It was announced Tuesday morning that the Gonzaga Bulldogs had accepted an invite to join the PAC-12 Conference.
Gonzaga’s addition to the PAC-12 will take effect July 1, 2026.
“Following discussions with Pac-12 member presidents, I believe membership will represent an opportunity to participate in building a conference that imagines new, forward-thinking ways to support student-athletes in a rapidly changing collegiate sports landscape,” Gonzaga University President Thayne McCulloh said in the school’s press release.
The press release from Gonzaga includes quotes from PAC-12 commissioner Teresa Gould.
“We are delighted to welcome Gonzaga into the Pac-12 as they embark with us on this incredible path ahead,” Gould said.
Gonzaga joins seven other schools as the PAC-12 rebuilds. Those schools include Washington State University, Oregon State University, Boise State University, Fresno State University, San Diego State, Colorado State University and Utah State University.
“Partnerships with a new group of universities can also assist in our student recruitment and enrollment efforts, create opportunities for academic collaboration with new faculty colleagues, and attract more students who value an excellent education distinctively rooted in our Jesuit identity and tradition,” McCulloh said. “I am particularly excited about the opportunities partnering with this group of institutions can offer our students, faculty, and staff for multi-institutional collaboration.”
Gonzaga has been a West Coast Conference (WCC) powerhouse for many years and now joins a historic conference that has seen the addition of other successful basketball programs.
While the PAC-12 has now hit the minimum number of schools they need for most sports at eight, they’re still at seven for football. They’ll soon look for another addition to satisfy that requirement.
Northwest Sports Desk 