Mountain West Conference

Mountain West Conference. The Mountain West Conference is a NCAA Division I FBS collegiate athletic conference founded in 1999. Comprising 11 member institutions primarily from the Western United States, it sponsors competition in 19 sports and is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The conference is known for its competitive football and basketball programs and has produced numerous nationally ranked teams and individual champions.

History

The conference was formed on May 26, 1999, by eight institutions that withdrew from the 16-member Western Athletic Conference seeking greater stability and regional focus. The founding members were Brigham Young University, the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado State University, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), the University of New Mexico, San Diego State University, the University of Utah, and Wyoming. The league began competition in the 1999–2000 academic year. Significant realignment occurred in the early 2010s, with the departure of Brigham Young University, the University of Utah, and Texas Christian University and the addition of Boise State University, Fresno State, the University of Nevada, and San José State University. The most recent change was the 2023 addition of San José State University as a full member.

Member institutions

The conference currently has 11 full member institutions. The full members are the United States Air Force Academy, Boise State University, Fresno State, Colorado State University, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), the University of New Mexico, the University of Nevada, San Diego State University, San José State University, Utah State University, and the University of Wyoming. The conference also includes several affiliate members for specific sports, such as the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa for football and Colorado College for women's soccer.

Sports sponsored

The conference sponsors championship competition in 10 men's and 9 women's NCAA sports. Men's sponsored sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, swimming & diving, tennis, and indoor and outdoor track & field. Women's sponsored sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, indoor and outdoor track & field, and volleyball. Notably, the conference does not sponsor ice hockey, wrestling, or rowing.

Conference champions

The conference crowns annual champions in each sponsored sport. In football, the champion is awarded the Mountain West Football Championship trophy. Programs like Boise State University and Texas Christian University have won multiple football titles. In men's basketball, teams such as the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), San Diego State University, and the University of New Mexico have been frequent champions. The conference has also seen individual national champions in sports like track and field and swimming.

Facilities

Member institutions compete in notable on-campus venues. Prominent football stadiums include Albertsons Stadium at Boise State University, Falcon Stadium at the United States Air Force Academy, and Canvas Stadium at Colorado State University. Major basketball and multi-purpose arenas include Viejas Arena at San Diego State University, the Thomas & Mack Center at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), and The Pit at the University of New Mexico. The conference also hosts its basketball championships at the Thomas & Mack Center and Viejas Arena.

Media coverage

The conference's media rights are held by CBS and Fox Sports. Primary coverage is through the CBS Sports Network and Fox Sports 1 cable channels, with select football games broadcast on CBS and Fox over-the-air networks. The conference's championship football game airs on Fox. Additional streaming coverage is provided through the Fox Sports app and CBS digital platforms. Radio rights are managed by Learfield. Category:NCAA Division I conferences Category:College sports conferences in the United States Category:Sports in the Western United States