Gonzaga athletic director Chris Standiford reportedly met with Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark last week to discuss potentially joining the conference, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
If Gonzaga joins the Big 12, it would mark a huge leap for the program in leaving the mid-major West Coast Conference for a Power 5 league. This news comes after Yormark told media in July that the conference was “open for business” in terms of recruiting new member schools.
According to ESPN’s sources, Gonzaga also has conducted discussions with the Big East, although details of those conversations have not been disclosed. A move to either the Big 12 or Big East would create a challenging travel situation for Gonzaga, which is located in Spokane, Wash.
Gonzaga joining the Big 12 would create a shift in the college basketball landscape. The conference currently counts the previous two men’s basketball national champions, Kansas and Baylor, as members. Gonzaga was the runner-up in 2021 to Baylor. Such a move also would mean the Big 12 would boast member schools in four time zones.
The Bulldogs consistently rank among the top men’s college basketball programs in the nation. They have dominated the WCC in recent decades. Since 1995, Gonzaga has won 20 conference tournament titles and 24 regular-season conference titles.
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