Canada West Universities Athletic Association
From WikiRun
The Western Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union (WCIAU) was formed in 1919-20 as the first recognized western-based post-secondary athletic organization in Canada, though a few schools did play organized varsity sports a decade or more before. The University of Manitoba won the first-ever league championship, the men's hockey title in 1920.
In 1971, the WCIAU was split into the Canada West Universities Athletic Association (CWUAA) and the Great Plains Athletic Association (GPAA), the latter consisting primarily of schools from Manitoba. In 1985-86, Canada West absorbed men’s hockey teams from the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) and all other sports have since followed, including the 2001-02 merger of basketball.
Of the 14 schools currently participating in Canada West varsity sports there are six charter members - University of Alberta, University of British Columbia, Calgary, University of Lethbridge, Saskatchewan and University of Victoria. Six more since 1971 - Brandon, Manitoba, University of Regina, Simon Fraser University, Trinity Western and Winnipeg - have become official members and two more - Thompson Rivers and University-College of the Fraser Valley - have recently begun participation within the conference. UCFV was renamed UFV on April 21, 2008.
Canada West is one of four conferences within Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), the others being Ontario University Athletics (OUA), Quebec Student Sport Federation (QSSF) and Atlantic University Sport (AUS). Schools representing each conference compete annually for national supremacy.
Schools, teams officials and individual student-athletes must abide by posted Canada West and CIS policies, including bylaws, regulations and eligibility requirements.