Fresh off its 10th anniversary season, the Big 12 Conference begins its second decade of competition in 2006-07. While there have been many proud accomplishments through the first 10 years, the conference and its members anticipate continued success.
Through its first 10 years, the Big 12 claimed 28 team and 310 individual NCAA titles. During this past season, conference programs captured national championships in football (Texas), women’s indoor track & field (Texas), wrestling (Oklahoma State) and men’s golf (Oklahoma State). In addition, 12 individual event titles were also won by student-athletes that compete in the Big 12.The 2004-05 campaign marked the most successful in conference history with six NCAA championships. Baylor won the crown for women’s basketball, becoming the first Big 12 squad to win in that sport. Colorado won both the men’s and women’s cross country trophies, just the fourth school in NCAA annals to win both in the same year. Oklahoma State regained the top spot in wrestling, winning the national title for the 33rd time. Texas captured its fourth women’s outdoor track & field crown, along with its sixth national championship in baseball.The Big 12 leads all conferences with five appearances in the BCS National Championship game. A Big 12 team has played for the football national championship five of the last six years, and each of the last three. In basketball, an unprecedented eight men’s and women’s basketball teams have advanced to their respective Final Fours in the past five seasons as the Big 12 continues its place among the elite intercollegiate athletic conferences.The Big 12 and its member institutions are committed to a competitive environment where sportsmanship and fair play take center stage. Whether on the field, in the classroom, or within the community the student-athletes, administrators, coaches and game officials of the Big 12 support the highest ideals in sportsmanship.Competitive excellence, scholarships and sportsmanship are all equal components of the Big 12’s philosophy. All-Big 12 teams and All-Big 12 Academic squads are recognized for each sport at the end of their respective seasons.At the end of each academic year, the Conference honors its top male and female student-athletes with the Big 12 Athlete of the Year and Big 12 Sportsperson of the Year awards.Institutions can also nominate student-athletes for the prestigious Dr. Prentice Gautt Postgraduate Scholarships at the end of each academic year. A total of 153 scholars have received more than $845,000 in postgraduate financial aid through the first nine years of the program.The Big 12 sponsors 21 sports. Men’s squads include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, indoor track & field, outdoor track & field, swimming & diving, tennis and wrestling. Women’s teams are fielded in basketball, cross country, golf, gymnastics, indoor track & field, outdoor track & field, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis and volleyball.The conference is made up of 12 institutions that have shared many traditional rivalries throughout their histories. Member schools include - Baylor University, University of Colorado, Iowa State University, University of Kansas, Kansas State University, University of Missouri, University of Nebraska, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, University of Texas, Texas A&M University and Texas Tech University.The institutions created a league that encompasses seven states, over 42 million people and more than 18 million television households within its geographic footprint.The conference conducts championships for 20 of its 21 sports. Each championship helps to determine teams and/or individuals that will represent the Conference in national postseason competition. The winner of the Big 12 football championship game earns the league’s berth into the prestigious Bowl Championship Series.The Big 12 is under the direction of its third commissioner, Kevin L. Weiberg, who took over the reins in December 1998. Weiberg has led the Big 12 into additional football bowl agreements and expanded television opportunities for all sports through contracts with ABC/ESPN, FSN, TBS and CSTV.In its 10-year history, the conference has distributed $807.2 million to its 12 member institutions.The Big 12 staff administers to over 4,600 student-athletes in 21 sports. The conference headquarters will move to Irving, Texas, from Dallas in August 2006.
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