Mountain West Issues Statement After Reports Of AAC Interest In Teams

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Mountain West Conference issued a statement on its membership after multiple reports stated that the league would remain intact following interest in multiple schools from the American Athletic Conference.

On Friday, October 1, Yahoo! Sports was first to report that Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, and San Diego State would remain members of the Mountain West.

The four schools were reportedly courted by the AAC over the past month.

Shortly after the reports surfaced, the MWC board of directors issued the following statement:

“The trailblazing Western institutions of higher education in the Mountain West Conference are proud of our academic excellence, the strength of our athletics programs and the splendor of our campuses, and today we are announcing our collective commitment to membership in the Mountain West. The success and positive trajectories of our respective members have created opportunities for many of our universities, yet we collectively believe in the strength and shared spirit of the Mountain West and in the future possibilities for our Conference. Close collaboration will continue as we identify the best path forward for the Mountain West within the evolving landscape of intercollegiate athletics. That will include aggressively pursuing strategic initiatives and amplifying our collective brand. We enthusiastically look forward to continuing to provide Mountain West student-athletes with world-class academic, personal growth and athletics experiences in the nation’s top Non-Autonomy Five conference.”

Conference Realignment Statement from the Mountain West Board of Directors pic.twitter.com/3sq2fnG3wO

— Mountain West (@MountainWest) October 1, 2021

According to reports, Air Force and Colorado State had more interest in leaving the MWC than Boise State and SDSU.

Sources: Air Force and Colorado State will also be staying in the Mountain West. They had been heavily courted and considered the AAC, along with Boise State and San Diego State. All four schools will remain in the Mountain West.

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) October 1, 2021

The AAC has reportedly been looking to add two to four new members to its conference. The conference is looking to reload after three of its best programs bolted for the Big 12 Conference. In September, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF joined BYU in accepting invitations to join the Big 12.

Air Force & Colorado State remaining in Mountain West & will not join AAC, sources told @ActionNetworkHQ. 1st report by Yahoo. Air Force wanted move to AAC because of bigger markets, source said, but duo will stay keeping league intact. Huge for MW’s future moving forward

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) October 1, 2021

Air Force and Colorado State are two of the MWC’s founding members when the league was created in 1999.

Boise State and San Diego State are reportedly hoping to obtain invites to the Big 12 or Pac-12 Conference in the future. Staying in the Mountain West for the time being would prevent the schools from having to pay multiple exit fees.

Source confirms Boise State, San Diego State, Air Force and Colorado State are sticking with the Mountain West over the AAC.

Some thoughts on how this played out and where the AAC turns next: https://t.co/K0Q6LO4gNF

— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) October 1, 2021

Mountain West & Conference Expansion

Like many leagues, the Mountain West has experienced conference realignment during the past few decades.

After the league was formed in 1999, it remained stable until the addition of TCU in 2005.

Utah and BYU became the Mountain West’s first departures in 2011 when the Utes went to the Pac-12 and the Cougars became an FBS independent.

Boise State joined the conference in 2011 before TCU left in 2012.

In 2012, the Mountain West added Fresno State, Hawaii (football), and Nevada.

A year later, the conference added San Jose State and Utah State.

The Mountain West hasn’t added any full-time members since the Spartans and Aggies in 2013.