Erin Coulehan
UTEP’s highly anticipated move to the Mountain West Conference recently received a major boost, thanks to a $2.5 million commitment from the Paul L.Foster Family Foundation. The gift was announced as the Miners prepare to enter a new era of competition that begins July 2026, underscoring the community’s growing excitement for the transition as well as its impact on the future of UTEP Athletics.
“There is clear and growing support for our move to the Mountain West Conference,” says UTEP President Heather Wilson. “I’m grateful for the Paul L. Foster Family Foundation’s generous gift, which will help tremendously as we make this transition and bring back strong regional rivalries for El Paso fans.
The pledge of support bolsters efforts to ensure that men’s and women’s sports programs have access to the resources necessary to compete at the highest level; it also helps fuel facility upgrades and operational readiness as UTEP prepares to take its place among Mountain West competitors.
Paul Foster, President and Director of the Foster Family Foundation, has long championed UTEP athletics, and sees the conference shift as a natural evolution.
“UTEP’s announcement to join the Mountain West Conference is great news for the University, as well as the entire community,” he says. “I believe this move is a crucial step towards advancement of the University’s athletic programs, and my family’s Foundation is proud to support this effort.”
For many like Foster, the transition is deeply personal. After experiencing UTEP’s golden days of rivalry matchups firsthand, he sees the move as an opportunity to reignite competitive traditions while also elevating the program on a national stage.
“I remember going to games when I first got to El Paso 34 years ago, and it was great to watch the Miners compete against teams like Air Force, Wyoming, and New Mexico,” he reflects. “It will be exciting to do that again, and I look forward to the positive impact UTEP’s move to the Mountain West Conference will have on UTEP athletes, students, and Miner fans across our El Paso Community.”
UTEP’s transition to the Mountain West Conference not only revives historic rivalries, but also introduces fresh matchups with new conference members like Grand Canyon and U.C. Davis. More importantly, it strengthens UTEP’s national visibility and solidifies its status as a formidable competitor in collegiate athletics.
Jim Senter, UTEP Vice President and Director of Athletics, echoes the impact of the Foster Family Foundation gift.
“The Foster family has become synonymous with generosity in our community. Paul and Alejandra have a long history of making strategic investments in UTEP Athletics. Thanks to their kindness, we were able to construct a wonderful basketball practice center and engineer a beautiful revocation of the club level in our iconic Sun Bowl Stadium.”
The Foster Family Foundation’s pledge follows a $2.5 million commitment from the Woody and Gayle Hunt Family Foundation in December, which brings total private investment in the Mountain West transition to $5 million. With such strong backing and an invigorated community rallying behind the Miners, UTEP’s future in the Mountain West Conference is looking brighter than ever.
