LIHU‘E — The University of Hawai‘i announced Friday that its sports teams will join the Big West Conference and the Mountain West Conference beginning with the 2012-13 season. The Warrior football team will become the tenth member of the MWC.
LIHU‘E — The University of Hawai‘i announced Friday that its sports teams will join the Big West Conference and the Mountain West Conference beginning with the 2012-13 season.
The Warrior football team will become the tenth member of the MWC. UH’s other sports programs, with the exception of sailing, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, and men’s volleyball, will join the BWC.
The invitation from the MWC came in a telephone call early Friday morning to UH President M.R.C. Greenwood from Commissioner Craig Thompson.
“The Mountain West Conference is very pleased to gain the University of Hawai‘i as a football-only member beginning with the 2012 season,” Thompson said. “Hawai‘i’s outstanding football program and television value fit perfectly with the MWC’s strategic initiatives for the future direction of the conference. We look forward to adding the Warriors to the MWC family.”
The move comes after other WAC members Boise State, Nevada and Fresno State also opted to leave the WAC and join up with the MWC. The WAC now has just eight schools for the 2012 season, with only seven having football programs.
“This is great news for our football program to be able to continue rivalries with Fresno State, Boise State and Nevada along with the other great programs of the Mountain West Conference,” head coach Greg McMackin said. “Our fans will enjoy the high level of competition in the league and our players will be able to play on a national scale. This is an exciting day for our football program and we look forward to success in the Mountain West Conference.”
Dr. Michael Drake, chancellor of the University of California-Irvine and chair of the Big West Board of Directors made the announcement.
“We are excited and pleased with the addition of Hawai‘i to the Big West Conference,” he said. “In assessing Hawai‘i, the Board carefully considered and was impressed by both its legacy of athletic success and its commitment to academic excellence.”
Big West Commissioner Dennis Farrell flew to Hawai‘i to take part in the Big West Conference announcement.
“It is a tremendous day for the Big West Conference,” he said. “I am personally thrilled because I remember well the participation of the University of Hawai‘i’s women’s sports teams in the past and really look forward to the revival of that competition.”
Greenwood discussed the process and the eventual invitations.
“We are so pleased that the discussions we announced were underway last month have now led to this pivotal step today,” she said. “The people of Hawai‘i deserve a first-rate athletics program. We have been overjoyed by the positive reaction our wonderful citizens have had to this possibility. Now that the invitations are official, we are even more delighted. We believe joining the Mountain West Conference will bring much joy to our football fans as well as contribute to the successful future that, by working together, we all seek to enhance at the University of Hawai‘i.”
Louisiana Tech, New Mexico State, San Jose State, Idaho, Utah State, Texas State, Texas-San Antonio and Denver (which does not play football) currently comprise the WAC’s membership for the 2012 seasons.
UH was the longest-tenured member of the conference.
“This is an historic day in UH Athletics,” said UH Athletics Director Jim Donovan. “As much as we have enjoyed our 31-year relationship with the Western Athletic Conference, this hybrid arrangement will allow us to continue traditional rivalries that our fans have grown to enjoy, and keep a footprint in the Western United States, where much of our recruiting base lies.”
The announcement at Bachman Hall was also attended by University of Hawai‘i at Manoa Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw, Coach McMackin and other UH head coaches.
“I’m excited for our program and am especially excited for our families and fans who will have the opportunity to come to more of our games on the Mainland,” said women’s volleyball head coach Dave Shoji. “We are looking forward to renewing some old rivalries as we have great history with Cal Poly, (Pacific) and Long Beach State. I think it will be a more competitive conference which will help with our RPI and our national prominence. We recruit heavily in California and this will enhance our chances to get top talent to come to play for the University of Hawai‘i. In terms of travel, it means just taking one flight instead of two or three plus a drive to get to our destination — it will be a lot easier on the team.”
Head basketball coach Gib Arnold is in his first year as Warriors coach, but believes the change will be helpful for the program.
“We’re looking forward to the new challenges that joining the Big West brings,” Arnold said. “We’ll be able to build new rivalries with other West Coast schools and it allows our student-athletes from California a greater opportunity to play in front of family and friends.”
The women’s basketball program echoed Arnold’s sentiments.
“The women’s basketball team is very excited to rejoin the Big West Conference,” said head coach Dana Takahara-Dias. “We have had prior success in the Big West, having won back-to-back conference titles in 1992-93 and 1993-94 and look to renew old rivalries. Geographically, it will offer our athletes much easier travel and will be able to spend more time in classes, as well.”
