Since the beginning of intercollegiate competition, CWU’s Department of Athletics has established a strong tradition of excellence. From its early days as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics to its current membership with the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II, Wildcat athletes and teams have been perennially ranked among the leaders in the conference, region, and nation athletically and academically.

In 2012:

• The CWU football team won its seventh Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) championship in 10 years, head coach Blaine Bennett was named GNAC co-coach of the year, and linebacker Stan Langlow was named the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year
• Women’s volleyball was among the eight teams selected for the NCAA Division II West Region tournament
• Women's soccer earned its third straight NSCAA Team Academic Award 
• Women’s cross country had a top-10 finish at the NCAA Division II West Region championships
• Men’s basketball coach Greg Sparling, a CWU alumnus and former Wildcat player, earned his 300th career victory
• Women’s basketball is among the nation’s leader in three-point-shots made per game
• Pitcher Brandon Rohde was drafted by the Atlanta Braves
• Pole vaulter Kati Davis earned All-American honors for the third straight year
• Four softball players were named to the GNAC Academic All-Conference team.

Leo and Dean Nicholson combined to win 1,114 basketball games at CWU -- a record for a father-son duo at the same institution.