COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Entering its 20th season of competition, the Mountain West (MW) announced a comprehensive sponsorship program through which the Air Force Reserve will serve as title sponsor of the 2019 Air Force Reserve MW Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships and presenting sponsor for all 10 MW Olympic Sport Championships for 2018-19.
The 2019 Air Force Reserve Mountain West Basketball Championships will be held March 10-16 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. The women’s basketball championship will begin on Sunday, March 10 with three first-round games and conclude with the championship game on Wednesday night, March 13. The men’s basketball championship will begin on Wednesday, March 13 with three first-round games and conclude with the championship game on Saturday afternoon, March 16. Twenty games over seven days will determine which men’s and women’s basketball teams are the best in the Mountain West.
Today’s title sponsorship announcement coincides with the return to national prominence of Mountain West basketball. The 2018 MW Basketball Championships saw a 30% increase in overall attendance from the year prior and an 11% increase in TV ratings for the MW Men’s Basketball Championship game on CBS.
In addition to its support of Mountain West basketball, Air Force Reserve will also serve as presenting sponsor of Mountain West Olympic Sport Championships in 2018-19, as follows:
Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Oct. 26 San Diego, Calif.
Women’s Soccer Oct. 30-Nov. 3 San Jose, Calif.
Women’s Swimming and Diving Feb. 20-23 Minneapolis, Minn.
Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track & Field Feb. 21-23 Albuquerque, N.M.
Women’s Golf April 15-17 Rancho Mirage, Calif.
Women’s Tennis April 25-28 San Diego, Calif.
Men’s Tennis April 26-28 TBD
Men’s Golf April 26-28 Tucson, Ariz.
Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track & Field May 8-11 Clovis, Calif.
Baseball May 23-26 TBD
Air Force Reserve will also have a presence at the MW Football Championship Game and provide marketing support for the event.
“Throughout the Mountain West, there is an appreciation for the sacrifice and service of those who volunteer to protect our freedoms, at home and abroad,” MW Commissioner Craig Thompson said. “We are proud to welcome the Air Force Reserve to the Mountain West and look forward to working with our new partners to both raise awareness of the important work done by this critical unit of our nation’s defense and support the endeavors of our student-athletes.”
The Air Force Reserve-MW relationship will be overseen by Learfield’s Mountain West Sports Properties, its locally-based team dedicated solely to representing the Conference.
About the Air Force Reserve:
There are many exciting part-time Air Force Reserve jobs which allow Reserve Citizen Airmen to advance their civilian careers or continue their educations while serving close to home. Signing bonuses up to $20,000 are available for specific jobs. Go to AFReserve.com or call 800-257-1212 for more information on how you can Start Your Adventure with the Air Force Reserve.
About the Mountain West:
From its inception in 1999, the Mountain West has been committed to excellence in intercollegiate athletics, while promoting the academic missions of its member institutions. Progressive in its approach, the Mountain West continues to cultivate opportunities for student-athletes to compete at the highest level, while fostering academic achievement and sportsmanship. Entering its 20th season, the MW has been assertive in its involvement with the NCAA governance structure and has taken a leadership role in the overall administration of intercollegiate athletics. The Mountain West membership is comprised of 11 all-sport members: the United States Air Force Academy, Boise State University, Colorado State University, Fresno State, University of Nevada, University of New Mexico, San Diego State University, San José State University, UNLV, Utah State University and University of Wyoming. In addition, the University of Hawai‘i and Colorado College participate in the Mountain West as single-sport members in football and women’s soccer, respectively.