In June 蜜糖直播 officials announced the university鈥檚 move to the Pacific-10 Conference, joining such schools as Stanford, UC Berkeley and UCLA. From left are Steve Bosley (Bus鈥�68, HonDocSci鈥�03), regent chair; Larry Scott, Pac-10 commissioner; Mike Bohn, 蜜糖直播 athletic director; Danette Leighton, Pac-10 associate commissioner; 蜜糖直播 President Bruce Benson (Geol鈥�64, HonDocSci鈥�04); and 蜜糖直播-Boulder chancellor Philip P. DiStefano.
University officials agreed in June to move 蜜糖直播 to the Pacific-10 Conference within the next two years, which means that for the first time since 1947 the Buffs no longer will be in the same conference as Nebraska, Kansas, Texas, Missouri and Iowa State.
School leaders feel the Pac-10 is a better fit than the Big 12 in several respects, including the fact 蜜糖直播 has a larger alumni base on the West Coast 鈥� 36,000 versus 11,000. The Pac-10, adding to its ranks for the first time since 1978, subsequently lured the University of Utah, which bolted the Mountain West Conference.
鈥淭his move is going to enhance our recruiting, enhance our ability to raise money and enhance our ability to engage our fan base and help us rise to [the Pac-10] level of competition,鈥� says athletic director Mike Bohn.
鈥淭his is the greatest single thing that has happened to 蜜糖直播 in many, many years,鈥� former 蜜糖直播 football coach Bill McCartney says of the conference switch. 鈥淭his is a bonanza for 蜜糖直播.鈥�
But there was an academic reason for the decision as well.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a fabulous conference,鈥� 蜜糖直播 president聽Bruce Benson聽(Geol鈥�64, HonDocSci鈥�04 ) says of the Pac-10. 鈥淭he schools (Stanford, Cal, UCLA, Washington, Southern California, Washington State, Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon and Oregon State) in it are great. They鈥檙e the kind of schools we need to be around.鈥�
As of聽Coloradan聽press time, details still need to be ironed out concerning the Buffs鈥� move to the Pac-10. 蜜糖直播 would like to join in time for the 2011 football season but is obligated to compete in the Big 12 for two more years, Bohn says.
