The University of Hawaiʻi is joining the Mountain West Conference as a full member effective July 1, 2026. Travel subsidies for conference opponents will be phased out as part of the new membership and the exit fee from the Big West Conference will be covered. Since 2012, UH has been competing in the Mountain West in football and in the Big West for most of its other men’s and women’s sports teams.
“The University of Hawaiʻi is honored to accept full membership in the Mountain West Conference, marking a pivotal moment in our athletic program’s history.” said UH President David Lassner. “While we are sad to leave so many amazing colleagues and competitors in the Big West, this expanded partnership will build on our strong football relationship and securely position us to thrive with our Mountain West colleagues in the incredibly dynamic landscape of intercollegiate athletics. The move will also help strengthen our overall finances.”
The addition of UH as a full member of the conference gives the Mountain West eight full-time members, meeting the NCAA minimum requirement to be a Division I conference. The move comes after five schools announced in September that they are leaving the conference in 2026 and the University of Texas El Paso (UTEP) accepted an offer to join the Mountain West. The conference announced on September 26 that remaining schools signed a memorandum of understanding, affirming their current commitment to the conference and formally agreeing to negotiating and executing a six year media rights contract that would begin in July 2026.
“We are thrilled to welcome the University of Hawaiʻi to the Mountain West as a full-time member,” said MW Commissioner Gloria Nevarez. “Hawaiʻi has been a tremendous football-only member since 2012, and we’re excited to add their incredible national brand across all MW sports. As the flagship institution on the islands, with extraordinary academics and a celebrated athletics tradition, we look forward to providing their student-athletes with exceptional educational and athletic experiences.”
Beginning with the 2026–27 seasons, Hawaiʻi will compete in 15 conference-sponsored sports in the Mountain West. Women’s sports include basketball, cross country, golf, indoor and outdoor track & field, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis and volleyball. Men’s sports include basketball, baseball, football, golf, and tennis. The Mountain West does not sponsor beach volleyball, men’s volleyball, men’s swimming & diving, and women’s water polo. A formal decision on where those UH teams will compete will be determined in the coming months. UH’s co-ed and women’s sailing teams will continue their affiliation with the Pacific Coast Collegiate Sailing Conference.
“This is a momentous day for University of Hawaiʻi Athletics,” said UH Athletics Director Craig Angelos. “We’ve had the privilege of being a football-only member in the Mountain West for the last dozen years. Now the majority of our sports will enjoy the same experience of competing in this exceptional conference. Joining the Mountain West allows us to renew some historic rivalries, creates opportunities for increased exposure and provides stability in the constantly-evolving world of collegiate athletics.”
State leaders say they support the conference realignment.
“I’m encouraged that community leaders and the University of Hawaiʻi President and Athletics Director are on the same page with the current proposal to fully join the Mountain West Conference,” said Hawaiʻi Gov. Josh Green. “We are optimistic about moving forward with the MWC as it is a conference that we are familiar with, and will position UH athletics well moving forward.”
“As a proud University of Hawaiʻi alum, former player and coach, I have a deep connection to this institution and its future,” said Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi. “While I respect the decision to remain in the Mountain West Conference, I personally would have liked to see UH explore opportunities with the newly restructured Pac-12. However, I trust that UH leadership has made this decision with the best interests of the university and our community in mind, and I will continue to support them in representing Hawaiʻi with pride and strength.”
UH Mānoa is the only Division I athletics program in Hawaiʻi with approximately 500 student-athletes on 22 teams. The school became a member of the NCAA in 1946 and joined its first major intercollegiate conference in 1979. UH boasts six team national championships and 11 individual national champions in its history.
The other Mountain West Conference members as of July 2026 will be the United States Air Force Academy; University of Nevada, Reno; University of New Mexico; San José State University; University of Nevada, Las Vegas; the University of Wyoming; and UTEP.
