UH President: joining Big 12 'will propel us to even greater heights on the playing field and in our classrooms'

University of Houston President Renu Khator has been dedicated in her efforts to boost the strength of the athletics program since she took the job 15 years ago, an effort that seems to have worked as the university is now officially a part of the Big 12 Conference. 

According to a July 1 press release, Khator was excited about the recent move to the Big 12 and believes it elevates not just the university’s athletics, but academic and research goals, too.

“Joining the Big 12 conference marks a significant milestone for the University of Houston. It will propel us to even greater heights on the playing field and in our classrooms," Khator said in the release. "Through our membership to the Big 12, we are enhancing our national visibility and elevating our athletic, academic and research pursuits by creating new avenues for collaboration. It is an exciting day in our institution's history."

According to the press release, presidents of the Big 12 voted to expand the conference back on September 9, 2021. Houston was one of the four new teams added to the list. When Khator began her presidency in 2008, she expressed her interest in strengthening the university's athletics since she believed it would play a crucial role in the overall triumph of the school.

According to the press release, joining the conference should be exciting to Houston fans as the Cougars rekindle past rivalries with Baylor, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech, Texas, and Oklahoma. Moreover, they will uphold their ongoing rivalries from the American Athletic Conference with Cincinnati and UCF, while also embarking on new rivalries against BYU, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, and West Virginia.

"This is a historic day for the University of Houston," Chris Pezman, vice president for Athletics, said in the release. "As I look back over the years, there have been many pivotal moments and influential individuals responsible for paving the way to this moment. This transformation has been 30 years in the making. Our institution, programs and student-athletes are eager to put UH's own unique stamp on the Big 12 Conference."

Dana Holgorsen, Houston's head football coach, released a statement that was posted on the football team's Twitter page. “This is what the University of Houston has always wanted,” Holgorsen said in the statement. “We have new athletic facilities going up and now we’re in the Big 12. There’s so much excitement. We’ve got a lot of work to do but now is the time to double down on what we’re doing.”

According to the press release, after competing in the American Athletic Conference for the past 10 years and compiling 41 conference championships, Houston will begin Big 12 competition this Fall. The Cougars will kick off competition in their new conference when the soccer team heads to Texas Tech on Sept. 14. Football will have the honor of hosting TCU on Sept. 16, within the confines of TDECU Stadium. Volleyball will begin Big 12 play at BYU on Sept. 20.