EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) -- Intercollegiate athletics at the University of Texas at El Paso are about to enter into a new era. UTEP announced Tuesday, Oct. 1, that it has accepted a formal invitation to join the Mountain West Conference and rejoin some former rivals. “Joining the Mountain West Conference will bring us back into competition with historic rivals in the West,” UTEP President Heather Wilson said. “There’s no doubt this will be better for our student-athletes, our fans, and for El Paso.” UTEP has given notice to Conference USA that it will transition effective July 1, 2026 and will play in Mountain West Conference games starting in the 2026-27 academic year, UTEP said in its announcement. “We are excited to welcome the University of Texas at El Paso to the Mountain West as the next step in our strategic membership initiatives,” MWC Commissioner Gloria Nevarez said. “The addition of UTEP restores historic rivalries with several of our member institutions within the geographic footprint, provides valuable exposure in the great State of Texas, and contributes to our priority of maximizing the student-athlete academic and athletics experience.”  “We are honored to be invited to the Mountain West Conference,” UTEP Vice President and Director of Athletics Jim Senter said. “I know the Miners will feel right at home with the other quality athletic programs in this great conference.” “This is great for El Paso,” said Josh Hunt, a longtime supporter of UTEP athletics and executive vice president of Hunt Companies. “Mountain West is a great fit, and it will be fantastic to compete again with UNM, Wyoming, Air Force and UNLV.” UTEP joined Conference USA in 2005 and remained in Conference USA after the most recent conference realignment in 2021. Since that time, most schools that have joined CUSA have been in the eastern United States, far from UTEP and in communities without a large alumni fan base, UTEP said. The only two schools in Texas left in Conference USA are Sam Houston State University and UTEP. “We wish our colleagues in Conference USA well. It’s a great group of schools. It’s just not as good a fit for us at this time,” Senter said.  UTEP has 335 student-athletes who compete in 17 sports.