Weber has been involved with athletics and sporting events from nearly the beginning. Men’s and women’s basketball started in 1902. The women’s team was cancelled in 1905, and was organized again in 1974. Baseball was sporadic in the first years of the 1900s. In 1903, the baseball team won the state championship against the University of Utah. Baseball was suspended during World War I, but returned in 1919, and eliminated again to comply with gender equality regulations stated in the Title IX legislation. The track team was first organized at Weber Stake Academy in 1907, and only consisted of male athletes. Track didn’t become an official Big Sky Conference program until 1979. Football was started in 1919. The men’s tennis has been playing since 1910, but has been a school team since 1927. Early in the 1970s, Weber responded to Title IX regulations by adding women’s sports, while dropping a couple men’s sports. Women’s softball was added as part of the Title IX compliance in 1972-1973, while volleyball, gymnastics, and basketball were added for the same reason in 1974-1975. Women’s soccer began in 1996. In 1978-1979, Weber added women’s tennis, golf, cross country, and track. Other sports like swimming, skiing, and wrestling have existed as intramural sports and school teams, but sporadically through the school’s history.

Weber joined the newly-created National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) when it was created in 1948. Weber has been competing in the Big Sky Conference since its beginning in 1963. Weber State became a charter member of the Mountain West Athletic Conference in 1982-1983.

Reed Swenson, a Weber employee from 1933-1971, contributed much to Weber and intercollegiate athletics as a coach and athletic director. He was the first athletic director at Weber from 1957-1968. He was also one of the founders of the NJCAA. As Weber State transitioned into a four-year institution, Swenson played a prominent role in that effort, and was one of the founders of the Big Sky Conference in 1963. He was inducted into the WSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1989.

Swenson was followed by Dale Gardner as director of athletics (1968-1977; WSU Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, 2008). During his time as director, the Wildcats won five Big Sky Conference men’s basketball championships, and made five NCAA Tournament appearances. Gardner was a driving force behind the construction of the Dee Events Center. After retiring as athletic director, Gardner served as the director of the Dee Events Center from 1977-1987.

Gary Crompton succeeded Gardner as director (1977-1988; WSU Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, January 1996). Crompton served as athletic director during times of much success. Under Crompton’s guidance and supervision, the Wildcats won the Big Sky Conference All-Sports Trophy in 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983 and 1985. Between 1978 and 1985, Weber State produced 24 men’s Big Sky championship teams as well as four women’s championship teams. “The Wildcats advanced to the NCAA Tournament in men’s basketball in 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1983, and participated in the NCAA Division I-AA Football Playoffs in 1987. Also, the Weber State women’s golf program won the AIAW National Championship in 1982. Weber State hosted the NCAA Basketball Tournament during 1980, 1983 and 1986.” (http://www.weberstatesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=8600&ATCLID=209927474).

Mike Price (1988-1989) and Richard Hannan (1989-1992) followed Crompton as directors. Tom Stewart was selected as Hannan’s replacement in May 1992, and stepped down in 1995. Dutch Belnap took over in 1995 and retired in 1997. John Johnson (1997-2004) followed Belnap. Under Johnson the Wildcats captured five Big Sky Conference Combined All-Sports Trophies. Johnson worked hard to upgrade the athletic physical facilities which included the completion of a new Strength and Conditioning Center, new football locker room and athletic training area, weight training facility in the Dee Events Center, and resurfacing the tennis and outdoor track facilities. Jerry Graybeal held the position from 2004-2009, when he was replaced by Jerry Bovee (2009-present).

Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendments, provides for gender equity in programs and activities, including athletics. Protections include, but are not limited to, gender discrimination in access to classes, courses, or other learning activities, sexual harassment or bullying, and unequal, gender-based treatment in co-curricular activities such as athletics and student leadership. Weber State nearly had to give up its football program in the 1993-1994 season to comply with the regulations. However, men’s wrestling and soccer were eliminated in order to equalize the number of men’s teams compared to women’s.