The Western Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference. It was established on July 27, 1962 and as such, it is the sixth oldest college athletic conference participating currently in the Division I FBS of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).The Western Athletic Conference covers a big part of the Western United States, with members located in Hawaii, California, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, and New Mexico. Louisiana is its only non-western member.

Current members of the Western Athletic Conference are California State University, Fresno (Bulldogs), University of Hawaii at Manoa (Warriors/Rainbow Wahine), University of Idaho (Vandals), Louisiana Tech University (Bulldogs/Lady Techsters), University of Nevada, Reno (Wolf Pack), New Mexico State University (Aggies), San Jose State University (Spartans), and Utah State University (Aggies). Current affiliate members of the Western Athletic Conference are Brigham Young University (Cougars), California State University, Bakersfield (Roadrunners), Dallas Baptist University (Patriots), University of North Dakota (Fighting Sioux), Northern Arizona University (Lumberjacks), California State University, Sacramento (Hornets), and Southern Utah University (Thunderbirds).

The Western Athletic Conference sponsors championships in 8 sports in men’s division and 11 sports in women’s division. Sports in men’s division are basketball, baseball, cross country, golf, football, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field and tennis. Sports in women’s division are basketball, golf, cross country, soccer, softball, gymnastics, swimming and diving, tennis, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, and volleyball.