GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.— The Colorado Mesa University men's and women's tennis programs will re-join the Pacific West Conference as affiliate members for the upcoming 2026-27 season, CMU Director of Athletics Rob Courtney and PacWest Commissioner Brad Jones announced on Wednesday.
 
The Mavericks, who played as independents in 2025-26, will re-join the conference after previously playing tennis in the PacWest for five seasons from 2020-25.  The Mavs will continue to remain in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, which does not sponsor tennis, for their other sports.  CMU is now the only tennis-playing institution from the RMAC membership.
 
"Rejoining the PacWest is the right move for our tennis programs. It gives our student-athletes a competitive home, a path to the NCAA Tournament, and the recognition they've earned," Courtney said.
 
"We're grateful to Commissioner Jones and the conference for welcoming us back."
 
"We are pleased to welcome Colorado Mesa back to the PacWest Conference as an affiliate member in men's and women's tennis," Jones said.
 
"Colorado Mesa has been a valued affiliate member in the past, and we are excited to renew that relationship. This is a great fit for both Colorado Mesa and the PacWest, and we look forward to their return to conference competition," he continued.
 
With the return to the PacWest, the Mavs will also return to the West Region for NCAA Tournament selection purposes.
 
"I am super excited to be back in the PacWest Conference, it gives us a home to compete for regular season championships, qualify for the Pac West Tournament, be part of the NCAA West Region and gives our players the chance to compete for weekly awards, year-end awards as well as academic awards," veteran Maverick Head Coach Dan MacDonald said.
 
For the first time, the PacWest will play a conference schedule in the spring of 2027, with each team playing each other once in a single round robin schedule.  The standings from those matches will then determine the field and seeding for the PacWest Championships, which begin on April 17, 2027 in Surprise, Arizona.  The top six men's and eight women's teams will qualify and compete for the conference's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
 
In previous years, PacWest members were encouraged but not required to play a conference schedule.  A committee then selected and seeded the conference championship field.
 
In 2026-27, the CMU squads will be one of eight men's and 13 women's teams (listed below) in the PacWest.  They will join Fresno Pacific, Menlo, CSU Los Angeles and Stanislas State as affiliate members.
 
MEN
Biola
Colorado Mesa
Fresno Pacific
Hawai`i Hilo
Hawai`i Pacific
Menlo
Point Loma
Westmont
 
WOMEN
Biola
CSU Los Angeles
Chaminade
Colorado Mesa
Concordia
Dominican
Fresno Pacific
Hawai`i Hilo
Hawai`i Pacific
Menlo
Point Loma
Stanislaus State
Westmont