Men's Soccer | 10/29/2025 1:08:00 PM

Utah Tech University Athletics announced on Wednesday that the Trailblazer baseball and men's soccer programs have accepted invitations to join the Mountain West Conference as affiliate members ahead of the 2026-27 season. 
 
Wednesday's announcement serves as the final piece to solidify Utah Tech's conference membership affiliations for all 17 of its intercollegiate athletic programs. 
 
"This is a tremendous step forward for our student-athletes, coaches, and the entire Utah Tech community," said Ken Beazer, Utah Tech Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics. "The Mountain West is recognized as one of the premier conferences, and we are excited to compete alongside such outstanding institutions while continuing to elevate our programs and proudly represent Utah Tech University on a national stage."
 
Beginning in the spring of 2027, Utah Tech will compete against well established Mountain West baseball programs in Air Force, Nevada, UNLV, New Mexico and San Jose State, along with 2026-27 conference newcomers in Hawai'i and UC Davis. 
 
In addition, the Trailblazer program will continue its long-standing conference rivalry with Grand Canyon, which joined the Mountain West this past summer. The Utah Tech/GCU rivalry dates all the way back to the NCAA Division II years in the Pacific West Conference (2007-13), and was rekindled when the Trailblazer program transitioned to Division I status and joined the Western Athletic Conference in 2020-21. 
 
"This move is a game changer for our baseball program," said head baseball coach Chris Pfatenhauer "The Mountain West has a tremendous reputation and will assist in the elevation of our own program's reputation. To go from junior college to Division II, and on to a Division I conference of this level within 20 years shows the unprecedented growth and elevation of our program. We are honored to join the Mountain West Conference and are thrilled that our student-athletes will get the chance to compete at this level in the future."
 
"Welcoming Utah Tech as an affiliate member in baseball marks an exciting milestone for the Mountain West," said Conference Commissioner Gloria Nevarez. "Their dedication to competitive excellence and institutional growth aligns seamlessly with our strategic vision. This addition not only deepens our baseball lineup but also reinforces our commitment to providing elite opportunities for student-athletes across the conference."
 
Meanwhile, the Trailblazer men's soccer program will be a part of history as the Mountain West announced that it was adding men's soccer, and men's swimming and diving, as championship sports.

"The addition of men's soccer and men's swimming and diving to the Mountain West represents a bold step forward in our commitment to broad-based excellence," said Nevarez. "These sports not only elevate our competitive profile but also reflect the growing interest and investment from our member institutions. We're proud to support student-athletes in these disciplines and excited to see the impact they'll have on our Conference's future."

The Mountain West becomes the first NCAA Division I conference to add men's soccer since the Ohio Valley Conference in 2023, and the Sun Belt Conference's reinstatement of that sport in 2022. 
 
"Our program is very thankful the Mountain West saw the need to add men's soccer and views Utah Tech as a program that would strengthen the conference," said head men's soccer coach Jonny Broadhead. 
 
Utah Tech will join fellow future former WAC members Air Force, Grand Canyon, San Jose State and UNLV, as well as [2026-27 newcomer] UC Davis, to create the Mountain West's inaugural men's soccer league.
 
"Many of our future Mountain West opponents were affiliates of the WAC so we are familiar with what we will be up against and are extremely happy with the direction of these programs including our own," Coach Broadhead noted. "I believe the coaches in this conference have a great vision and plan with how to start next year and move forward together and make the Mountain West one of the top men's soccer conferences in the country."
 
Wednesday's announcement comes on the heels of Utah Tech's impending departure from the Western Athletic Conference to join the Big Sky Conference, which was announced back on June 25, 2025. 
 
Fourteen of Utah Tech's 17 intercollegiate programs will compete in the Big Sky starting next season, including football, men's and women's basketball, women's soccer, volleyball, men's and women's cross country, women's indoor and outdoor track & field, men's distance track (coming in 2026-27), softball, men's and women's golf, and women's tennis. 
 
With baseball and men's soccer joining the Mountain West, Utah Tech will now have membership in three of the premier conferences in the western United States. Earlier this fall, the Trailblazer women's swimming team began its first season of competition in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF).