UTEP ‘honored’ to join rebuilt Mountain West Conference

UTEP has officially joined the Mountain West Conference, the league announced Tuesday. The Miners will begin competing for all-conference play in the 2026-27 academic year.

UTEP, which has been in deep talks with the Mountain West in recent days, warned Conference USA officials about leaving the league before Tuesday’s announcement, sources told ESPN.

UTEP was an obvious target for the Mountain West based on its location and the school’s athletic tradition for a variety of sports. The school gives the Mountain West a highly coveted addition to Texas as the league realigns after five schools announced they were moving to the Pac-12.

“We are excited to welcome The University of Texas at El Paso to the Mountain West as the next step in our strategic membership initiative,” Mountain West Commissioner Gloria Nevarez said in a statement Tuesday. “The addition of UTEP restores historic rivalries with some of our member institutions within the geographic footprint and provides valuable exposure to the great state of Texas. We welcome and look forward to competing against UTEP’s student-athletes.”

UTEP’s addition gives the league seven full-time members — joining UNLV, San Jose State, Wyoming, Nevada, New Mexico and Air Force. The Mountain West needs to make eight members to become an official conference. (Hawaii is a football-only member.) Recently, Utah State, Boise State, San Jose State, San Diego State and Fresno State announced their departures.

“I know the Miners will feel right at home with the other quality athletic programs in this great conference,” said UTEP Vice President and Director of Athletics Jim Center.

In UTEP, the Mountain West will get a school with a strong football and basketball pedigree. UTEP’s football opener against Southern Utah drew 41,633 fans to the Sun Bowl.

“There’s no doubt this will be better for our student-athletes, our fans and El Paso,” added UTEP President Heather Wilson. “We look forward to welcoming former rivalries and teams and their fans back to El Paso.”

In football, UTEP has reached 15 bowl games; Former coaches include Bum Phillips and Mike Price. UTEP is currently in Conference USA, where it has resided since 2005, when it jumped from the WAC.

UTEP’s basketball history is even stronger, as it has appeared in 17 NCAA Tournaments and won the national championship in 1966, when the school was known as Texas Western. The Miners were the first African American players to win five national titles. That team’s coach, Don Haskins, is in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

UTEP has a strong fan base and El Paso, Texas has a population of approximately 679,000, making it one of the 25 most populous cities in the United States.

Mountain West also issued a verbal offer to Texas State in recent days, according to sources. No clarity or timeline has emerged on the state of Texas’ decision. The Pac-12 has expressed interest in Texas State, sources said..