| Above The Rest |
 
|
THIS IS THE MOUNTAIN WEST
From its inception in 1999, the Mountain West Conference has been committed to excellence in intercollegiate athletics, while promoting the academic missions of its member institutions. Progressive in its approach, the MWC continues to cultivate opportunities for student-athletes to compete at the highest level, while fostering academic achievement and sportsmanship. Now in its 12th year, the MWC has been assertive in its involvement with the NCAA governance structure and has taken a leadership role in the overall administration of intercollegiate athletics.
The Mountain West Conference has marked several achievements over its first 11 years of existence, most notably becoming the first to establish a sports television network dedicated solely to an intercollegiate athletic conference (The Mtn.). The Mountain West also was the first to experiment with the coaches challenge in the college football instant replay system, and was the first non-automatic-qualifying BCS conference to participate in and win two BCS bowl games. Additionally, the Mountain West was the first conference to have a member institution with No. 1 overall picks in both the NFL and NBA drafts in the same year (Utah's Alex Smith and Andrew Bogut, respectively in 2005). With San Diego State's Stephen Strasburg claiming the No. 1 pick in the 2009 MLB Draft, the Mountain West is one of two conferences to have the No. 1 selection in each of the NFL, NBA and MLB drafts since the MWC was founded in 1999. The Mountain West also ranks second in No. 1 draft picks in the NFL, NBA and MLB over the last six years with three overall.
The Mountain West Conference is noted for its geographic diversity. Some of the most beautiful terrain and landscapes in the nation can be found within Mountain West Conference boundaries, including the majestic Rocky Mountain range, which borders four MWC institutions (Air Force, BYU, Colorado State and Utah). The high plains of Wyoming (elevation 7,220 feet - the highest Division I campus in the nation) contrast with the desert city of Las Vegas (the fastest growing metropolitan area in the West) and the Pacific Ocean locale of San Diego State. The southwestern flavor of New Mexico complements the western heritage and culture of Fort Worth, Texas, home of the MWC's most recent member, TCU.
HISTORY
The Mountain West Conference was conceived on May 26, 1998, when the presidents of eight institutions - Air Force, BYU, Colorado State, New Mexico, San Diego State, UNLV, Utah and Wyoming - decided to form a new NCAA Division I-A intercollegiate athletic conference. The split from the former 16-team conference re-established continuity and stability among the membership within the new league and signaled the continuation of its tradition-rich, long-standing athletic rivalries. Five of the MWC's eight original members have been conference rivals since the 1960s (BYU, Utah, New Mexico, Wyoming, Colorado State), while San Diego State (1978) and Air Force (1980) were longtime members as well. UNLV and TCU entered the fold in 1996 and the Rebels continued as one of the original eight institutions that formed the MWC in 1999. TCU re-joined the group with its first year of competition in the Mountain West in 2005-06. On June 11, 2010, Commissioner Craig Thompson announced the addition of Boise State University to the Mountain West Conference, effective July 1, 2011.
When the MWC officially began operations on July 1, 1999, the new league had in place a seven-year contract with ESPN, giving the broadcaster exclusive national television rights to MWC football and men's basketball, and three-year agreements to send the league's football champion to the Liberty Bowl and a second team to the Las Vegas Bowl. Commissioner Craig Thompson also arranged a third bowl tie-in each of the first three years (1999 Motor City, 2000 Silicon Valley, 2001 New Orleans) before securing a four-year deal with the Emerald Bowl in San Francisco in 2002. Entering the 2011 season, the MWC has five contracted bowl affiliations - the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas, San Diego Country Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl, AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl, Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl and New Mexico Bowl.
An innovator in the postseason bowl structure, the MWC engineered many "firsts," as league teams have participated in five inaugural bowl games (2000 Silicon Valley, 2001 New Orleans, 2002 San Francisco (Emerald), 2005 Poinsettia, 2006 New Mexico), as well as placing the first non-automatic-qualifying BCS team into a BCS bowl game with Utah's appearance in the 2005 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
2009-10 IN REVIEW
From the gridiron to the diamond, Mountain West Conference teams enjoyed a banner year in 2009-10. For the third consecutive year, the MWC sent a record five football teams to bowl games, posting the best win percentage among the 11 FBS conferences for the third time in six years. The Mountain West finished with a 4-1 (.800) mark in postseason play and claimed the 2009-10 Bowl Challenge Cup, becoming the only conference to win the trophy three times since the award's inception in 2002-03. Three MWC teams were ranked in the final BCS Standings, Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN Coaches polls for the second straight year. TCU's No. 4 BCS ranking marked the highest finish by a non-automatic-qualifying team in the final BCS Standings, surpassing Utah's No. 6 ranking in both 2004 and 2008. The Horned Frogs' automatic bid to the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl marked the MWC's third BCS bowl game since 2004.
A league-record four men's basketball teams represented the Mountain West in the 2010 NCAA Tournament, marking the 10th time in the last 11 years the Conference has sent multiple teams to the Big Dance. San Diego State captured the MWC Tournament title to earn the league's automatic bid, while MWC regular-season champion New Mexico was joined by BYU and UNLV in receiving at-large invitations. Two MWC teams were ranked for eight consecutive weeks, and finished the season ranked in both of the Coaches' and Associated Press final polls for the first time in league history.
In women's basketball, TCU won the MWC regular-season title, while San Diego State captured the MWC Tournament crown and earned the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Aztecs became the fourth MWC team to advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament and the first to do so in its first appearance as a member of the league. Overall, the league had a record-tying six teams participate in postseason action, as TCU joined San Diego State in the NCAA Tournament, and a record four teams (BYU, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming) advanced to the Women's National Invitation Tournament.
The league secured at least one at-large bid to the NCAA women's volleyball tournament for the 11th consecutive year, as New Mexico and TCU joined MWC regular-season champion and automatic bid representative Colorado State in the postseason. The Rams became the third straight MWC squad to advance to the NCAA regional semifinals and finished the season with a No. 17 ranking in the AVCA Top 25 poll.
In women's soccer, San Diego State and BYU each advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Aztecs earned the league's automatic bid after clinching their first MWC Tournament title, while the MWC regular-season champion Cougars made their 10th NCAA appearance in 11 years by virtue of an at-large invitation.
Four MWC teams placed in the top 20 at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. The New Mexico men's squad finished eighth, while the BYU men turned in a 17th-place effort. On the women's side, the Lobos placed 13th, followed by the Cougars in 19th. New Mexico's Jacob Kirwa and BYU's Cecily Lemmon received All-American accolades after finishing 11th and 10th in their respective races.
Thirteen MWC student-athletes earned All-America honors at the 2010 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, including New Mexico's Lee Emanuel, who claimed the men's crown in the mile event for the second straight year.
Student-athletes from BYU, TCU and UNLV represented the MWC in the NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships, while BYU, San Diego State and Wyoming provided participants on the women's side in NCAA postseason action.
A league record-tying six MWC men's golf teams were invited to the 2010 NCAA Regionals, marking the 10th time in the last 11 years the league has sent at least five teams to the NCAA postseason. TCU and UNLV advanced to the NCAA Championships, giving the MWC two championship representatives for the seventh time in league history. A league-record five MWC women's golf teams received NCAA Regional bids, marking the seventh consecutive year the Mountain West has sent at least three teams to the postseason. New Mexico and TCU advanced to the 2010 NCAA Championships, giving the league at least two championship participants for the fourth straight year.
Multiple MWC women's tennis teams appeared in the NCAA Tournament for the ninth consecutive year with TCU, UNLV and Utah qualifying in 2010. For the second straight year, multiple MWC men's tennis teams also participated in the postseason, with BYU and TCU earning bids to the NCAA field. In addition, the league qualified another seven men and women for individual postseason competition.
San Diego State joined regular-season champion BYU in the NCAA Softball Championship, marking the seventh time in 11 years the league has had multiple teams selected for the postseason. The Cougars became the first team in Mountain West history to advance to the super regionals of the NCAA Softball Championship. BYU closed out the season with a No. 15 ranking in both of the USA Today/NFCA and ESPN.com/USA Softball polls, marking the highest finish by a MWC softball team in the league's 11-year history. Ten MWC student-athletes earned All-America honors at the 2010 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, including Air Force's Nick Frawley and BYU's Mindy McClurkin, who turned in third-place finishes in the men's pole vault and women's long jump, respectively.
After claiming both the MWC regular-season and tournament titles, TCU became the first Mountain West team to win a NCAA baseball super regional and advance to the College World Series. New Mexico earned an at-large invitation to NCAA postseason play, marking the second straight year the Mountain West sent multiple teams to the NCAA Baseball Championship.
Four Mountain West individuals received national player/coach of the year honors in their respective sports in 2009-10. TCU football student-athlete Jerry Hughes was the recipient of two awards, garnering the Lott Trophy (character/community service) and Ted Hendricks Award (top defensive end). Horned Frog baseball student-athlete Bryan Holaday was honored as the nation's top catcher, receiving the Johnny Bench Award. TCU head football coach Gary Patterson was named the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year, while Horned Frog baseball head coach Jim Schlossnagle earned National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Coach of the Year accolades.
EXPOSURE
The Mountain West Conference continues to receive unprecedented national television exposure through a combination of telecasts on The Mtn., CBS College Sports Network (formerly CSTV) and VERSUS. In 2009-10, 46 football, 94 men's basketball and 34 women's basketball Conference-controlled contests were broadcast nationally.
On August 26, 2004, CBS College Sports Network (formerly CSTV) and the Mountain West Conference announced a visionary partnership that revolutionized the college sports landscape. The landmark agreement was the first NCAA Division I football and men's basketball conference-wide deal for CSTV and provided the network exclusive rights to all Conference events, including cable and satellite television coverage, national over-the-air and satellite radio, video-on-demand and online broadcast rights.
In the summer of 2006, the centerpiece of this historic relationship was realized with the launch of The Mtn. - MountainWest Sports Network, the first sports network dedicated to serving a single collegiate athletic conference. Nearly 25,000 hours of MWC programming have aired on The Mtn. since the network's launch on Sept. 1, 2006, and over 260 MWC events are shown live annually through a combination of telecasts on The Mtn., CBS College Sports Network and VERSUS. CBS College Sports Network is currently in 38 million homes, and available in 89 million nationwide. VERSUS is in 79 million households across the U.S.
EDUCATION INITIATIVES
Not only is the MWC committed to the highest academic standards for its member institutions, the league also launched an education initiative utilizing the platform of college athletics to provide a relevant teaching resource for Kindergarten-through-8th grade students. This web-based learning program is available to every public and private, elementary and middle school in the seven-state MWC region, impacting more than 6.5 million students. Designed by Learning Through Sports, Inc., "Kid's College" captivates and motivates children using their favorite sports with Mountain West teams and mascots reinforcing skills taught in the classroom.
ACADEMIC CONSORTIUM
From the outset, the MWC's member institutions were committed to creating academic relationships, as well as athletic competition. To that end, the chief academic officers of each institution meet on an annual basis and have explored academic exchange programs, library crossovers and shared research. In addition, the faculty athletics representatives routinely provide academic assistance and test-taking services for student-athletes visiting from fellow member institutions for competition.
OPPORTUNITY
The MWC provides a first-class athletic and academic experience for more than 7,000 student-athletes each year. Over the past 11 years, 34 Mountain West student-athletes have earned NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships, and since the league's inception in 1999, an additional 22 student-athletes have been named MWC Scholar-Athlete of the Year and awarded league-sponsored postgraduate scholarships. Three student-athletes have earned distinction as Rhodes Scholars (Jessica Mellinger, Wyoming and Delavane Diaz and Brittany Morreale, Air Force).
Conference student-athletes are also given a voice regarding pertinent issues within the MWC and NCAA governance structure through representation on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). The Mountain West Conference SAAC consists of 19 representatives; two student-athletes from each member institution and one faculty athletics representative. The committee reviews and reacts to legislation and to other topics referred by the Conference constituent groups or committees related to the student-athlete experience.
ACHIEVEMENT
The MWC has produced 595 All-America selections among its 19 sponsored sports in the last 11 years, including a league-record 56 All-America honorees in 2009-10. A total of 110 MWC student-athletes have also earned Academic All-America accolades in that span, while 34 MWC student-athletes have earned NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships. The MWC has sent at least 30 teams to NCAA postseason events each of the past 11 years. Mountain West teams have captured three NCAA team championships over the last 11 years, with BYU claiming three national titles in women's cross country. Additionally, the MWC has produced 24 NCAA individual national champions in the sports of men's golf, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field.
Mountain West members have participated in 41 bowl games in 11 years, led by Utah's 9-0 mark in postseason contests. The MWC has earned 50 postseason bids in men's basketball, including 26 NCAA Tournament appearances and two NIT Final Four berths. MWC women's basketball has tallied 51 postseason bids, including 29 NCAA bids, five Sweet 16 appearances and one Elite Eight berth since 2000. Wyoming won the MWC's first WNIT championship in 2007 with a win over Wisconsin. In women's volleyball, the MWC has had 31 NCAA bids with eight Sweet 16 berths and one Elite Eight appearance. Women's soccer has earned 23 NCAA bids since 1999, with BYU advancing to the Sweet 16 in 2000 and the Elite Eight in 2003. MWC men's golf has had at least four representatives in each of the last 11 NCAA Golf Regionals, while women's tennis has had at least two teams participate in NCAA Regionals each of the last 10 years.
SPORTSMANSHIP
Named a Sports Ethics Fellow by the Institute for International Sport in 1998, Commissioner Thompson has been a driving force for sportsmanship within intercollegiate athletics. As part of its continuing growth and development, the Mountain West Conference implemented an extensive Sportsmanship Initiative, developed by the league's Ethics and Sportsmanship Committee and ultimately endorsed by both the MWC Joint Council and MWC Board of Directors. The program is made up of several elements, which are both practical and philosophical in nature. While the MWC has significant penalties in place to deal with violations, the Sportsmanship Initiative is primarily promotional and educational in nature. The goal is to develop an environment that fosters appropriate behavior from all Conference constituencies.
In addition, the MWC teamed up with Learning Through Sports, Inc. to launch the award-winning STAR Sportsmanship program, the first in a seven-part Character Development Series on CD-ROM. An interactive learning program for 6-to-14 year-old boys and girls, STAR Sportsmanship was honored with the BESSIE Award in 2008 as the best physical education software for upper elementary students. The program is based on an analysis of young athlete's needs and aptitudes, research literature and instructional content as well as extensive dialogue with coaches, parents, educators and young athletes. STAR Sportsmanship effectively provides young athletes the ability to apply the appropriate ethical attitudes and decision-making abilities in sports and in real-world social environments. It teaches courtesy, diligence, humility, integrity, respect and teamwork. The MWC also has partnered with mysportsmanship.com to help foster, promote and provide examples of good sportsmanship.
