Realignment
Utah's Division I map was redrawn on July 1, 2026 — UVU to the Big West, Utah State to the Pac-12, and SUU and Utah Tech joining Weber State in the Big Sky — and what each move means for athletes, recruiting, and travel. Elevating every sport in Utah.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Which Utah schools changed conference on July 1, 2026, the new Pac-12 and Mountain West lineups, and who stayed put.
Open routeWhat the Big West move changes for Utah Valley athletes in 2026-27.
Open routeThe top-tier side of Utah's realignment year, rebuilt for 2026.
Open routeWeber State, SUU, and Utah Tech share a conference for the first time.
Open routeStories
Sourced stories and athlete features that make this topic easier to understand, share, and revisit.
On July 1, 2026, four Utah schools changed conference homes: Utah State to the Pac-12, Utah Valley to the Big West, and Southern Utah and Utah Tech to the Big Sky. Here is the full map, including what did not change.
Utah Valley leaves the WAC for the Big West on July 1, 2026, competing in 13 league-sponsored sports while wrestling stays affiliated with the Big 12.
Southern Utah and Utah Tech join the Big Sky on July 1, 2026, putting Weber State, SUU, and Utah Tech in the same conference for the first time.
Utah State leaves the Mountain West on June 30, 2026 and joins a rebuilt eight-team Pac-12 the next day — the biggest change to the Aggies' national footprint in a generation.
Southern Utah heads into a Big Sky Conference transition with a quarterback room that Thunderbirds coaches called one of their biggest 2025 strengths, and transfer Will Burns gives the Thunderbirds a dual-threat arrival story.
Athletes
Athlete pages give each story a durable place to live after the post, tag, or game result moves on.
Mya Witte is a senior vault and beam specialist from Greenacres, Florida, on Utah State's 2026-27 gymnastics roster. She was the 2026 Mountain West Championship MVP after a career-high 9.950 on beam and made the First-Team All-Mountain West on beam.
Sydney Jelen is a senior bars and beam gymnast from Algonquin, Illinois, on Utah State's 2026-27 gymnastics roster. She was Utah State's 2026 team MVP and a two-time First-Team All-Mountain West selection on beam.
Lundyn VanderToolen is a junior all-arounder from Cottonwood Heights, Utah, on Utah State's 2026-27 gymnastics roster. She made the 2026 First-Team All-Mountain West on bars and shared the Mountain West Championships vault title.
Sami Blackett is a 6-1 junior outside hitter from Orem who leads Utah State in kills, service aces and points in the Aggies' first Pac-12 season and passed 1,000 career kills on October 24, 2026. The 2023 Utah 4A State Player of the Year and a two-time First Team All-WAC selection at Utah Valley, she had a season-high 23 kills against Washington State on October 29.
Alyvia Jaffa, a Utah Valley middle blocker from Morgan High School and Utah Hive, is not on the Wolverines' 2026 volleyball roster (checked Oct. 18, 2026), and no official destination has been announced. She played through the 2025 season, when she set a career high against Navy.
Bryson Barnes is a quarterback for the CFL's Ottawa Redblacks, wearing No. 17, after starting every game for Utah State in 2025. The Milford, Utah native signed with Ottawa in May 2026 after a rookie minicamp with the Cleveland Browns. A former Utah walk-on, he was the Aggies' every-game starter in 2025 and earned second-team All-Mountain West honors as a fifth-year senior.
Mason Falslev is a 6-foot-4 senior guard from Benson, Utah, and Sky View High School, back for his final season at Utah State in 2026-27. He was the 2026 Mountain West Player of the Year and a CSC Academic All-American, and he enters the season third in Utah State history in career steals.
Jackson Gilkey is a senior quarterback on Tarleton State's 2026 roster (No. 2), a former Weber State quarterback from Ennis, Texas who transferred after entering the portal. He won the Wildcats' starting job out of 2025 fall camp and started the first five games before a fractured left fibula at UC Davis ended his season.
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