BY TINA SHELTON – HONOLULU – University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood announced tonight that UH has been asked to enter discussions for the Warrior Football team to join the Mountain West Conference.
The overture came in a telephone call to Greenwood earlier today from Mountain West Commissioner Craig Thompson at the conference’s headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
“The commissioner asked the University of Hawai‘i to begin discussions with the aim of the football team entering the conference as soon as possible,” said Greenwood.
From his Colorado office, Thompson added, “This inquiry is a continued effort to grow the Mountain West Conference.”
“As you may know, the Mountain West Conference is in its 12th year, and it is an innovative and successful conference,” said Greenwood. “For example, it was the first in the country to establish a sports television network dedicated solely to an intercollegiate athletic conference.”
The Mountain West includes eight teams who compete in all major college sports. It already has announced plans to expand to 10 teams by 2012, with the addition of Boise State University, Nevada and Fresno State.
Teams currently in the Mountain West include Air Force, Brigham Young, Colorado State, New Mexico, San Diego State, TCU, UNLV, Utah and Wyoming. Utah and Brigham Young are leaving next season, and Boise State will join next season. Fresno State and Nevada will join the conference in 2012.