The conference’s precursor was essentially a series of home and home games held between Alberta, Saskatchewan and occasionally Manitoba. For years, the league was known as the Inter Varsity championship and its victor awarded the Rigby Cup. The round-robin appears to have been inaugurated in the 1918-19 season when Alberta and Saskatchewan held a home and home series, won by Saskatchewan with a cumulative point total of 69-47.
Over the course of early years, some form of regular schedule was held. Occasionally that was round robin. But in other years, a tourney or even a single game challenge was held, as in 1921-22, when financial difficulties prevented any travel except for one sudden death game between Saskatchewan and Manitoba held in Winnipeg, which saw the Bisons take the Rigby Cup with a last minute rally. In other years, point differential was the determination, as in 26-27, when Saskatchewan beat Alberta by 12 in overtime and Manitoba beat Alberta by six, giving scheduling the Rigby Cup by virtue of its “blowout”. But point differential wasn’t always the deciding factor.
The University of Alberta began playing basketball in 1910-11, generally exhibition games against the YMCA or Alberta College (St. Steven’s College). The Bears participated in the city league and commenced competition in what was called at Intercollegiate League in 1917, featuring teams comprised of Strathcona High, Victoria High, Alberta College and the U of A. In 1918, the campus was completely closed due to an influenza outbreak. In 1919, Alberta played its first game against another university, the University of Saskatchewan.
The league was officially formed in April 1920 by representatives of the University of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, established as the Western Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union. Typically, the universities simultaneously competed in city and provincial leagues.
HISTORY OF CANADA WEST EXPANSION
School / former conference / joined Canada West
Alberta / WCIAU / charter member – 1971
Brandon / GPAC / 2001-02
UBC / WCIAU / charter member – 1971
UBC Okanagan / BCCAA / 2010-11
Calgary / WCIAU / charter member – 1971
Fraser Valley / BCCAA / 2006-07
Lethbridge / WCIAU / charter member – 1971
MacEwan / ACAC / 2013-14
Manitoba / GPAC / 2001-02
Mount Royal / ACAC / 2011-12
UNBC / BCCAA / 2011-12
Regina / GPAC / 2001-02
Saskatchewan / WCIAU / charter member – 1971
Simon Fraser 2001-2010
Thompson Rivers / BCCAA / 2005-06
Trinity Western / BCCAA / 1999-00
Victoria / WCIAU / charter member – 1971
Winnipeg / GPAC / 2001-02