Gonzaga set to join rebuilt Pac-12, while UTEP goes to Mountain West

Three-time NCAA basketball finalist Gonzaga will join the newly reconstructed Pac-12 Conference, while the Mountain West Conference added to its already-crowded array of signings to include the University of Texas-El Paso.

Gonzaga will now be transferring from the West Coast Conference where it basically ruled supreme for nearly a quarter of a century, to a conference that was rapidly being restructured around football but should have a pretty sturdy basketball contingent. Joining that league will be Gonzaga along with holdovers Washington State and Oregon State of the former Pac 12 and newcomers Boise State, San Diego State, Fresno State all from the mountain West and Utah State and Colorado State.

Gonzaga will begin sponsoring each of the Pac-12 sports starting from July 1, 2026, and that will make the conference’s only private college and university.

“Today is a historic day for the Pac-12 and particularly for the sport as we, welcome another storied institution into our league,” said Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould.

Still having Gonzaga as its member, the Pac-12 will still lack additional member school to play football for CFP recognition. Just as mentioned Gonzaga does not have a football team.

Even with UTEP, The Mountain West is in the same position that it has to find one more football affiliate. The Miners will exit the Conference USA beginning the 2026 season.

“The return of UTEP helps revive old rivalries with several of the member institutions in the region as well as acquiring increased visibility in the great State of Texas,” said Mountain West Commissioner Gloria Nevarez. “We are excited and ready to face in competition the student-athletes of UTEP.”

Both conferences have been in a hustle to find their future outside the Power Four of college sports but the inclusion of Gonzaga gives the Pac-12 an upper hand over the WCC especially in basketball.

Washington State, Boise State, San Diego State, Colorado State, Utah State and Gonzaga all competed in the NCAA Tournament in men’s basketball last year and SD State made the national championship game two seasons ago.

Gonzaga athletic director Chris Standiford said the school had sincere conversation with the Pac-12 over the weekend and the school submitted a membership application Monday night and it was approved unanimously.

“It becomes a joy to join a conference that has had tremendous tradition and emphasizing on change during this era of transition of college athletics,” Standiford remarked.

The Pac-12 started rebuilding for a 2026 reboot last month, securing five schools from the Mountain West to join Washington State and Oregon State of the two original Pac-12 members that remained after a devastating wave of conference changes took place this summer.

Bulldogs have been performing well in the WCC, making the NCAA tournament every year the tournament has been played since 1998, and achieving two final four and eight 30 plus win seasons.

The school has in the past explored joining the Big East and there has been discussion as well of the Big 12 looking to add Gonzaga for the strength of it’s men’s basketball team like the Big 12 did in adding UConn this year.

They have also made the Zags a perennial tournament team in women’s basketball.

“After consultation with the Pac-12 member presidents, I am convinced that membership will be about the chance to contribute to the creation of a conference that envisions new, progressive models of nurturing student-athletes amid evolving trends in the collegiate sports system,” Thayne McCulloh, Gonzaga President said.

UTEP is one of the WAC’s charter members and remained in the league for nearly four decades before jumping to Conference USA in 2005. On rejoining the Mountain West, it will make many previous conference foes again; including Nevada, San Jose State, New Mexico and Wyoming.

“I’m sure this will be good for our student-athletes and definitely good for our fans and for El Paso,” UTEP President Heather Wilson expressed. “We hope to bring back old hatreds and also to extend the hand of welcome to teams and fans heading to El Paso.”