The Pac-12 is adding a college basketball powerhouse

Ready for some Utah State vs. Gonzaga conference games in the Spectrum?
The Zags will be joining the rebuilt Pac-12, as first reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel and Kyle Bonagura early Tuesday morning.
The Pac-12 and the school made the official announcement soon thereafter.
“We are delighted to welcome Gonzaga into the Pac-12 as they embark with us on this incredible path ahead,” Pac-12 commissioner Teresa Gould said in a news release.
“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.”
Gonzaga has long been a powerhouse in college basketball. It’s been a member of the West Coast Conference since 1979.
The school formally applied for membership into the Pac-12 on Monday and the vote to accept them into the league was unanimous, according to the conference.
Now, the Zags, who do not sponsor football, will join the Pac-12 in all sports the school sponsors beginning with the 2026-27 academic year.
Tuesday’s news comes just a couple week after the Pac-12 started up conference realignment talks again by adding Boise State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Colorado State, beginning in 2026.
Not long after, Utah State also announced it had accepted an invitation to join the Pac-12 in 2026.
Gonzaga, under head coach Mark Few, has made the NCAA men’s basketball tournament every year since 1999, a streak of 24 straight appearances.
The Zags have played for the national championship game twice in the past decade, and were the runners-up in 2017 and 2021. The Gonzaga men are the only program in the country that have appeared in each of the last nine Sweet Sixteens.
The university also boasts a strong women’s basketball program — last year, the women’s team advanced to the Sweet Sixteen for the fifth time.
The Zags women have an 85.7% winning percentage since the 2019-20 season and appeared in seven straight NCAA tournaments.
“This is a great day for Gonzaga University,” Gonzaga athletics director Chris Standiford said in a news release. “We are excited to join a conference with great tradition and a commitment to innovating during this evolving time in collegiate athletics. I’d like to thank Commissioner Teresa Gould for her leadership as these talks progressed earnestly over the weekend, our alignment became evident and our vision shared.”
With Gonzaga not sponsoring football, the Pac-12 still needs to add one more full-time member school that sponsors the sport by 2026 to retain its status as an FBS conference.