The Pac-12 Conference announced on Apr. 1 the addition of Air Force, Northern Colorado, North Dakota State, and South Dakota State as new affiliate members in wrestling beginning with the 2026-27 season. These schools will join Northern Illinois, which had previously announced its affiliation, expanding Pac-12 Wrestling to nine teams.
This expansion is significant as it allows the Pac-12 to meet the minimum requirement of six wrestling programs needed to retain NCAA automatic qualification for league champions. With nine teams competing, this marks the largest Pac-12 wrestling membership since the 2008-09 season.
Air Force Director of Athletics Nathan Pine said, “This is an exciting time for our wrestling program with the transition into the Pac-12 Conference in the sport of wrestling. It’s a great fit for our program and aligns us with like-minded programs while strengthening collegiate wresting in the west. I know the future of our program is bright as we will look to compete for championships in the Pac-12 while continuing to build leaders of character for our Air Force and Space Force.” Sam Barber, Air Force Wrestling Head Coach, added: “We are honored and excited to join the Pac-12 Conference as an affiliate member. The Pac-12 has a proud tradition in collegiate wrestling, and we are eager to be part of the reimagined Pac-12 wrestling conference that we believe will become one of the nation’s elite power conferences. We are excited to make this move alongside tradition-rich programs that share our passion for competing and winning at the highest level while helping strengthen Division I wrestling across the western United States.”
At this year’s NCAA National Championships, wrestlers from these nine programs collectively sent 31 athletes—tied for fourth most among all conferences based on upcoming membership—with two achieving All-American status: Little Rock’s Stephen Little finished third at 197 pounds and Air Force’s Carter Nogle placed fifth at 141 pounds. Over five years, these schools have sent a total of 166 wrestlers to nationals with 34 earning All-American honors; their teams have also finished in NCAA’s Top 25 nine times during that period.
Coaches from other member institutions welcomed these changes enthusiastically. Cal Poly Head Coach Jon Sioredas said: “We’re excited to welcome these outstanding programs to the Pac-12 and look forward to the energy and competition that they will bring. It’s a great step forward for the conference and an exciting opportunity for all of the wrestling programs involved.” Oregon State Head Coach Chris Pendleton said: “After several years of uncertainty, I’m fired up about this announcement! With this new group of teams joining, we have an opportunity to change the landscape of college wrestling! I and our program are incredibly excited for the future!” Neil Erisman from Little Rock commented: “Little Rock is excited to be part of this expansion. This move strengthens not only our conference but also the future of wrestling in the West… it’s a defining moment for Pacific Twelve.” Cal State Bakersfield’s Luke Smith concluded: “We are very excited about Pacific Twelve’s commitment to wrestling and its new additions.”
With expanded membership set for next season’s launch coinciding with structural changes within college athletics nationally, observers anticipate increased competitiveness among western collegiate wrestlers.
