With the Big 12 Conference reportedly in “serious” conversations to expand with UConn, Huskies basketball coach Danny Hurley is reportedly open to the idea.
According to Action Network‘s Brett McMurphy, a source says that Danny Hurley is “not against” the idea of UConn joining the Big 12 Conference.
UConn’s basketball program has won six national championships in the last 30 years (1999, 2004, 2011, 2014, 2023, and 2024). The six championships put the program in a tie for third most of all time and is the most of any program since the tournament expanded to 64 teams.
This season, Danny Hurley is trying to do something that hasn’t been done in 50 years. Since the NCAA took over stewardship of the college basketball national championship process in 1939, only one program has won three in a row: the celebrated UCLA dynasty of the 1970s.
Hurley and the Huskies have won back-to-back National Championships, dominating both title games. UConn beat San Diego State 76-59 in 2023 and then handled Purdue 75-60 this past NCAA Tournament.
Adding UConn would only solidify the Big 12 as the premier college basketball conference in America. Only UCLA (11) and Kentucky (8), have won more National Championships than UConn. However, since UConn’s first National Championship in 1999, UCLA hasn’t won any, while Kentucky has won one.
It’s important to note that, per McMurphy, sources said a key component to adding UConn is the 16 current Big 12 members would not see a reduction in revenue.
The report adds that the Big 12 could bring in UConn basketball as soon as 2026, with football joining in 2031. The 2031 timeline would coincide with the Big 12’s next media rights deal. The Big 12’s current media rights deal with FOX and ESPN expires after the 2030-31 school year.
