The New Pac-12 for Track and Field: Who's In, What Changed, and What It Means for Recruits

Updated June 2026

The Pac-12 is back. It's not the old version with the Oregon Ducks, USC, Stanford, and the rest of the names you know from decades of college track, but a rebuilt nine-school conference that starts official participation on July 1, 2026 with competition beginning with the 2026 XC season. If you're being recruited for track and field or cross country, here's what you need to know.

What schools are in the new Pac-12?

As of July 1, 2026, the Pac-12 Conference has nine full members:

Eight of those nine schools sponsor football. Gonzaga is the exception — the Bulldogs joined as a non-football member, primarily known for basketball but competing across Olympic sports.

What sports does the Pac-12 sponsor?

The Pac-12 sponsors cross country (men's and women's) and outdoor track and field (men's and women's). There is no Pac-12 indoor track and field championship; most member schools will compete in indoor through the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) as affiliate members.

For a recruit, the practical breakdown:

• Cross country and outdoor track: Pac-12 conference. Your Pac-12 affiliation lives here.
• Indoor track: MPSF. Solid competition, different conference umbrella.

This is not unusual in college track. Many D1 programs split their conference home by season, and the MPSF is a well-established path to indoor competition in the West.

What Happened to the original Pac-12?

The original Pac-12 had twelve members and was one of the five Power conferences in college athletics. Between 2023 and 2024, ten schools left:

• To the Big Ten: Oregon, USC, UCLA, Washington
• To the Big 12: Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Utah
• To the ACC: Stanford, Cal Berkeley

Oregon State and Washington State were the only schools that stayed. From the 2024–25 through 2025–26 seasons, those two competed under an NCAA grace period as a two-school conference.

The rebuild began in fall 2024. Between September 2024 and June 2025, the conference added seven new members from the Mountain West, Sun Belt, and West Coast Conference, bringing the total to nine schools and officially relaunching on July 1, 2026.

Is the new Pac-12 still a Power conference?

No, the new Pac-12 will not be considered a Power conference. The Power conferences in college athletics are now the Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, and ACC — the Power Four. The Pac-12 is not in that group.

That matters for recruiting context. Power Four programs typically carry bigger budgets, more scholarship money, and higher-profile competition. The new Pac-12 is a competitive D1 conference — the schools competing in it aren't weak — but recruits should understand the distinction before they start building their target list.

Why should track and field / cross country recruits consider new Pac-12 programs?

There are a few reasons this conference is worth targeting, depending on your profile:

1. Serious competition without the Power Four recruiting pressure Programs like Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, and San Diego State compete at a high D1 level outdoors. The standard to make a roster is real. The standard to get a scholarship is more accessible than at many Power Four programs.
2. Geography and facilities
   Most of these schools sit in the West and Mountain West regions — good weather, fast outdoor tracks, and some of the best outdoor venues in the country. Boise, Fresno, and San Diego in particular offer near-ideal outdoor conditions.
3. A conference that's growing
   The schools that joined the Pac-12 chose it over staying in the Mountain West. These are programs investing in their futures, not shrinking.
4. A clean recruiting window
   Because the new Pac-12 is rebuilding, some programs have more roster flexibility than established Power Four schools. If your marks are competitive for D1 but you're not being pulled by the biggest programs, this conference is worth a serious look.

Frequently Asked Questions

What schools are in the new Pac-12 for track and field?

The nine schools are Oregon State, Washington State, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Utah State, Texas State, and Gonzaga — all competing as full Pac-12 members starting July 1, 2026.

Does the Pac-12 have track and field?

Yes. The Pac-12 sponsors men's and women's cross country and men's and women's outdoor track and field. It does not sponsor an indoor track and field championship; member schools compete in indoor through the MPSF.

Is the new Pac-12 a Power Five conference?

No. The Power conferences are now the Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, and ACC (the Power Four). The Pac-12 is a competitive D1 mid-major.

When did the Pac-12 rebuild?

The original Pac-12 lost ten schools between 2023 and 2024. Oregon State and Washington State kept the conference alive. Seven new members joined between September 2024 and June 2025, with full conference competition beginning July 1, 2026.

What conference is Boise State track and field in?

Boise State track and field competes in the Pac-12 Conference, beginning with the 2026–27 season.

What conference is Fresno State cross country in?

Fresno State cross country competes in the Pac-12 Conference starting July 1, 2026.

What conference is Texas State track and field in?

Texas State track and field joins the Pac-12 Conference on July 1, 2026, moving from the Sun Belt Conference.

What conference is Gonzaga cross country in?

Gonzaga competes in the Pac-12 as a non-football member, including cross country, starting July 1, 2026.

What is the MPSF?

The Mountain Pacific Sports Federation is a supplemental D1 conference that sponsors indoor track and field, among other sports, for schools whose primary conference doesn't sponsor indoor track. Many Pac-12 member schools, including Oregon State and Washington State, compete in the MPSF for indoor. It's a legitimate path to postseason competition, including the NCAA Indoor Championships.

Explore new Pac-12 track and field programs

The Streamline Athletes platform has been updated to reflect the new Pac-12 membership. All nine program pages are live under the Pac-12 conference.

Browse all Pac-12 track and field and cross country programs at streamlineathletes.com/browse-teams/ncaa-d1/pac12.

Or go directly to a school:

• Oregon State
• Washington State
• Boise State
• Colorado State
• Fresno State
• San Diego State
• Utah State
• Texas State
• Gonzaga

Create a free Streamline Athletes profile to get recruited.