The eight schools leaving
the WAC may let Hawaii join the
defection--if UH pays the price

By Bill Kwon
Star-Bulletin

The president of one of the universities that joined a coalition to split from the Western Athletic Conference left open the possibility that the University of Hawaii might be included in the new conference when its teams begin play in the fall of 1999.

San Diego State University president Stephen Weber said last night that Hawaii is being considered as a ninth member if it agrees to subsidize travel costs.

"I'm sure we'll (the eight new teams) be talking about another institution like Hawaii that should be brought in," Weber told the San Diego Union newspaper. "Hawaii used to pay for teams to fly over there, but the costs became too great. My guess is, Hawaii would have to be prepared to pay travel costs."

Eight conference members -- San Diego State, Brigham Young, Utah, Air Force, Colorado State, Wyoming, Nevada-Las Vegas and New Mexico -- have decided to form their own league, beginning in the 1999-2000 academic year.

That leaves Hawaii with San Jose State, Fresno State, Texas-El Paso, Rice, Texas Christian University, Southern Methodist and Tulsa in the far-flung WAC, which had expanded to 16 teams in 1996.

"I feel for Hawaii and the other schools," San Diego State athletic director Rick Bay said, "but the conference was unmanageable."

The breakaway move shocked UH president Kenneth Mortimer.

"Obviously, shock is not an emotion that I like," Mortimer said. "I confess, for half an hour, I didn't want to talk to anybody.

‘We want to figure out a way to keep playing Hawaii, even if the two schools are playing in separate leagues, because we have strong recruiting ties to Hawaii and want to maintain them.’ Ron McBride Utah football coach

"None of us had prior knowledge. I still haven't been officially notified."

UH athletic director Hugh Yoshida said the move took him by surprise as well.

"I knew it was going to happen (some day), but I thought it was a couple of years down the road."

New Mexico athletic director Rudy Davalos talked about the possibility of a ninth member to the new league in a TV interview yesterday, but Mortimer and Yoshida both said they had not been asked by the breakaway schools to come aboard.

"Nobody's made us a proposal," Mortimer said.

The two said it was premature to talk about any options facing UH, a member of the WAC since 1979, except to say that they would act in the best interests of the university.

"I'm confident we'll come up with the best course of action for the university," Mortimer said.

Remaining in the WAC is one of Hawaii's options, Yoshida said.

"Does it make sense for us to go to Texas? It would have to be a different WAC."

If the WAC can hold itself together long enough to expand, schools likely to be considered would be Nevada-Reno, Boise State, Utah State and New Mexico State.

Still, Yoshida expressed concern over being in a league that didn't include BYU, Utah, Air Force and San Diego State -- popular football opponents for the Rainbows.

"We'll need to discuss the options with our coaches, and then we'll make a decision," he said.

Certainly, there is sentiment for Hawaii in the new league. "We want to figure out a way to keep playing Hawaii," Utah football coach Ron McBride said, "even if the two schools are playing in separate leagues, because we have strong recruiting ties to Hawaii and want to maintain them."

Assistant BYU coach Norm Chow said one problem with the breakup is not playing Hawaii.

It was Mortimer who convinced the WAC Council of Presidents to eliminate Hawaii's travel subsidy in football and basketball when the league expanded to 16 teams. It cost UH around $250,000. Would Mortimer agree to pay a travel subsidy again to become part of the new league?

"I've never had a nonnegotiable item," said Mortimer, who realizes that travel costs have become an increasing concern in the league.

"It's something we might toss back on the table, but I haven't considered anything yet. We are going to explore our options with our best interests in mind."

Mortimer leaves Saturday for a meeting of WAC presidents in Monterey, Calif. But he said he doubts there will be any change of mind by the departing schools.

"It was obviously a business decision with a lot of geographic self-interest," he said.

"Yes, I'm disappointed, but this is not personal. I'm not going to take it that way."

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