San Diego St. officially returns to the Mountain West

The Mountain West Conference and San Diego St. Aztecs jointly announced this afternoon that the Aztecs will remain members of the Mountain West Conference in all sports. The agreement begins immediately, ending weeks of speculation of where SDSU would end up in July 2013.

The Aztecs were slated to join the Big East Conference along with the Boise St. Broncos until Dec. 31, 2012 when Boise St. announced their intention to remain in the MWC. SDSU was then given until January 31 by MWC commissioner Craig Thompson to join the MWC.

San Diego St. president Elliot Hirshman said this in the prepared statement released jointly bu the league and the school:

"San Diego State University is pleased to be continuing as a full member of the Mountain West Conference," said SDSU President Dr. Elliot Hirshman. "We are excited about the opportunities our partnership provides for the development of the Conference and San Diego State University’s athletic programs."

Thompson's official statement from the release was this:

"As a charter member of the Mountain West, San Diego State has decades of history and tremendous competitive rivalries with our member institutions," said Commissioner Craig Thompson. "With today’s announcement, SDSU’s membership continues uninterrupted and helps the Mountain West maintain a solid foundation going forward. The Aztecs remain a perfect fit geographically and provide the Conference with a highly-competitive athletics program that includes a Top 25 men’s basketball team, a 2012 MW tri-champion in football and several other league championship programs."

Thompson will be holding a teleconference at 4:15 p.m. MT to discuss today's announcement.

SDSU athletic director Jim Sterk will conduct a press conference at 5 p.m. MT in the Fowler Athletics Center first-floor auditorium in San Diego, Calif. The press conference will also be streamed live on GoAztecs.com.

With the return of SDSU and the addition of the San Jose St. Spartans and Utah St. Aggies on July 1, 2013, the Mountain West will be comprised of 11 all-sport members and 12 football-playing institutions.

Stay with MW Connection for continuing coverage of San Diego State's return to the MWC.