Conference realignment: Big West snags former WAC program ahead of pending 2026 departures

The Big West Conference welcomed Utah Valley University as its newest team for the 2026-27 season. UVU confirmed the move on its team page on Instagram, revealing its logo side by side with the emblem of the Big West Conference.

Beginning on July 1, 2026, the Wolverines will officially join the conference, which includes Cal Poly, Cal State Bakersfield, Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, CSUN, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara and California Baptist.

"This is a transformative opportunity for our department," said UVU Director of Athletics Dr. Jared Sumsion. "The invitation to join The Big West is a culmination of UVU's expansive growth and athletic success."

Sumsion added that the university is proud to team up with well-established and successful institutions in the Big West.

"The Big West is an elite conference that reflects the academic, athletic, and geographic profile we've worked hard to build. We are thrilled to align with its membership and to bring the Big West to the Utah mountains," the athletic director said.

The transfer to the Big West will have UVU competing in 13 sports namely baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's outdoor track and field and women's volleyball.

With the development, UVU will play its last season with the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) in 2025-26. They joined the WAC in 2013 and had won 33 regular-season and tournament championships, including the Commissioner's Cup in 2020, and four consecutive WAC Academic Excellence Awards from 2021 to 2024.

---

UVU Wolverines men's basketball team hopes to surpass 2024-25 performance in final WAC stint

The UVU Wolverines men's basketball team is looking to improve on its performance next season in its last year in the WAC.

Under third-year coach Todd Phillips, Utah Valley topped the WAC regular season with a 15-1 record, two games ahead of second-placed Grand Canyon.

They had a chance to secure a historic outright NCAA Tournament bid but fell short in the WAC Tournament final, losing to the Lopes 89-82.

The Wolverines were selected to compete in the NIT, but San Francisco ousted them in the first round 79-70.

Phillips and his men will play a 14-game conference schedule where they'll play Abilene Christian, Grand Canyon, California Baptist, UT Arlington, Utah Tech, Tarleton and Southern Utah twice in a home-and-away clash this season.

UVU is also set to take on Western Colorado and Weber State in non-conference regular season clashes in November 2025 and December 2025, respectively.