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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, February 25, 2002

Mountain West Conference could ask UH to join

By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Staff Writer

Speculation is accelerating that the Mountain West Conference will expand and the University of Hawai'i will be invited to join what could become a 10-team league.

An invitation could come as soon as this summer for expansion, which could take place for the 2003-04 season.

Although the eight-member MWC, which is composed of schools that left the Western Athletic Conference in 1999, has had a moratorium on expansion in place, that could be lifted at any time.

"I have heard the speculation that the Mountain West is talking about expanding, and Hawai'i and Fresno are the names I've heard most often," said Scott Johnson, Fresno State athletic director. "I have said since the day I took the (FSU) job we have to be prepared for all options."

UH Athletic Director Hugh Yoshida said, "We're just concentrating on improving our program so ... whatever happens down the road, we'll have some options."

People familiar with the MWC said expansion consideration, which they said has been "unofficially discussed" to date, has been given further impetus by several recent developments, including:

• The Bowl Championship Series. The MWC wants a seat at the lucrative BCS table and an opportunity to compete for the national title in football, which the BCS controls. The BCS has reportedly told the MWC that as an eight-school league it is too small.

• Division I-A requirements. The NCAA is expected to adopt stricter standards for I-A membership and some teams in the MWC might have difficulty fulfilling the minimum of five home games versus I-A opponents without expansion.

• ESPN. There have been reports the MWC will need more television reach to negotiate favorable terms for its next contract. The current contract expires in 2006.

The Fresno Bee newspaper, citing sources in the MWC, reported UH has emerged as the "early favorite" for an invitation. The Bee quoted a source as saying, "Utah and (Brigham Young) are pushing big time for Hawai'i and Fresno State."

The MWC holds its spring meetings in April and the push for expansion could come then, although it is not on the agenda, said Val Hale, BYU athletic director.

"Expansion is something that would have to come from the presidents," Hale said.

"It doesn't surprise me that they are going to be talking about it (expansion)," said Karl Benson, WAC commissioner. "They talked about it last year. Every conference in the country does."

The earliest a WAC member would be free to leave under conference bylaws is 2003-04 because a school must state its intention by Sept. 1 a year prior to departure.

Teams in the Mountain West are Air Force, Brigham Young, Colorado State, Nevada-Las Vegas, New Mexico, San Diego State, Utah and Wyoming.

Other teams in the WAC are Boise State, Fresno State, Louisiana Tech, Nevada, Rice, San Jose State, Southern Methodist, Texas-El Paso and Tulsa.