Arizona State leaving rich Pac-12 history behind in Big 12 expansion move
The Arizona State Sun Devils are switching conferences for the first time in a very long time, leaving the Pac-12 for the Big 12 along with Arizona, Utah and Colorado.
A change in conferences marks the end of an era for ASU, which grew considerably as a university during its time in the conference and won 19 NCAA titles.
The Sun Devils, along with the Arizona Wildcats, joined the Pac-12 in 1978 after previously competing in the Western Athletic Conference. It was quite a process to join the conference as the schools received invitations to join the then-Pac-8 in December of 1976 before being formally announced as member institutions in the new Pac-10 in May of 1977. Both started to compete in the conference in 1978.
The league became the Pac-12 Conference with the official additions of Colorado and Utah in 2011.
USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington are leaving the Pac-12 for the Big Ten in 2024; Colorado, Utah and the Arizona schools are leaving the conference for the Big 12 that same year.
Top moments in ASU's Pac-12 history
The Sun Devils' football program won three Pac-12 titles, including in 1996, when the team shut out No. 1 Nebraska 19-0 on its way to an appearance in the Rose Bowl, where it came seconds away from defeating Ohio State. Had ASU won it most likely would have been voted national champion because No. 1 Florida State lost to Florida in the Sugar Bowl.
ASU football won another Pac-12 title in 1986, when it went 10-1-1 and beat Michigan in the Rose Bowl, 22-15.
Arizona State also tied with USC for the Pac-12 title in 2007 after going 10-3.
From 2007-10, ASU won four straight Pac-12 titles in baseball, its most recent titles in the sport in the conference.
ASU's most recent NCAA title came in women's golf in 2017, and the softball team won the Women's College World Series in 2011.
Wildcats legacy: Arizona Wildcats leave strong Pac-12 legacy in Big 12 expansion move
Arizona State's Pac-12 championships
Since joining the Pac-12 Conference, ASU has won 65 conference titles, led by 21 in men's wrestling.
Baseball: 10
Women's basketball: 2
Football: 3
Men's golf: 13
Women's golf: 8
Softball: 3
Men's swimming: 1
Men's outdoor track: 1
Women's outdoor track: 3
Conference of Champions: List of Pac-12 teams' total national titles
Arizona State's national championships in the Pac-12
ASU has won 24 NCAA team national championships, with 19 coming since the team joined the Pac-12.
Baseball: 1981
Men's gymnastics: 1986
Men's golf: 1990, 1996
Men's indoor track: 2008
Men's wrestling: 1988
Women's golf: 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2009, 2017
Women's indoor track: 2007, 2008
Women's outdoor track: 2007
Softball: 2008, 2011
Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Big 12 expansion: Arizona State leaving rich Pac-12 history in move
