Skyline Conference
Encyclopedia
The Mountain States Conference, also known as the Skyline Conference, was a college athletic conference based in the Western United States
. The league was established in 1938 when the seven charter members (see below) pulled out of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
.
From 1938 to 1946, the conference was popularly known as the Big Seven. After Colorado left in 1947 to join the Big Six Conference (later the Big Eight Conference
) the MSC became popularly known as the Skyline Conference or Skyline Six while the Big Six took over the Big Seven name. It became known as the Skyline Eight after New Mexico
and Montana
joined in 1951.
The conference dissolved in early 1962 after four of its members (BYU
, Utah
, New Mexico
, and Wyoming
) departed to form the Western Athletic Conference
in July. Montana operated as an independent for one football season in 1962, until the formation of the Big Sky Conference
in 1963. Colorado State
became independent until it joined the WAC in 1968. Utah State
operated as an independent for fifteen seasons, until it joined the PCAA
in 1977.
Western United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
. The league was established in 1938 when the seven charter members (see below) pulled out of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the western United States, mostly in Colorado with some members in Nebraska and New Mexico...
.
From 1938 to 1946, the conference was popularly known as the Big Seven. After Colorado left in 1947 to join the Big Six Conference (later the Big Eight Conference
Big Eight Conference
The Big Eight Conference, a former NCAA-affiliated Division I-A college athletic association that sponsored football, was formed in January 1907 as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association by its charter member schools: the University of Kansas, University of Missouri, University...
) the MSC became popularly known as the Skyline Conference or Skyline Six while the Big Six took over the Big Seven name. It became known as the Skyline Eight after New Mexico
New Mexico Lobos
The New Mexico Lobos are the athletic teams representing the University of New Mexico. The university's athletic program fields teams in 19 varsity sports. The Lobos participate in the NCAA Division I and is a charter member of the Mountain West Conference...
and Montana
Montana Grizzlies
Montana Grizzlies is the nickname given to the athletic teams of the University of Montana. The women's basketball team, however, uses the moniker Lady Griz...
joined in 1951.
The conference dissolved in early 1962 after four of its members (BYU
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
, Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
, New Mexico
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
, and Wyoming
University of Wyoming
The University of Wyoming is a land-grant university located in Laramie, Wyoming, situated on Wyoming's high Laramie Plains, at an elevation of 7,200 feet , between the Laramie and Snowy Range mountains. It is known as UW to people close to the university...
) departed to form the Western Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
in July. Montana operated as an independent for one football season in 1962, until the formation of the Big Sky Conference
Big Sky Conference
The Big Sky Conference is an intercollegiate college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I, with football competing in the Football Championship Subdivision. The BSC was founded in 1963. Member institutions are located in the western United States in the states of Arizona,...
in 1963. Colorado State
Colorado State University
Colorado State University is a public research university located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The university is the state's land grant university, and the flagship university of the Colorado State University System.The enrollment is approximately 29,932 students, including resident and...
became independent until it joined the WAC in 1968. Utah State
Utah State University
Utah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
operated as an independent for fifteen seasons, until it joined the PCAA
Big West Conference
The Big West Conference is an NCAA-affiliated Division I mid-major college athletic conference. When the conference began in 1969, its name was the Pacific Coast Athletic Association . After nineteen years, in 1988, its name was changed to the Big West Conference. The conference stopped...
in 1977.
Charter members
- BYUBYU CougarsBYU Cougars is an American soccer team based in Provo, Utah, United States. The team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference....
: now independent in football and in the West Coast ConferenceWest Coast ConferenceThe West Coast Conference is an NCAA collegiate athletics conference consisting of nine member schools across the states of California, Oregon, Utah and Washington....
in all other sports - ColoradoColorado BuffaloesThe University of Colorado Boulder sponsors 16 varsity sports teams. Both men's and women's team are called the Buffaloes or Golden Buffaloes . "Lady Buffs" referred to the women's teams beginning in the 1970s, but was officially dropped in 1993...
: left in 1948 to join the Big Seven ConferenceBig Eight ConferenceThe Big Eight Conference, a former NCAA-affiliated Division I-A college athletic association that sponsored football, was formed in January 1907 as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association by its charter member schools: the University of Kansas, University of Missouri, University...
(whose members all moved to the Big 12 ConferenceBig 12 ConferenceThe Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
in 1996); now in the Pacific-12 Conference - Colorado StateColorado State RamsColorado State University competes in 16 sponsored intercollegiate sports, including 10 for women and six for men...
: now in the Mountain West Conference - DenverDenver PioneersThe Denver Pioneers are the sports teams of the University of Denver. They play in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I, with most teams participating in the Sun Belt Conference. The Western Athletic Conference will become Denver's primary sports conference on July 1, 2012.The...
: dropped football in 1961 and now competes in the Sun Belt ConferenceSun Belt ConferenceThe Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
for most sports, including men's and women's basketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
; announced move to Western Athletic Conference effective July 1, 2012 - UtahUtah UtesThe Utah Utes are the athletics teams of the University of Utah. They are named after the Ute tribe of Native Americans. The men's basketball team is known as the "Runnin' Utes"; the women's basketball team, formerly known as the "Lady Utes," now prefers to be referred to as the "Utes"; and the...
: moved to the Mountain West Conference; now in the Pacific-12 Conference - Utah StateUtah State AggiesThe Utah State Aggies are the athletics teams of Utah State University. The school fields men's varsity teams in basketball, cross country, football, golf, tennis, and track and field. Women's varsity teams include basketball, cross country, gymnastics, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field,...
: now in the Western Athletic ConferenceWestern Athletic ConferenceThe Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS... - WyomingWyoming CowboysWyoming Cowboys is the name given to the sports teams of the University of Wyoming. The women's teams use the name Cowgirls. The University is a member of the Mountain West Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 17 NCAA-sanctioned sports. Wrestling is the only varsity sport that is...
: now in the Mountain West Conference
Other members
- Montana (1951–1962): joined after a year of independent play in 1950 following several decades of membership in the Pacific Coast ConferencePacific Coast ConferenceThe Pacific Coast Conference was a college athletic conference in the United States which existed from 1915 to 1959. Though the Pacific-12 Conference claims the PCC's history as part of its own, the older league had a completely different charter and was disbanded in 1959 due to a major crisis...
; a charter and current member of the Big Sky ConferenceBig Sky ConferenceThe Big Sky Conference is an intercollegiate college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I, with football competing in the Football Championship Subdivision. The BSC was founded in 1963. Member institutions are located in the western United States in the states of Arizona,...
. - New MexicoUniversity of New MexicoThe University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
(1951–1962): joined from the Border Conference; now a member of the Mountain West Conference.
Football champions
- 1938 Utah
- 1939 Colorado
- 1940 Utah
- 1941 Utah
- 1942 Utah and Colorado
- 1943 Colorado
- 1944 Colorado
- 1945 Denver
- 1946 Denver and Utah State
- 1947 Utah
- 1948 Utah
- 1949 Wyoming
- 1950 Wyoming
- 1951 Utah
- 1952 Utah
- 1953 Utah
- 1954 Denver
- 1955 Colorado State
- 1956 Wyoming
- 1957 Utah
- 1958 Wyoming
- 1959 Wyoming
- 1960 Wyoming and Utah State
- 1961 Wyoming and Utah State