October 1, 2024
Dear Gonzaga University Community:
I write today to share an exciting and historic update that we believe, when fully realized, will greatly benefit our student athletes, improve the future for Gonzaga’s athletic programs, and provide new and exciting opportunities for our entire university community. Yesterday, the presidents of the Pac-12 Conference voted unanimously to invite Gonzaga into full membership. This invitation followed deliberate and careful consideration on the part of the Pac-12 members. I am pleased to announce that, with the support of our Board of Trustees, Gonzaga has accepted this invitation to join the Pac-12 Conference beginning July 1, 2026.
While a transition to the Pac-12 is without question a pivotal moment for Gonzaga Athletics, we must recognize that the impact of this decision will extend well beyond the realm of collegiate sports. Indeed, this change has the potential to create many new opportunities for the entire University, enriching the experiences of our faculty, staff, and all our students.
In a landscape where enrollment trends, fundraising, areas of program interest, and financial realities are all shifting rapidly, through this action we are making intentional decisions to better meet the needs of today while simultaneously planning for Gonzaga’s future. Based on discussions with Pac-12 member presidents, I believe membership will represent an opportunity to participate in building a conference that imagines new, forward-thinking ways to support student-athletes in a rapidly changing collegiate sports landscape. Partnerships with a new group of universities can also assist in our student recruitment and enrollment efforts, create opportunities for academic collaboration with new faculty colleagues, and attract more students who value an excellent education distinctively rooted in our Jesuit identity and tradition. I am particularly excited about the opportunities partnering with this group of institutions can offer our students, faculty, and staff for multi-institutional collaboration.
Without question, Gonzaga Athletics will benefit from additional resources and elite exposure. Our student-athletes and Bulldog fans will enjoy regular matchups featuring prominent teams from the Western U.S. With this invitation, Gonzaga’s reputation as one of the elite programs in the country is further underscored, and I am grateful to Gonzaga Athletics Director Chris Standiford and our talented coaches and staff for their stewardship of an Athletics enterprise committed to winning in the classroom, the community, and in competition.
This move has become a reality in no small part due to our many supporters, past and present, including our Board of Trustees, whose leadership and vision have supported a university that consistently both strives to be, and currently ranks, among the best universities in the country; our faculty, staff, and administrators who daily actualize our mission of education; and in a particular way our remarkable students, whose passion, commitment and achievement energizes everything we do. It is also made possible through the vision of Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould, who has been a tireless champion of Gonzaga’s membership throughout this process, and the Pac-12 member presidents.
I also want to acknowledge and recognize with deep appreciation our colleagues within the West Coast Conference (WCC), and Commissioner Stu Jackson. For nearly half a century, Gonzaga has enjoyed partnership with the WCC, a league rich in tradition, competition, and character. We value the exceptional experiences membership in the WCC has provided our student athletes, coaches, and community, and will look forward to continuing those relationships into the future.
As our journey to the Pac-12 begins, let us celebrate the many possibilities that lie ahead for our broader community. I am confident that with this move, Gonzaga University will be better positioned for success as well as a stronger and more sustainable future.
Sincerely yours,
Thayne M. McCulloh, D.Phil.
President