The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) Miners will officially join the Mountain West Conference in 2026, it was announced on Tuesday.
UTEP will officially join the Mountain West on July 1, 2026 and will compete in the conference in all sports.
“We are excited to welcome The University of Texas at El Paso to the Mountain West as the next step in our strategic membership initiatives,” said MW Commissioner Gloria Nevarez. “The addition of UTEP restores historic rivalries with several of our member institutions within the geographic footprint and provides valuable exposure in the great State of Texas. We welcome and look forward to competing against the student-athletes of UTEP.”
The addition of UTEP will bring the rebuilding Mountain West’s membership roster up to seven full members and eight football-playing schools. UTEP will join Air Force, Hawaii (football only), Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State, UNLV, and Wyoming.
“There’s no doubt this will be better for our student-athletes, our fans, and for El Paso,” said UTEP President Heather Wilson. “We look forward to rekindling former rivalries and welcoming teams and their fans to El Paso.”
UTEP has competed in Conference USA since 2005. The Miners were previously members of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) from 1968 through 2004.
“We are honored to be invited to the Mountain West Conference,” said UTEP Vice President and Director of Athletics Jim Senter. “I know the Miners will feel right at home with the other quality athletic programs in this great conference.”
The Mountain West now only needs to add one additional full member to its roster to meet the NCAA requirement of eight members. Reports have indicated that the conference is in discussions with the Texas State Bobcats of the Sun Belt Conference, as well as the Tarleton State Texans from the Southland Conference in the FCS.
Sources: Texas State officials have received a verbal offer to join the Mountain West. A decision is expected in the upcoming days, as the talks continue. The Pac-12 has also expressed interest, but that has yet to yield an offer.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) September 28, 2024
The Mountain West has held deep and serious discussions with FCS Tarleton State, sources tell @YahooSports. MWC needs one more full member to qualify as a conference.
Talks between the Texas-based FCS school and the conference have progressed.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) October 1, 2024
Early last month, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, and San Diego State each accepted offers to join the Pac-12 Conference in 2026. Then last week, the Utah State Aggies followed suit and announced their eventual move from the Mountain West to the Pac-12.
This move feels overdue, should have happened about 10 years ago.
I hope NMSU joins them.
Welcome to Mountain West UTEP.
New Mexico State should join the MW too.
It has been over 70 years since UNM, NMSU and UTEP were all in the same conference.
This is a worthless addition as UTEP doesn’t bring anything to the table football wise and football drives conferences.
This seems like a throw a handful of mud at the wall and take what sticks. Now if UTSA and Texas State would have joined,the MW have had a slim chance but UTEP is not bringing anything to a new TV deal.