Mountain West Conference facts for kids
The Mountain West Conference (often called MW or MWC) is a group of colleges and universities located in the western United States. These schools compete against each other in various sports. They are part of the top level of college sports, known as NCAA Division I. In football, the MW is part of the highest division, called FBS.
This sports league began in 1999. Eight schools decided to leave the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) to create the Mountain West. Most of these schools had been part of the WAC before it expanded greatly in 1996.
Later, there were talks about the Mountain West and another league, Conference USA, joining together. This was planned for the 2013–14 school year. However, they decided not to fully merge because of money issues. Instead, they planned to work together for scheduling games and TV broadcasts. But after both leagues added more schools, they decided not to go ahead with that plan either.
Contents
Who Plays in the Mountain West?
Current Full Members
Eleven schools are "full members" of the Mountain West. This means they play almost all of their sports within this conference.
| School | Location | Type | Joined MW | Nickname |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States Air Force Academy (Air Force) |
Colorado Springs, Colorado | Federal | 1999 | Falcons |
| Boise State University | Boise, Idaho | Public | 2011 | Broncos |
| California State University, Fresno (Fresno State) |
Fresno, California | Public | 2012 | Bulldogs |
| Colorado State University | Fort Collins, Colorado | Public | 1999 | Rams |
| University of Nevada, Reno (Nevada) | Reno, Nevada | Public | 2012 | Wolf Pack |
| University of New Mexico | Albuquerque, New Mexico | Public | 1999 | Lobos |
| San Diego State University | San Diego, California | Public | 1999 | Aztecs |
| San Jose State University | San Jose, California | Public | 2013 | Spartans |
| University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) | Las Vegas, Nevada | Public | 1999 | Rebels |
| Utah State University | Logan, Utah | Public | 2013 | Aggies |
| University of Wyoming | Laramie, Wyoming | Public | 1999 | Cowboys & Cowgirls |
Associate Members
Two schools are "associate members." This means they play only one or a few sports in the Mountain West, while most of their other sports are played in a different league.
| School | Location | Type | Joined MW | MW Sport | Nickname | Main Conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (Hawaiʻi) |
Honolulu, Hawaii | Public | 2012 | Football | Rainbow Warriors | Big West Conference |
| Colorado College | Colorado Springs, Colorado | Private | 2014 | Women's soccer | Tigers | Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (NCAA Division III) |
Former Members of the MW
Some schools that used to be part of the Mountain West Conference have since left to join other leagues.
| School | Location | Type | Joined MW | Left MW | Nickname | Current Conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brigham Young University (BYU) |
Provo, Utah | Private | 1999 | 2011 | Cougars | West Coast Conference |
| Texas Christian University (TCU) |
Fort Worth, Texas | Private | 2005 | 2012 | Horned Frogs | Big 12 Conference |
| University of Utah | Salt Lake City, Utah | Public | 1999 | 2011 | Utes | Pacific-12 Conference |
Images for kids
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Locations of Mountain West Conference members.
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Craig Thompson was hired as the first commissioner of the Mountain West on October 15, 1998. He used to be the commissioner of the Sun Belt Conference.
See also
In Spanish: Mountain West Conference para niños
