Oregon Ducks & Washington Huskies Leaving Pac-12 for Big Ten
By Joe Hathaway on Friday, August 4th, 2023 in Columbia Basin News Eastern/Southeast Oregon News Northeastern Oregon News Northeastern Oregon Sports
The Oregon Ducks and Washington Huskies are heading to the Big Ten.
The two schools both accepted invitations to the athletic conference, leaving the Pac-12 after more than 100 years.
“I’m thrilled that the University of Oregon has the opportunity to join the nation’s preeminent academic-athletic conference,” said UO President Karl Scholz said in a press release. “Our student-athletes will participate at the highest level of collegiate athletic competition, and our alumni, friends and fans will be able to carry the spirit of Oregon across the country.”
The Big Ten Conference voted Friday, August 4 to accept Oregon effective August 2, 2024. The UO will remain in the Pac-12 Conference for the duration of the Pac-12’s existing media rights agreements.
“We are excited to welcome the University of Oregon and the University of Washington to the Big Ten Conference,” Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti said in a statement. “We look forward to building long-lasting relationships with the universities, administrators and staff, student-athletes, coaches and fans. Both institutions feature a combination of academic and athletic excellence that will prove a great fit for our future.”
The Ducks and Huskies will become the 17th and 18th members of the Big Ten, and the third and fourth on the West Coast, joining USC and UCLA. The Big Ten will be the largest conference in major college sports, spanning 15 states from New Jersey to Washington.
Reports also indicate that Arizona, Arizona State and Utah will join the Big 12, leaving the Pac-12 with just four schools: Oregon State, Washington State, Stanford and California.
In a press release, the University of Oregon says:
In coming years, the UO will prioritize the long-held traditions, including competition across all sports with Oregon State University. The alliance puts UO student-athletes on a national stage, said UO Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Rob Mullens.
“Accepting membership into the Big 10 Conference is a transformational opportunity for the University of Oregon to change the short and long-term trajectory of our university and athletics department,” said Mullens. “The stability and exposure of joining the Big Ten is of great benefit to the University of Oregon, and we are grateful to the Big Ten presidents and chancellors for accepting our application to join the conference. We look forward to the opportunity for our student-athletes to compete in this conference, which includes many of the best programs in the nation in every sport.”
