The Big Ten is continuing to make moves, suddenly adding Oregon and Washington to the conference starting in 2024. The announcement came on Friday evening.
With the move, the two former Pac-12 schools (which will still compete in the West Coast-based conference in 2023) will join USC and UCLA in joining the Big Ten.
University of Michigan president Santa J. Ono was one who voted for the two new schools which help the conference move to 18 members in 2024. He and Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel commented on the move in a joint release shortly after the Big Ten’s announcement.
Full release:
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The Big Ten Conference unanimously voted Friday (Aug. 4) to accept the University of Oregon and the University of Washington as full members in all sponsored sports, effective in August 2024.
As the conference continues to grow and expand across the country, we are pleased to confirm this decision and extend a warm welcome to our newest members, both of which are leading research universities and members of the Association of American Universities with championship-caliber athletic programs.
We also look forward to the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of Southern California joining the conference in 2024.
Over the course of the last year, following the acceptance of UCLA and USC to the Big Ten Conference competition, administrators across our membership have engaged in thoughtful study and dialog on wide-ranging logistical questions and considerations. Those efforts, aimed at ensuring a positive student-athlete experience and fiscal stability, leave us well-prepared to make additions at this time.
As the collegiate sports landscape continues to change rapidly, we hope that you will join us in welcoming the Huskies and Ducks to the Big Ten.
Go Blue!
Santa J. Ono
President
Warde Manuel
Donald R. Shepherd Director of Athletics
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