Western Athletic Conference men's basketball championship history
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Western Athletic Conference holds an annual men’s basketball tournament with the winner getting an automatic bid to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
The WAC features nine teams: California Baptist, CSU Bakersfield, Chicago State, Grand Canyon, Kansas City, New Mexico State, Seattle, Rio Grande Valley and Utah Valley.
The conference championship tournament begins March 11 and runs through March 14.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The WAC was formed in 1962. The conference tournaments began in 1984.
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Read below for a list of past champions.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}2019: NEW MEXICO STATE
New Mexico State has continued its domination through the 2019 season. (Photo by Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images)
New Mexico State won its eighth title in 10 years. The Aggies defeated Grand Canyon, 89-57. Trevelin Queen was named tournament MVP.
2018: NEW MEXICO STATE
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}New Mexico State defeated Grand Canyon, 72-58. Jemerrio Jones was named tournament MVP.
2017: NEW MEXICO STATE
New Mexico State, in its sixth straight WAC title appearance, defeated CSU Bakersfield 70-60. Ian Baker was named MVP.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}2016: CSU BAKERSFIELD
CSU Bakersfield briefly stopped New Mexico State in 2016, 57-54. Dedrick Basile was named tournament MVP.
BIG SKY CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}2015: NEW MEXICO STATE
New Mexico State won a fourth straight title in 2015. They defeated Seattle, 80-61. Tshilidzi Nephawe was named tournament MVP.
2014: NEW MEXICO STATE
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}New Mexico State defeated Idaho, 77-55. Sim Bhullar won a second tournament MVP.
2013: NEW MEXICO STATE
Sim Bhullar was named tournament MVP. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
New Mexico State defeated Texas-Arlington, 64-55. Sim Bhullar was named tournament MVP.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}2012: NEW MEXICO STATE
New Mexico State’s dominance through the WAC continued in 2012. The Aggies defeated Louisiana Tech, 82-57. Wendell McKines was named MVP.
2011: UTAH STATE
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Utah State won the WAC again in 2011. The Aggies defeated Boise State, 77-69. Brockeith Pane was named MVP.
2010: NEW MEXICO STATE
New Mexico State won the WAC title in 2010. Jahmar Young was named tournament MVP.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}ATLANTIC 10 CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
2009: UTAH STATE
Utah State defeated Nevada, 72-62, in 2009. Gary Wilkinson was named MVP.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}2008: BOISE STATE
Boise State needed three overtimes to beat New Mexico State in 2008. The Broncos won 107-102. Reggie Larry was named MVP.
2007: NEW MEXICO STATE
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}New Mexico State won its first WAC title in 2007. They defeated Utah State, 72-70. Justin Hawkins was named MVP.
2006: NEVADA
In 2006, Nevada won its second WAC title in three seasons. The Wolf Pack defeated Utah State, 70-63. Nick Fazekas was named tournament MVP.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}2005: UTEP
UTEP bounced back in 2005. The Miners defeated Boise State, 91-78. Filiberto Rivera was named MVP.
2004: NEVADA
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Nevada defeated UTEP, 66-60, in 2004. Wolf Pack star Kirk Snyder was tournament MVP.
2003: TULSA
Tulsa broke through in 2003. They defeated Nevada, 75-64. Kevin Johnson was named tournament MVP.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}2002: HAWAII
Hawaii defeated Tulsa for a second season, 73-59. Predrag Savovic was named MVP.
ACC MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}2001: HAWAII
In 2001, Hawaii defeated Tulsa 78-72. Carl English was named tournament MVP.
2000: FRESNO STATE
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fresno State defeated Tulsa, 75-72. Courtney Alexander was named tournament MVP.
1999: UTAH
In 1999, Utah won the WAC, 60-45, over New Mexico. Alex Jensen was named MVP.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}1998: UNLV
UNLV won its first WAC title in 1998. The Rebels defeated New Mexico, 56-51. Kenny Thomas, of New Mexico, was named tournament MVP.
1997: UTAH
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Utah won its second WAC title in three years. The Utes defeated TCU, 89-68, in 1997. Keith Van Horn won a second MVP.
1996: NEW MEXICO
New Mexico defeated Utah, 64-60. Kenny Thomas was named tournament MVP.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
1995: UTAH
Utah won the WAC in 1995. They knocked Hawaii from its throne, 67-54. Keith Van Horn was named MVP.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}1994: HAWAII
Hawaii won its first WAC title in 1994. They defeated BYU, 73-66. Trevor Ruffin was named tournament MVP.
1993: NEW MEXICO
In 1993, New Mexico defeated UTEP, 76-65. Ike Williams won the MVP.
1992: BYU
BYU narrowly defeated UTEP in 1992, 73-71. Eddie Rivera, of UTEP, won the tournament MVP award.
1991: BYU
BYU won its first WAC title in 1991. The Cougars defeated Utah, 51-49. Shawn Bradley was named tournament MVP.
1990: UTEP
UTEP went back-to-back in 1990. The Miners defeated Hawaii, 75-58. Greg Foster was named tournament MVP.
1989: UTEP
UTEP defeated Colorado State, 73-60. Tim Hardaway was named tournament MVP.
1988: WYOMING
Wyoming defeated UTEP, 79-75. It was the Cowboys’ second straight title. Eric Leckner won a third consecutive MVP.
1987: WYOMING
Wyoming finally won its first WAC in 1987. The Cowboys defeated New Mexico, 64-62. Eric Leckner won the tournament MVP award.
SUMMIT LEAGUE MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
1986: UTEP
UTEP became the first multi-WAC winner in 1986. They defeated Wyoming, 65-64. Eric Leckner, of Wyoming, was named MVP.
1985: SAN DIEGO STATE
San Diego State won the WAC in 1985. The Aztecs defeated UTEP, 87-81. Luster Goodwin, of UTEP, was named MVP.
1984: UTEP
UTEP won the first Western Athletic Conference tournament in 1984. They defeated New Mexico, 62-55. Juden Smith was named tournament MVP.