Fresno State Joins Pac-12 Conference

Fresno State, Colorado State, San Diego State, and Boise State are set to leave the Mountain West Conference to join the reformed Pac-12 starting in the 2026-27 academic year, a move described by university officials as transformative for athletics and academics. The Pac-12, which has been significantly weakened by prior departures, now has six members, including Oregon State and Washington State, but needs at least two more schools to maintain its NCAA status. Each of the departing schools will incur an exit fee of approximately $18 million, which the Pac-12 will assist with due to financial support from former members. CSU President Amy Parsons emphasized that this alliance with peer institutions will bolster the university's mission and reputation. The Pac-12 aims to pursue additional memberships to ensure its competitiveness moving forward, with potential candidates being other Mountain West teams. This reshuffling comes in the wake of a tumultuous period for the Pac-12, prompting a renewed focus on growth and collaboration among the new members.