Pac‑12 welcomes new members

This morning the Pac-12 Conference announced the addition of four new members beginning with the 2026-27 academic year. The four universities, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, and San Diego State, are like-minded institutions that expand upon the foundation of a rebuilt Pac-12 Conference.

Today's news is a great start to stabilizing the future of the Pac-12 Conference and Washington State University. For more than a year, the partnership between Washington State, Oregon State, and the Conference has been united in forging a future that continues the tremendous legacy of the Pac-12 Conference. We appreciate all the efforts and dedication from Commissioner Teresa Gould and her team to ensure the future success of the Pac-12.

The four newest members to the conference bring a demonstrated commitment to competing at the highest levels. With this initial step toward financial and membership stability in place, the Pac-12 will continue to evaluate additional membership expansion opportunities.

In my final year as President of Washington State University, I had four focus areas I wanted to address before my tenure concluded. One of those was securing a long-term home for Cougar Athletics. For more than a century, Washington State University has competed for conference and national titles as a member of the Pac-12. This recent announcement ensures that it will continue for WSU's student-athletes.

We appreciate the continued support of Cougars everywhere as we build upon the tremendous history of Washington State University.