Hawaii is becoming a full-time member of the Mountain West.
The conference announced Tuesday that Hawaii would join the conference in all sports from the Big West. The Warriors currently play football in the Mountain West but are Big West members in every other sport. The move comes as the Mountain West is reshuffling following the Pac-12’s purge. The Pac-12 is adding Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State and San Diego State from the Mountain West in 2026.
“This is a momentous day for University of Hawai‘i Athletics,” Hawaii athletic director Craig Angelos said in a statement. “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 historic rivalries, creates opportunities for increased exposure, and provides stability in the constantly evolving world of collegiate athletics.”
Hawaii will be the eighth full-time member of the Mountain West after UTEP announced that it was joining the conference in 2026 earlier this month. In addition to football and men’s and women’s basketball, Hawaii will be a MWC member in 12 other sports.
According to multiple outlets in Hawaii, the Warriors’ move also means the school will no longer have to provide travel subsidies to other MWC football teams. The current football-only agreement has Hawaii subsidizing travel costs for MWC teams who play away games in Honolulu.
Though Hawaii gives the MWC an all-important eighth full-time member in 2026, the conference could continue to add teams. Adding at least one more team would allow every school in the conference to play at least eight conference games against different opponents. As it stands, teams would only be able to play seven conference games in 2026 without playing an opponent a second time.
