Breaking: Gonzaga departs from West Coast Conference, joins Pac-12

Michael Hovey, Sports Editor

October 1, 2024

Collegian | Getty Images

The Gonzaga University Bulldogs’ mascot performs on the court while taking on the Southern University and A&M College Jaguars during the second round of the 2013 NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament at EnergySolutions Arena, now the Delta Center, in Salt Lake City March 21, 2013.

Editor’s Note: This is an ongoing breaking news story. Updates will be provided as they become available.

Gonzaga made the decision to leave their current conference, the West Coast Conference, this week and join Colorado State — among other schools — in the newly developing Pac-12 in 2026.

The Bulldogs don’t have a football team, so a minimum of one more school is required to join the Pac-12 by 2026. A total of eight football teams in the conference will instate a potential automatic bid to the College Football Playoffs.

This move increases the basketball prowess of the potential future conference, as CSU, Gonzaga, Boise State, Washington State and San Diego State all made March Madness last year and are all expected to move to the new conference. SDSU and Gonzaga have both had historically competent basketball teams, so the conference schedule for CSU in 2026 will feature high-level play.

“We are delighted to welcome Gonzaga into the Pac-12 as they embark with us on this incredible path ahead,” Commissioner Teresa Gould said in the press release announcing the addition. “President McCulloh and Athletics Director Chris Standiford not only bring strategic expertise and forward thinking to the conference, but they are two incredible leaders who care deeply about student success and fortifying student-athlete academic and athletic experiences. Today represents an exciting milestone for the Pac-12 as we welcome another outstanding institution with a rich history of success into our league.”

According to The Associated Press, Gonzaga is currently ranked No. 15, while SDSU stands at No. 17.

Similarly, CSU has made multiple NCAA Tournament appearances since coach Niko Medved took over and has built a more reputable program as a result. The Pac-12 will continue their search for new teams to add to what is considered the “Conference of Champions,” having won the most team titles in NCAA history.

Reach Michael Hovey at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @michaelfhovey.

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About the Contributor

Michael Hovey, Sports Editor

Michael Hovey is one of the sports editors for The Rocky Mountain Collegian, facilitating the sports desk, collaborating with reporters and writing pieces of his own. He joined the newspaper in February and has greatly appreciated all the opportunities that have come with the organization. After settling on a business administration major with a concentration in marketing, Hovey stumbled upon The Collegian at the recommendation of a friend. Writing news stories gave him a deeper connection to Colorado State University and its community, making his studies that much more meaningful. Having played numerous sports at a fairly mediocre level, Hovey jumped at the opportunity to cover Division I sporting events. He now gets the chance to surround himself with talented writers, artists and athletes while exercising his preferred form of the English language. Hovey's favorite part of the job is meeting new people and learning about the things they’ve dedicated their lives to. The most surprising part has been the extraneous passions he’s discovered in nearly each one of these people. Hovey’s main goal this year is to foster discovery and allow people in athletics to show a separate side of themselves that may not generally be known. His secondary goal: Try not to stutter on a national broadcast. If not working at The Collegian, Hovey can be found engaging in outdoor activities, finding something tasty or listening to hip-hop.

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