RFC Summer Semester--Northwest Conference (NWC) Preview (NCAA Division III)

What it is: Getting its start in 1926, the Northwest Conference (NWC) has become one of the strongest NCAA Division III conferences in the nation over the last decade. Starting out at the NAIA level, the NWC moved up to the D-III ranks in 1998. Since then, two of its current members have won national championships in football, with Pacific Lutheran (Wash.) winning it in 1999, followed by Linfield (Ore.) in 2004.


The small college program with the most-storied tradition in the Pacific Northwest, or even on the whole West Coast for that matter, is Linfield. The Wildcats enter the 2010 campaign shooting for an intercollegiate record 55th consecutive winning season. Ironically, the program that has the second longest active streak of consecutive winning records also competes at the D-III level in Ithaca (N.Y.), whose Bombers will take a run of 39 straight winning seasons into this season.


Dating back to 1961, Linfield is 27-17 all time in postseason play, including a 12-5 mark in NCAA playoff games dating back to 2000. Prior to joining the NCAA, Linfield won three NAIA Division II national championships in 1982, 1984, and 1986.


Another current NWC program with a rich history is Pacific Lutheran (Wash.). From 1969-2004, the Lutes recorded 36 straight winning seasons, winning three NAIA titles (1980, 1987, 1993) along the way. The coach most responsible for the success of the PLU program during most of that 36-year period was former head coach Frosty Westering. From 1972 until his retirement in 2003, Westering compiled a career record of 261-70-5 (.784). In 40 seasons overall as a head coach, he was 305-96-7 (.765).

Looking ahead to 2010, the Boxers of Pacific University (Ore.) will take the football field for the first time in almost two decades, while another current NWC member, George Fox (Ore.) will restart its own program starting in 2013 after an absence of more than four decades.

Website: http://www.nwcsports.com/

Predicted order of finish (2009 overall record in parentheses, projected champion in BOLD type)

1. Linfield (12-1): The Wildcats will look to win their fifth national championship overall, and first since 2004. They had their best season since then in 2009, losing to eventual national champion Wisconsin-Whitewater in the national semifinals.

2. Willamette (8-2): The Bearcats bring back eight offensive and six defensive starters into the fold for 2010.

3. Whitworth (5-5): The Pirates will found out quickly how good they are when they open the 2010 season against nationally ranked Hardin-Simmons on September 4.

4. Pacific Lutheran (3-6): The Lutes have had only two winning seasons in the six years they've played under current head coach Scott Westering.

5. Lewis & Clark (2-7): The Pioneers struggled to a 1-5 mark in NWC action last season. Their last winning season was in 1995, when they finished 5-4.

6. Puget Sound (0-9): After a winless season in 2009, the Loggers are looking to win in 2010.

7. Pacific (n/a): The Boxers make their return to the gridiron on September 4, when they face Puget Sound in a non-conference contest. It'll be their first game since 1991.