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Western Athletic Conference Tournament History
The Western Athletic Conference was founded in 1962, but the conference
did not begin holding an annual postseason men's basketball tournament
until 1984.
The tournament champion received the WAC's automatic berth in the NCAA
Men's Basketball Tournament.
The WAC Tournament moved to the Las Vegas area permanently beginning
in 2011, with the Orleans Arena serving as its primary home during the
conference's final era.
The 2026 tournament was the final men's basketball
tournament played under the Western Athletic Conference name.
California Baptist won the championship, becoming the final WAC
Tournament champion.
WAC Tournament Champions by Year
| Year |
Host Site |
Location |
Champion |
| 1984 |
Special Events Center |
El Paso, Texas |
UTEP |
| 1985 |
Special Events Center |
El Paso, Texas |
San Diego State |
| 1986 |
Arena-Auditorium |
Laramie, Wyoming |
UTEP |
| 1987 |
University Arena |
Albuquerque, New Mexico |
Wyoming |
| 1988 |
Marriott Center |
Provo, Utah |
Wyoming |
| 1989 |
Huntsman Center |
Salt Lake City, Utah |
UTEP |
| 1990 |
Special Events Center |
El Paso, Texas |
UTEP |
| 1991 |
Arena-Auditorium |
Laramie, Wyoming |
BYU |
| 1992 |
Moby Arena |
Fort Collins, Colorado |
BYU |
| 1993 |
Delta Center |
Salt Lake City, Utah |
New Mexico |
| 1994 |
Delta Center |
Salt Lake City, Utah |
Hawai'i |
| 1995 |
University Arena |
Albuquerque, New Mexico |
Utah |
| 1996 |
University Arena |
Albuquerque, New Mexico |
New Mexico |
| 1997 |
Thomas & Mack Center |
Las Vegas, Nevada |
Utah |
| 1998 |
Thomas & Mack Center |
Las Vegas, Nevada |
UNLV |
| 1999 |
Thomas & Mack Center |
Las Vegas, Nevada |
Utah |
| 2000 |
Selland Arena |
Fresno, California |
Vacated * |
| 2001 |
Reynolds Center |
Tulsa, Oklahoma |
Hawai'i |
| 2002 |
Reynolds Center |
Tulsa, Oklahoma |
Hawai'i |
| 2003 |
Reynolds Center |
Tulsa, Oklahoma |
Tulsa |
| 2004 |
Save Mart Center |
Fresno, California |
Nevada |
| 2005 |
Lawlor Events Center |
Reno, Nevada |
UTEP |
| 2006 |
Lawlor Events Center |
Reno, Nevada |
Nevada |
| 2007 |
Pan American Center |
Las Cruces, New Mexico |
New Mexico State |
| 2008 |
Pan American Center |
Las Cruces, New Mexico |
Boise State |
| 2009 |
Lawlor Events Center |
Reno, Nevada |
Utah State |
| 2010 |
Lawlor Events Center |
Reno, Nevada |
New Mexico State |
| 2011 |
Orleans Arena |
Las Vegas, Nevada |
Utah State |
| 2012 |
Orleans Arena |
Las Vegas, Nevada |
New Mexico State |
| 2013 |
Orleans Arena |
Las Vegas, Nevada |
New Mexico State |
| 2014 |
Orleans Arena |
Las Vegas, Nevada |
New Mexico State |
| 2015 |
Orleans Arena |
Las Vegas, Nevada |
New Mexico State |
| 2016 |
Orleans Arena |
Las Vegas, Nevada |
CSU Bakersfield |
| 2017 |
Orleans Arena |
Las Vegas, Nevada |
New Mexico State |
| 2018 |
Orleans Arena |
Las Vegas, Nevada |
New Mexico State |
| 2019 |
Orleans Arena |
Las Vegas, Nevada |
New Mexico State |
| 2020 |
Orleans Arena |
Las Vegas, Nevada |
Tournament Cancelled — COVID-19 |
| 2021 |
Orleans Arena |
Las Vegas, Nevada |
Grand Canyon |
| 2022 |
Michelob ULTRA Arena / Orleans Arena |
Las Vegas, Nevada |
New Mexico State |
| 2023 |
Michelob ULTRA Arena / Orleans Arena |
Las Vegas, Nevada |
Grand Canyon |
| 2024 |
Orleans Arena |
Las Vegas, Nevada |
Grand Canyon |
| 2025 |
Burns Arena / Orleans Arena |
St. George, Utah / Las Vegas, Nevada |
Grand Canyon |
| 2026 |
Orleans Arena |
Las Vegas, Nevada |
California Baptist |
* Fresno State won the 2000 WAC Tournament on the court, but the
championship was later vacated. The official WAC record book lists
the 2000 championship as vacated.
WAC Tournament Championships by School
| School |
Titles |
Championship Years |
| New Mexico State |
10 |
2007, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022 |
| UTEP |
5 |
1984, 1986, 1989, 1990, 2005 |
| Grand Canyon |
4 |
2021, 2023, 2024, 2025 |
| Hawai'i |
3 |
1994, 2001, 2002 |
| Utah |
3 |
1995, 1997, 1999 |
| BYU |
2 |
1991, 1992 |
| Nevada |
2 |
2004, 2006 |
| New Mexico |
2 |
1993, 1996 |
| Utah State |
2 |
2009, 2011 |
| Wyoming |
2 |
1987, 1988 |
| Boise State |
1 |
2008 |
| California Baptist |
1 |
2026 |
| CSU Bakersfield |
1 |
2016 |
| San Diego State |
1 |
1985 |
| Tulsa |
1 |
2003 |
| UNLV |
1 |
1998 |
WAC Tournament Facts
New Mexico State won a WAC-record 10 tournament
championships. The Aggies won seven titles during the 10 tournaments
played from 2010 through 2019.
UTEP ranks second with five tournament championships,
including the inaugural WAC Tournament title in 1984.
Grand Canyon won four championships in five
tournaments from 2021 through 2025. The Lopes won three consecutive
titles in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
The 2020 WAC Tournament was cancelled because of the
COVID-19 pandemic and no champion was crowned.
The Orleans Arena became the tournament's primary home beginning in
2011 and hosted all or most of every WAC Tournament from 2011 through
2026, with the exception of the cancelled 2020 event.
California Baptist defeated the field in 2026 to win
its first WAC Tournament championship and become the final tournament
champion under the Western Athletic Conference name.
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