Gonzaga refutes reported deal to join Pac-12 as conference looks to add members

Gonzaga refuted a Monday report that it was leaving WCC for Pac-12. Where does everything stand?

Photo by Erik Smith, Myk Crawford

In an active early week of news in college athletic conference realignment, Gonzaga denied a report that claimed the school was leaving the West Coast Conference for the Pac-12.

On Monday, Gonzaga Athletic Director Chris Standiford refuted a report from Brett McMurphy of the Action Network's report that the university had reached an agreement to join the Pac-12 and “receive a full conference revenue share,” telling Jim Meehan of the Spokesman-Review “that is not accurate reporting."

Though a deal wasn't been made, discussion appear to be ongoing.

Nicole Auerbach of NBC Sports was one of several prominent reporters to rebut McMurphy's report, clarified in a post to X that “discussions could certainly progress and lead to Gonzaga deciding to leave … but that has not happened at this point.”

Does that mean the Gonzaga-to-the-Pac-12 is dead?

McMurphy doesn't think so, doubling down when he went on the air with 365 Sports in Waco, Texas on Tuesday:

“I’m not going to throw something against the wall,” McMurphy told the station when asked about push-back to his reporting. “I’m very confident in the individuals I talk to, the sources I have and you’re right, everybody else on the face of the earth said I’m an idiot, that I’m wrong. 

“So choose your horse, we’ll see what happens. … I was told by the people that told me ‘Gonzaga will end up in the Pac-12.’ Are they there today? Will they be there tomorrow? No. But they will be there, but we have to wait and see how that plays out.”

Reports have connected the Zags to the Pac-12 for weeks as the conference pursues new members.

On Thursday, journalist Jon Wilner said on the Canzano & Wilner podcast that discussions between the two parties are ongoing and the deal may come down to whether or not Gonzaga gets a full revenue share despite not playing football.

Last week, Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger called Gonzaga an “expected” Pac-12 target.

The conference is adding members, too, after the fluttering power conference lost 10 members to competing conferences at the end of the 2023-24 year.

Earlier this month, it announced the addition of four new members for 2026-27: Boise State, San Diego State, Colorado State and Fresno State.

Those four schools will join Oregon State and Washington State, the lone remaining Pac-12 programs, bringing the total number of teams in two years to six. 

Commissioner Teresa Gould said the Pac-12 isn't done. Could the Zags be in its future?

"We will continue to pursue bold cutting-edge opportunities for growth and progress, to best serve our member institutions and student-athletes,” Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould said in the Sept. 12 statement announcing the addition of four schools.

Gonzaga has been a member of the West Coast Conference since 1979-80.