The Wolverines have been in the reborn Western Athletic Conference (WAC) since 2013 but the WAC has taken several recent hits, leaving the future of the league in doubt again.

“This is a transformative opportunity for our department,” UVU athletic director Jared Sumsion said in a statement. “The invitation to join The Big West is a culmination of UVU’s expansive growth and athletic success. As a young NCAA Division I program, we are proud to partner with well-established institutions with significant histories of success. The Big West is an elite conference that reflects the academic, athletic, and geographic profile we’ve worked hard to build. We are thrilled to align with its membership and to bring the Big West to the Utah mountains.”

UVU moved to Division I in 2004, competed as an independent in many sports for five seasons, then in the Great West Conference from 2009-13 before joining the WAC. The Wolverines have been aligned with fellow Utah schools Utah Tech since 2020 and Southern Utah since 2022, but now leave both behind for a generally stable Big West.

Though the Big West has changed some (Utah State was in the league until 2005 and Pacific until 2013), it’s become a strong, California-based, non-football conference that features baseball and men’s soccer, both sports key to UVU’s offerings.

Cal Baptist announced it was leaving the WAC for the Big West in March; CBU and UVU join a roster of Cal Poly, Cal State Bakersfield, Cal State Fullerton, Cal State Northridge (CSUN), Long Beach State, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UC San Diego and UC Santa Barbara.

“We are thrilled to welcome Utah Valley University to The Big West,” Big West Commissioner Dan Butterly said in a statement. “UVU brings a tradition of competitive excellence and a rapidly growing athletic program that aligns perfectly with our membership and vision for the future. Their addition expands our geographic footprint into a vibrant and strategically significant region, while elevating the level of competition across the board. We look forward to the energy and excitement the Wolverines will bring to The Big West.”

UVU boasts 33 conference championships in the WAC and also got NCAA Tournament wins in baseball (2025) and women’s soccer (2021).

The WAC, meanwhile, is left with just five teams beginning in July 2026: Abilene Christian, Tarleton State (which has public FBS football ambitions), UT-Arlington, Southern Utah and Utah Tech.