Big 12 Pausing Conference Expansion Talks With UConn

The Big 12 has put its expansion talks with UConn on pause, conference commissioner Brett Yormark said in a statement Thursday.

“As Commissioner, it is my responsibility to explore a variety of value-creating opportunities on behalf of the Big 12,” Yormak said. “Following detailed discussions with my conference colleagues alongside UConn leadership, we have jointly decided to pause our conversations at this time.

“We will instead focus our attention and resources to ushering in this new era of college athletics.”

Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark has released a statement. pic.twitter.com/ZYFyLCrlKd

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) September 5, 2024

Yormark’s statement comes less than two weeks after the Big 12 presidents and athletic directors met to discuss potentially adding UConn at some point down the line as the conference eyes expansion.

Earlier in August, UConn AD David Benedict and Board Chair Daniel Toscano met with the Big 12 ADs in Dallas, with conversations centered around football funding and how UConn could be competitive upon joining the league in 2031.

At least 12 of the Big 12’s 16 member institutions, a “supermajority,” would need to vote in favor of adding UConn in order for it to come to fruition.

Following the the conference’s losses of Texas and Oklahoma, the Big 12 has reloaded with Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah joining this coming season after BYU, Central Florida, Cincinnati and Houston came over last year.

In swimming & diving, UConn only sponsors a women’s team after the men’s program was cut in 2020. The Huskies were the runners-up at the 2024 Big East Championships, finishing just 21 points shy of champion Villanova.

The Big 12 has explored adding UConn since at least last year, according to The Athletic.