In its search to bolster its ranks, the Mountain West Conference turned to a familiar face. The conference has added Hawai’i as a full-time member, the league announced Tuesday, with the move officially taking effect on July 1,

Hawai'i, a football-only member of the Mountain West since 2012, will become its eighth full-time member -- the minimum necessary for it to remain a conference.

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) - Hawaii is joining the Mountain West Conference as a full-time member starting in the fall of 2026. The Rainbow Warriors have been a football-only member since 2012. Part of the deal removes the travel subsidy that Hawaii has had to pay for years to visiting teams to cover their travel expenses to the island.

The Mountain West made itself whole again through a marriage of convenience, even if the partnership will be anything but convenient.

The University of Hawai’i, which has been a football-only member of the Mountain West Conference since 2012, will become a full-time member starting in 2026. Action Sports’ Brett McMurphy first reported the news on Monday night.

The latest round of conference realignment focuses on the Pac-12 and Mountain West. Here's the latest news and what might happen next.

With the Rainbow Warriors in hand, the Mountain West has now reached the magic number of eight full-time members needed for FBS/NCAA requirements.

Hawaii will be the eighth full-time member of the Mountain West after UTEP announced that it was joining the conference in 2026 earlier this month. In addition to football and men's and women's basketball, Hawaii will be a MWC member in 12 other sports.