Basketball could move conferences as soon as 2026
The UConn Huskies might say goodbye to the Big East again.
According to multiple reports, UConn is in discussions about moving to the Big 12 first in all sports with football scheduled to move in 2031. Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger reported Friday that UConn and Big 12 administrators met last week in Dallas.
“Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark is set to make a similar presentation to the league’s presidents next week,” Dellenger wrote. “Expansion requires a three-fourths vote, or 12 of the 16 members.”
The Huskies moved to the American Athletic Conference after the Big East split off in 2013. While the men’s and women’s basketball programs remained popular and successful, the football program struggled and eventually split off from the AAC and competes as an independent primarily playing Big East schools.
UConn moved back to the Big East in 2020, and the arrival of Dan Hurley made the men’s basketball team a powerhouse. The women remained one of the top teams in the country with Paige Bueckers driving in more success and popularity. A move to the Big 12 would give more powerhouse programs for the teams to compete with, which Hurley reportedly isn’t against.
“He loves the Big East, but he understands the Big 12 provides more resources and more money,” a source told Brett McMurphy of Action Network.
A UConn-Big 12 deal would continue the seismic realignment seen across college sports that doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.