Estimated reading duration: < 1 minute The Athletics Department of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa has secured an agreement to maintain its Big West affiliation for four teams in sports not recognized by the Mountain West. This deal guarantees ongoing competitive prospects for these teams while enhancing their future stability. The four UH Mānoa […]
Estimated reading duration: < 1 minute
The Athletics Department of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa has secured an agreement to maintain its Big West affiliation for four teams in sports not recognized by the Mountain West. This deal guarantees ongoing competitive prospects for these teams while enhancing their future stability.
The four UH Mānoa teams that will continue with Big West are men’s volleyball, men’s swimming & diving, women’s beach volleyball, and women’s water polo.
“This agreement marks a crucial step for our athletics program and represents a true collaboration,” stated acting Athletics Director Lois Manin. “We are grateful to commissioner Dan Butterly and the Big West member institutions for allowing us to stay in the league. This ensures our student-athletes in these four sports can keep competing at the highest level within the Big West.”
Big West Commissioner Butterly expressed in a statement that the conference is delighted to sustain its long-term partnership with UH since 1984.
“By integrating these programs as affiliate members, we not only enhance the overall strength and reputation of The Big West but also furnish our student-athletes with improved opportunities to compete on a national scale in their respective sports,” remarked Butterly.
This agreement with the Big West comes after the announcement in October that UH will transition to full membership in the Mountain West after being a football-only member since 2012. The remaining UH teams are set to join the 15 conference-supported sports in the Mountain West beginning with the 2026–27 academic year.
Women’s sports include basketball, cross country, golf, indoor and outdoor track & field, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, and volleyball. Men’s sports consist of basketball, baseball, football, golf, and tennis.
