It’s official: the Gonzaga Bulldogs are leaving the West Coast Conference to join the Pac-12 in 2026. Reports surfaced early last week that the Pac-12 and Gonzaga had reached an agreement to pay the Bulldogs a full revenue share despite not having a football program.
Despite reports that said there was no deal in place, it has now been confirmed as the school made its official announcement on Tuesday morning.
“The Pac-12 Conference and Gonzaga University are proud to announce their partnership, celebrating the addition of the eighth university during this transformative era for the century-old conference,” a release from the university reads. “This partnership marks an exciting chapter in expansion history for the conference as it strategically builds a formidable basketball powerhouse.”
Gonzaga sent a formal application for membership to the Pac-12 on Monday, September 30, which the  conference’s Board of Directors and its five new member presidents voted unanimously to approve. The Bulldogs will join the Pac-12 effective July 1, 2026, with competition beginning for all conference sports in the 2026-27 academic year.
“This is a great day for Gonzaga University,” said Gonzaga Athletics Director Chris Standiford. “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.”Â
With Gonzaga now on board, the Pac-12 comprises eight schools, including Oregon State, Washington State, Boise State, Fresno State, Colorado State, San Diego State, and Utah State.
