UH is joining the MWC for football-only, all other sports going to the Big West!

About how they aren't going to have the official announcement about the MWC for awhile but they are confident that the deal is done, UH President M.R.C. Greenwood said:
"We have no reason to believe this is not going to move on a positive trajectory and that we will not have the official announcement (of agreement)." (HSA)


The Presidents of the MWC schools met yesterday by conference call and a spokesman for the MWC said:
"The Mountain West Conference Board of Directors has authorized Commissioner Craig Thompson to begin discussions with the University of Hawaii regarding possible membership in the sport of football only." (HSA)


HSA Note: "Sources familiar with the process said the MWC membership has already been polled and is agreeable to UH's entrance under certain conditions, which are believed to include travel subsidies. UH has indicated the subsidies, which will underwrite conference opponents coming to play in Aloha Stadium, will not be a problem."


JD said that he asked Dennis Hirota (Vice Chairman of the Board of Regents):
"to pinch me so I'd know I wasn't dreaming." (HSA)


HSA Note: "Signs last night pointed to the expected agreement having grown out of initial back-channel work done by UH Vice President Rockne Freitas and former UH administrator Neal Smatresk, who is president of the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, an original MWC member. Greenwood and others made prominent mention of their "key" involvement as part of the "UH team" that has brought what is described as a "string agreement in principle" to the table. Smatresk was UH's chief academic officer from 2004-07 when he left for UNLV, where he became president in 2009 and now occupies a key role with the MWC Board of Directors."


Hirota said that when Greenwood briefed the UH Board of Regents at a meeting earlier in the day:
"everyone was very happy." (HSA)


HSA Note: "There were reports of some high-fives among regents, such was the relief after months of growing concern about where recent conference shake-ups had left the state's only NCAA Division I athletic program."


About how the WAC's announcement of adding Texas State and UT-San Antonio was going to make their geographic problems worse, JD said:
"The WAC was moving more geography-wise toward the middle of the country, which is more difficult for us on travel and more expensive." (HSA)


JD said that the new WAC would mean:
"having less and less known rivalries with teams that were going to be in the WAC." (HSA)


About how UH has a long history with the teams in the MWC, JD said:
"You look at Air Force, UNLV, San Diego State, Boise State, Nevada, Fresno State ... these are the schools that our fans resonate with. And we're going to be joining them and playing against them. That will help us at the gate and help (in recruiting)." (HSA)


About the problem their leaving will cause the WAC, JD said:
"we're obviously concerned about our colleagues out there, but the reality is that we're charged with doing what is best for (UH) and that's what we're doing." (HSA)


About how UH had *not* informed him that they were leaving before holding their press conference, Karl Benson said that he was "surprised" and:
"I've been surprised before." (HSA)


About UH's deadline to let the WAC know they are leaving, JD said:
"We need to notify the WAC by June 30 of 2011." (HSA)


About how the people of Hawaii should be happy with this change, JD said:
"The people in the state of Hawaii should be very positive about this and be convinced we have a bright future ahead of us." (HSA)


Greenwood said that UH has been asked to:
"enter discussions for the Warrior Football team to join the Mountain West Conference." (HSA)


About how MWC Commissioner Craig Thompson called UH earlier in the day, Greenwood said:
"The commissioner asked (UH) to begin discussions with the aim of the football team entering the conference as soon as possible." (HSA)


About how their team is excited about going to the MWC, Mack said:
"Our players and coaches are very excited." (HSA)


About how the volleyball team will benefit from playing in the Big West, Dave Shoji said:
"I think it's a positive for all our other teams, not just volleyball. I think most of our coaches would agree with that. It's closer, we all recruit in California. It will help recruiting. It will renew some old rivalries and I'm sure our fans would be happy to see those (Big West) teams again." (HSA)

"I think it's a positive for all our other teams. I think most of our coaches would agree with that. I'm sure our fans would be happy to see those (Big West) teams again." (HSA)


About the changes, UH basketball head coach Gib Arnold said:
"I'm excited for the football team. We will wait and and see what the next move is for the other sports." (HSA)


About moving to the MWC, JD said:
"The important thing, is we're going to the dance. That's always been the most important thing in my life. I'm a former offensive lineman, and no matter what it takes, we try to get the job done. We don't expect a lot of fanfare. We just want to get the job done." (HSA)


About how they have been scrambling ever since Fresno State and Nevada decided to leave the WAC, JD said:
"The day after Fresno and Nevada announced they were going to move, we made contacts with many conferences and many different entities." (HSA)


HSA Note: "He said that there were "realistically" five different scenarios, one of which involved the football team competing as an independent."


HSA Note: "UH president M.R.C. Greenwood and the leaders of the Board of Regents apparently pushed negotiations with the Mountain West."


About UH's strengths, UH chancellor Virginia Hinshaw said:
"Academically, we're very strong. We're also highly competitive in a multitude of sports. We offer a different time slot (for national television). Our fans travel to games, and we have a lot of alumni on the mainland. People are aware of the many assets that Hawaii and our teams bring." (HSA)


About how playing MWC teams will boost ticket sales, marketing, and merchandising, UH associate AD John McNamara said:
"It will be back to the future. The teams we'll be playing going forward are schools our fans are very familiar with." (HSA)


About how being in the MWC will help their recruiting, Mack said:
"It's really going to help recruiting. Our players are really excited about it. I like the recruiting areas. I like the old rivalries being back together." (HSA)


About how more conference shifting will happen in the future, Mack said:
"I think there's going to be another earthquake. It will be good to be in a solid league when that happens." (HSA)


HSA Note: "UH, of course, is not finished. Donovan said the intent is to move UH's other sports into the Big West, which recently lifted its moratorium on expansion. "It's not a done deal," Donovan cautioned, but said the Big West offers a better fit. He said the Mountain West was approached with only UH football seeking membership."


http://www.staradvertiser.com/sports/sportsnews/20101119_League_switches_welcomed.html

http://www.staradvertiser.com/columnists/furtherreview/20101119_Do_you_believe_in_miracles_Yes_if_youre_a_UH_fan.html

http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/hawaiinews/20101119_UH_leaving_WAC.html

http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/109083259.html