Utah receives invite to join the Pac-10

By The AP
Wednesday, June 16, 2010

SALT LAKE CITY — The Pac-10 invited Utah to become the conference’s 12th member today, two days after being turned down by Texas, Oklahoma and three other Big 12 schools.

School officials did not immediately say whether the invitation would be accepted, but it would be shocking if the Utes didn’t leave the Mountain West Conference for the Pac-10.

The school’s board of trustees will meet Thursday to discuss the school’s conference affiliation. A news conference was scheduled at the football stadium following the meeting.

Utah has been a member of the MWC since the league began in 1999 — and one of its most successful in football and basketball.

There had been speculation on Tuesday that Utah would be the next school to be approached by the Pac-10. When asked about the possibility, school president Michael Young told The Associated Press “we wouldn’t anticipate making a move of this magnitude without the concurrence of our board of trustees.