Cal officials release statement in light of Oregon, Washington decisions to leave Pac-12
As the conference realignment dominoes continue to fall, the Pac-12 finds itself in a precarious spot. Four of its highest-profile members are off to the Big Ten, while at least one more is heading to the Big 12 in 2024.
Some of the programs left behind are speaking out. Cal is one of them as the president and athletic director released a statement Friday after Oregon and Washington announced their plans to leave for the Big Ten.
Cal president Carol Christ and athletic director Jim Knowlton didn’t directly name Oregon or Washington in a joint statement, but said they’re “evaluating a variety of options” as the college sports landscape gets shaken up in a major way.
“We are aware that two more of our Pac-12 peer institutions have decided to leave the conference one year from now, and there are reports that additional universities may be considering similar steps,” the statement read. “We are not watching and waiting from the sidelines. Together, the Chancellor and Athletic Director are evaluating a variety of options that will ensure our student-athletes can continue to thrive, and that our intercollegiate athletics program and can continue to excel in a manner consistent with our institutional values.
“We are grateful for the continued support of the campus community and the extended Cal Family, and will remain committed to sharing as much information as we can in the days ahead.”
Stanford also released a statement in light of the two departures. President Marc Tessier-Lavigne and athletics director Bernard Muir said the Cardinal is looking at “available options” amid the current landscape. If the Big 12 gets the teams it wants, the Pac-12 could be down to four teams in 2024.
“We are aware of the University of Oregon and the University of Washington’s intended departure from the Pac-12 Conference,” the statement read. “Our primary focus at this time is analyzing the available options and making the best decisions for Stanford and our student-athletes. We remain optimistic about Stanford’s athletics future and remain committed to pursuing excellence in college athletics.”
Oregon and Washington are the two latest teams to leave the Pac-12 for the Big Ten. Last year, USC and UCLA announced their intentions to leave for the Big Ten as well. In fact, conference officials started “exploratory discussions” earlier this week regarding expansion, Yahoo! Sports’ Dan Wetzel reported. Stanford and Cal have also come up as potential targets if the Big Ten wants to expand to as many as 20 teams.