LOGAN – During his weekly press conference earlier today, Utah State football head coach Bronco Mendenhall was asked about his new boss, the recently announced next athletics director for the Aggies, Cameron Walker. Mendenhall had already met with Walker prior to the announcement as the coach was consulted throughout the process of hiring the new AD. “The process was really extensive, obviously, right? President Smith had a chance to visit with each candidate. There was a search firm. There also was a search committee, as well as there were a number of coaches that were on a separate panel,” Mendenhall said. “And then independent of all of that, I had a chance to visit with the finalists in person.” Mendenhall spoke glowingly of the experience and background Walker will bring to the position. Walker completed a Juris Doctorate at Arkansas following his time as an athlete in baseball at both Ricks College and Southern Virginia. He’s since held numerous roles across time at Utah Valley University, UCF and most recently at Tennessee where Walker was the senior deputy athletics director and chief strategy officer. His many duties across those jobs included NCAA compliance, legal affairs, facilities, NIL fundraising and working

Utah State University has announced the hiring of Tennessee Senior Deputy Athletics Director and Chief Strategy Officer Cameron Walker as the Aggies’ next director of athletics. Walker will fill the role vacated on July 21 by former AD Diana Sabau, who filled the position at USU for just over 700 days before leaving to take the deputy AD job at Maryland. Interim AD Sandy Barbour had filled the role since Sabau’s mid-summer departure. “I am honored by the opportunity to lead Utah State Athletics and to continue building on the department’s positive momentum as it integrates into the Pac-12,” Walker said in the university’s press release Sunday afternnon. “Utah State has a promising future and significant potential, and I look forward to helping bring that vision to life. My family and I are excited to get to Cache Valley.” Walker is a native of Rexburg, Idaho, competing as an athlete in baseball at both Ricks College (now BYU-Idaho) and later Southern Virginia where he earned his bachelor’s degree. He completed his Juris Doctorate degree at Arkansas. Since completing his degrees, Walker has climbed the ladder of university leadership, starting at Utah Valley University where he held various roles, including Title IX deputy

OREM, Utah (AP) — Utah Valley is joining the Big West conference for the 2026-27 athletic year, giving the league a presence in that state for the first time since Utah State ended a 27-year run in 2005. The conference said Wednesday it remained open to the possibility of adding a 12th member but anticipated being an 11-school league when Utah Valley and California Baptist officially join July 1, 2026. The Big West doesn’t have football, and Hawaii and UC Davis are leaving to join the Mountain West Conference in 2026-27. Hawaii has been a football-only member of the Mountain West since 2012. UC Davis has been a football-only member of the Big Sky Conference. Utah Valley is leaving the Western Athletic Conference, and the Wolverines will compete in 13 Big West-sponsored sports, including men’s and women’s basketball, baseball and softball. “Their addition expands our geographic footprint into a vibrant and strategically significant region, while elevating the level of competition across the board,” Big West Commissioner Dan Butterly said. Utah Valley will be the largest school in the Big West with an enrollment of 47,000. Barring further realignment, Utah Valley will replace Hawaii as the only school in the conference