Among its member schools were (from 1982 to 1992 unless otherwise noted): The first discussion of the formation of the league was held by administrators in 1976.
[1] Its founding, and only, commissioner was Vic Buccola, who had been the athletic director at Cal Poly from 1973 to 1981.
He then became a founder and commissioner of the multi-sport American West Conference, which was chartered after the WFC folded in 1993.
The WFC folded in part because of a new NCAA rule that prohibited member institutions who competed at the Division I (D-I) level in other sports from competing at the Division II (D-II) level in football.
[2][3] Cal State Northridge, Cal Poly SLO, Southern Utah, and Sacramento State, plus UC Davis for football, were the first announced members of the American West Conference.