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OREM — Utah Valley University announced Monday morning that the school has accepted an invitation to join the Western Athletic Conference.
All sports — with the exception of wrestling — will compete in the WAC effective July 1, 2013.
"I can't tell you how thrilling it is to see these two logos side by side on this hat," said UVU President Matthew Holland, as he placed a WAC cap on his head during the announcement.
Utah Valley will be leaving the Great West Conference at the end of school year and will begin play in the WAC during the 2013-14 season.
Also joining the WAC next year will be California State University Bakersfield.
UVU athletics director Mike Jacobsen has worked for this invite into a larger conference for several years, and last year came close but was passed over for Seattle and Denver. He says joining the conference means big things for the students at UVU.
"CSU Bakersfield and Utah Valley University accepting our invitation to join the WAC is great news as our conference looks to a very promising future," said Stephen Sundborg, member of the WAC board of directors, in a press release. "These two fine institutions are making significant investments in their athletic programs, and we look forward to the many ways they will help the WAC build on its great tradition and national reputation."
By joining the WAC, UVU can now compete for NCAA tournament bids in sports like basketball and volleyball, which comes automatically with a WAC Tournament championship. Athletes at UVU say it's the opportunity they're excited about.
"I think we grow up as athletes and that's our dream, we want to go to the NCAA tournament and for me its just exciting to think that there is a chance we can do that," said athlete Ben Aird.
Many students came to UVU and joined teams not knowing whether they would ever play in a big conference or whether they would even have the opportunity to play in an NCAA tournament. Several officials thanked the students for willing to play for the school despite an uncertain future.
"We really do believe in this that the true heroes are the student athletes," said Cathy Nixon, women's basketball coach.
Related:
DesNews: A brief history of the WAC, 1962-2012
The WAC has gone through a a lot of changes since it was created July 27, 1962. The league was created by six different schools, and two additional charter applicants were denied entry.Joining the WAC puts UVU at a higher level of competition than the Great West Conference that it has previously been a member of. Athletics officials are cautiously optimistic about their ability to perform in the conference.
"We might think we are more ready than we actually are," Jacobson said. Though UVU may not be at the top, they will be competitive, he said.
"It's something I think our school is ready for, our athletics are ready for, and our men'ts basketball team will be ready for," said men's basketball coach Dick Hunsaker.
With this move to the WAC, UVU will to add men's soccer to it's programs. Other schools in the conference include Denver University, University of Idaho, New Mexico State University, and Seattle University.
