TCU has (finally) officially announced it will join the Big 12. The Big 12 Conference Board of Directors voted unanimously to accept TCU as a full conference member competing in all sports, effective July 1, 2012.
The Horned Frogs are playing their final season in the Mountain West and were set to join the Big East before the overtures from the Big 12.
Essentially, TCU will fill the spot created by Texas A&M's pending move to the SEC that will occur this summer.
"The Big 12 Presidents and Chancellors are pleased to welcome TCU to the Big 12," said Burns Hargis, Chair of the Big 12 Board of Directors and president of Oklahoma State University, in a statement. "The addition of TCU gives us a prestigious institution with great academics, strong financial support, outstanding athletic tradition, and a perfect geographic fit. We have been working tirelessly to build an even stronger Conference and think this is an extremely positive step."
This move puts the Big 12 at 10 schools while it waits on a commitment from Missouri. The league could stay at 10 or add two more schools if the Tigers stay. Should they go, it is expected the conference would grab another team to return to 10.
The move to the Big 12 is the fifth conference switch for TCU since 1996 when the Southwest Conference dissolved. From there, the school was part of Conference USA, the Western Athletic Conference, the Mountain West and, for a short time, the Big East.
TCU is not bound by the 27-month notice that currently is holding Syracuse and Pittsburgh to the league before they can join the ACC. TCU will have to pay a $5 million exit fee.
"Joining the Big 12 connects us not only to schools with whom we share a rich tradition in sports, but also to schools committed to academic excellence," TCU chancellor Victor J. Boschini Jr. said in a statement. "Over the past six years, TCU has seen unprecedented success in academics and athletics. Participating in this conference allows us to strengthen the core of the TCU experience, which includes providing students with major opportunities in a personalized environment. It is very much in line with our overall goal to create a world-class university."
TCU athletic director Chris Del Conte said the Horned Frogs were fully committed to the Big East until "there was a glimmer of hope" that the Big 12 was interested in adding them. Of course, the Big East hasn't been too pleased with this development.
"Although never having competed as a member of the Big East Conference, we are disappointed with the news that TCU is joining the Big 12," Big East Commissioner John Marinatto said in a statement.
MORE: �Follow Erick Smith on Twitter
golf baseball soccer sports news football news cricket news golf news baseball news soccer news news
No comments:
Post a Comment