Sources: UTEP expected to join the Mountain West Conference

UTEP is headed to the Mountain West Conference, sources told ESPN, with an official announcement expected by the league later on Tuesday.

UTEP, which had been in deep discussions with the Mountain West in recent days, has alerted Conference USA officials of its intent to leave the league, sources added.

UTEP was an obvious target for the Mountain West based on its location and the school’s athletic tradition across a variety of sports. The school gives the Mountain West an addition in Texas as the league rebuilds after five schools announced they were leaving for the Pac-12.

The addition of UTEP will give the league seven full-time members — joining UNLV, San Jose State, Wyoming, Nevada, New Mexico and Air Force. The Mountain West needs to build to eight members to become a formal conference. (Hawaii remains a football-only member.) Recently, Utah State, Boise State, San Jose State, San Diego State and Fresno State announced their departures.

The Mountain West has also issued a verbal offer to Texas State in recent days, according to sources. No clarity or timeline has emerged on Texas State’s decision. The Pac-12 has also expressed interest in Texas State, sources said..

In UTEP, the Mountain West will get a school with a strong football and basketball lineage. UTEP’s football opener against Southern Utah drew 41,633 fans to the Sun Bowl.

In football, UTEP has reached 15 bowl games, and its former coaches include everyone from Bum Phillips to Mike Price. UTEP is currently in Conference USA, where it has resided since 2005, when it jumped over from the WAC.

UTEP’s basketball history is even stronger, as it has appeared in 17 NCAA tournaments and won the national championship in 1966, when the school was known as Texas Western. The Miners were the first team with a starting five of all African American players to win the national title. The coach of that team, Don Haskins, is in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

UTEP has a strong fan base, and El Paso, Texas, has a population of nearly 679,000, which makes it one of the 25 most populated cities in the United States.