Hawaii joining MWC for football in 2012

It was only a matter of time before Hawaii's football program formalized its jump to the Mountain West Conference.

Three weeks after reports that the Warriors would make the move, the school announced Friday it will leave the Western Athletic Conference in 2012. Hawaii's other sports will move to the Big West Conference.

UNLV president Neal Smatresk was vice chancellor of academic affairs at Hawaii from 2004 to 2007.

"Neal was a key player and a champion in getting the University of Hawaii into the Mountain West Conference," said Howard Karr, chairman of Hawaii's board of regents.

The WAC has been in disarray after a raid by the Mountain West, which will admit Boise State next year and UNR and Fresno State in 2012.

But the MWC is also in flux. Next year Utah leaves for the new Pac-12 Conference and Brigham Young becomes a football independent. League football champion Texas Christian moves to the Big East in 2012.

No. 24 Hawaii is 10-3 this season and will host Tulsa (9-3) in the Hawaii Bowl on Dec. 24.

"Hawaii's outstanding football program and television value fit perfectly with the MWC's strategic initiatives for the future direction of the conference," Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson said in a statement.

Hawaii will give the Mountain West 10 football members; a league must have 12 to play a conference championship.

"We are certainly discussing expansion," Smatresk said by text message.

There has also been talk about a partnership with Conference USA in which the league champions would play each other for a possible Bowl Championship Series spot.