‘We’re a Big Winner’: WVU AD Baker on Conference Realignment

Conference realignment news has taken over the world of college athletics this summer as 2024 will change the landscape forever. WVU AD Wren Baker that West Virginia and the Big 12 overall is a winner in this latest stage.

“I think [WVU is] a big winner within this round of conference realignment,” Baker said to the media on Wednesday.

Baker mentioned that he feels sad for the Pac-12 which lost Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah to the Big 12 as well as Oregon and Washington to the Big Ten. The Pac-12 loses all eight universities in the summer of 2024.

About the Big 12, Baker is very optimistic about the future of the conference.

“I think when you look at where we were at in the Big 12 two years ago the league was on the verge of extinction. I certainly wouldn’t have wanted to wager anything of value at the survival of the Big 12 at that point. When you look where we’re at today, in my opinion, we’re in the top three in most stable conference positions moving forward in college athletics,” Baker added.

The Big 12 Conference has changed and continues to change ever since Oklahoma and Texas announced their intentions to join the SEC in 2024. Former Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby added BYU, UCF, Cincinnati and Houston for this upcoming year while current commissioner Brett Yormark added the Pac-12 additions for next season.

Yormark recently stated to an Arizona newspaper that the conference is done expanding at the moment. Now all eyes turn to the remaining Pac-12 schools in what they decide to do.