remain unchanged. The primary criterion is the development and support of athletic programs within universities. The blue background conveys the professionalism that underpins the association’s activities.
The bold, dark red letters emphasize the conference’s prestige and the achievements of its participants competing at the Division I level, which teams aspire to reach. The upward tilt of the letters underscores the pursuit of leadership and growth. Originally focused on football, the conference has expanded to include other sports, demonstrating flexibility and readiness for progress.