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It appears as if the Big 12 has found their 14th member. Tucson, AZ - After weeks of rumors, the Big 12 Conference appears to have found their 14th member for the 2024 season. According to Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports, the Big 12 has approved Arizona’s application to become a member of the league. https://twitter.com/rossdellenger/status/1687279556695146496?s=46&t=cXIQ4JQG-pp-P6qrRwLwjw Dellenger claims that the only remaining action for this to become a reality will be for Arizona’s Board of Regents to approve the move themselves. An announcement is expected in the very near future. Stay tuned to The Voice of Motown for updates.   (Photo by University of Arizona Athletics) 

Arizona to the Big 12 appears to be all but a done deal.   Tuscon, AZ - With conference realignment in full gear, many are anticipating who will make the next move that causes a ripple effect nationwide. It now appears that we have that answer. According to Pete Thamel of ESPN, Arizona is in “deep discussions” with the Big 12 about joining the conference. https://twitter.com/petethamel/status/1687262837582798848?s=46&t=cXIQ4JQG-pp-P6qrRwLwjw Thamel also added that “some finality” is to be expected very soon as the Arizona Board of Regents has a meeting later tonight. Should the Wildcats make the move, then it is likely that Arizona State will also join the Big 12. Stay tuned to The Voice of Motown for updates. (Photo by University of Arizona Athletics)

More schools from the Pac-12 are set to join the Big 12 Conference. Arizona - Following Colorado’s move to the Big 12 Conference, three schools are reportedly ready to make the jump as well. According to Jason Scheer of Wildcat Authority, Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah are “likely” to join the Big 12 Conference. https://twitter.com/ChrisKarpman/status/1686883827049005059?s=20 Chris Karpman of Sun Devil Source also reports that Arizona State has “made significant movement” in the direction of leaving the PAC-12 and there have been numerous reports today of Arizona making plans to leave for the Big 12. In addition, Arizona State, Arizona and Utah are considered to be a "package deal", a deal that would likely put the final nail in the coffin of the PAC-12 Conference. Stay tuned to The Voice of Motown for updates. (Photo by WVU Athletics)

Arizona is scheduled to hold a Board of Regents meeting on Tuesday. Could it be to discuss a move to the Big 12 Conference? Tucson, AZ - With Colorado set to join the Big 12 in 2024, several Pac-12 schools are now eyeing a move to greener pastures. One school that has continuously been brought up in realignment discussions has been the University of Arizona. Many expect the Wildcats to jump ship and join the Big 12 with the Buffaloes in 2024. Based upon recent reports by On3, this may not be too far fetched of an idea. https://twitter.com/On3sports/status/1686143006770872320?s=20 According to On3, Arizona has scheduled a Board of Regents meeting for Tuesday afternoon. While it hasn’t been announced what the meeting will be about, the outlet speculates that it will be to discuss the school’s potential move to the Big 12 Conference. Should an announcement be made tomorrow regarding Arizona’s future in the Big 12, this would put the conference at 14 members going into 2024. Stay tuned to The Voice of Motown for updates. (Photo by University of Arizona Athletics)

WVU President E. Gordon Gee has received a contract extension from the university. Morgantown, WV - WVU will now be with the services of President E. Gordon Gee for longer than originally expected. According to Hoppy Kercheval of MetroNews, Gee has received a one-year contract extension that will lock him in as president through June 30, 2025. https://twitter.com/HoppyKercheval/status/1686098002690146304?s=20   Gee, who has come under fire for the school’s current deficit, was originally signed on to be WVU’s president through June 2024. (Photo by West Virginia University) 

Colorado is officially set to join the Big 12 in 2024.  Boulder, CO - Moments ago, the University of Colorado officially announced their intentions to rejoin the Big 12 following meetings Thursday afternoon. https://twitter.com/cubuffs/status/1684675365728628736?s=46&t=cXIQ4JQG-pp-P6qrRwLwjw The school’s board of regents voted unanimously in favor of the move. They will officially begin competing in the league during the 2024-25 academic year. (Photo by University of Colorado)   

Pete Thamel of ESPN has reported that the Big 12 voted unanimously to approve Colorado’s move to the league. Boulder, CO - Moments ago, Pete Thamel of ESPN reported that the Big 12 has voted “unanimously” to approve Colorado’s move to the conference in 2024. https://twitter.com/petethamel/status/1684398441907064832?s=46&t=cXIQ4JQG-pp-P6qrRwLwjw However, Thamel also states that Colorado has not officially applied to become a member. That process is expected to take place on Thursday. Stay tuned to The Voice of Motown for updates. (Photo by Colorado Athletics)

Pete Thamel of ESPN reports that Colorado is “in discussions” regarding a move to the Big 12 Conference.   Boulder, CO - According to Pete Thamel of ESPN, Colorado has completed a board meeting and is officially “in discussions” about a move to the Big 12 Conference. https://twitter.com/petethamel/status/1684308770065641476?s=46&t=cXIQ4JQG-pp-P6qrRwLwjw The school has another meeting scheduled for tomorrow, and is expected to continue discussions about the potential realignment of their athletics. Thamel would add that the Big 12 is also holding a presidents meeting that will take place tonight. An update on the conference’s expansion is said to be discussed. The school is expected to make a move within the next 48 hours, per Jason Scheer of Wildcat Authority. https://twitter.com/jasonscheer/status/1684311955580788738?s=46&t=cXIQ4JQG-pp-P6qrRwLwjw Stay tuned to The Voice of Motown for updates. (Photo by Colorado Athletics)

Morgantown has been named the best college town in the Big 12 by Barstool Sports. Morgantown, WV - Barstool Sports has ranked each college town in the Big 12 via Instagram, and it should be a surprise to nobody who is at #1. The outlet has ranked Morgantown as the best town in the Big 12, with Austin, Texas and Lawrence, Kansas finishing 2nd and 3rd, respectively. The ranking is as follows: 1. Morgantown 2. Austin 3. Lawrence 4. Clifton 5. Norman 6. Lubbock 7. Ames 8. Orlando 9. Stillwater 10. Manhattan 11. Houston 12. Ft. Worth 13. Waco 14. Provo   Let us know what you think of the ranking! (Photo by WVU Athletics)   

Colorado and Connecticut have reportedly been evaluated by the Big 12 Conference.   Arlington, TX - After months of speculation, it now appears that two schools are on the fast track to be considered for expansion of the Big 12 Conference. According to Farouk Yusuf of Sports Keeda, the Big 12 has completed evaluations of both Connecticut and Colorado, and conversations between all parties have continued for several months. There has been no indication as to when these schools could officially be added as members of the Big 12 Conference. However, Commissioner Brett Yorkmark did confirm that the league has a “plan for expansion” at Big 12 Media Days. Stay tuned to The Voice of Motown for updates. (Photo by UConn Athletics) 

Country Roads Trust should hold an NIL benefit concert at Milan Puskar Stadium.   Morgantown, WV - Country Roads Trust has quickly become one of the best NIL collectives in the nation. The West Virginia University Athletics based fund for athletes has achieved many incredible feats so far, including Million Dollar May. Now, one former WVU athlete has come up with an incredible idea for Country Roads Trust to raise even more money for the athletes. Hold a benefit concert featuring West Virginia’s very own Charles Wesley Godwin and Brad Paisley. https://twitter.com/voicemorgantown/status/1679665859613147136?s=46&t=cXIQ4JQG-pp-P6qrRwLwjw https://twitter.com/aruoff/status/1679532019724738566?s=46&t=cXIQ4JQG-pp-P6qrRwLwjw With both being Mountaineer fans, Wesley Godwin and Paisley would certainly be a major attraction for individuals all across the Mountain State. Holding the concert in Milan Puskar Stadium while setting the price at $20 a ticket would bring in “mountains” of money for WVU to use to attract high-level talent to Morgantown. However, this would also only work if a portion of the proceeds go to another worthy cause - WVU Medicine Children’s Hospital. https://twitter.com/_jamesclark3_/status/1679671427241320448?s=46&t=cXIQ4JQG-pp-P6qrRwLwjw There is a massive opportunity here to take the next step in the NIL game. It all rests in the hands of Brad Paisley and Charles Wesley Godwin.

WVU’s Country Roads Trust has been recognized as one of the most ambitious NIL programs in the nation.   Morgantown, WV - The West Virginia University Athletic Department has been on a tear as of late when it comes to NIL. Country Roads Trust is off to a hot start, and is setting up the Mountaineers for success in the future. The media outlet On3 recently revealed the top 10 MOST AMBITIOUS NIL programs in the nation, and Country Roads Trust was included on the list. https://twitter.com/on3nil/status/1674431624883363843?s=46&t=cXIQ4JQG-pp-P6qrRwLwjw WVU’s NIL program came in at 10th. Here are the NIL collectives recognized by On3. 1. Tennessee 2. Texas A&M 3. Oregon 4. Texas 5. Miami 6. Florida State 7. USC 8. Arkansas 9. Ole Miss 10 WVU (Photo by WVU Athletics) 

The SEC could potentially be in the market for expansion in the near future. According to reports, WVU could be one of the schools considered. Morgantown, WV - It has been over a decade since conference realignment talk has been at the forefront in Morgantown. The Mountaineers are happily members of the Big 12 Conference, and have even publicly stated their interest in remaining in the league. However, this does not mean that the school will not be considered by other conferences. According to Jim Williams, a renowned columnist, the SEC has considered expansion internally. The conference currently has two tiers of schools that they would consider to add, the first being the most likely to receive an invite. While it is not impossible for the second tier to receive an invite, it is not likely. The Mountaineers were included in the second-tier, along with rival Virginia Tech. https://twitter.com/JWMediaDC/status/1665722066958417920?s=20 Though this means virtually nothing for the Mountaineers, it is respectable to even be considered for the best conference in collegiate athletics. While WVU may be a program that isn’t as successful as the majority of the SEC, it shows that those in charge think a lot of the athletic department as a whole. There has been no timetable set for expansion in the SEC, if they even choose to do so. https://youtu.be/aDMlDVuQwi0 Stay tuned to The Voice of Motown for updates. (Photo by WVU Athletics) 

According to reports, two Pac-12 schools will officially become Big 12 members in the near future. Boulder, CO - The Big 12 has been hot on the expansion trail. With the conference expected to add members in the near future, reports have surfaced as to who we can expect those schools to be. According to Greg Swaim of the Swaim Show, Colorado and Arizona will be the first two schools to make the move to the Big 12. However, it will not become official until the Pac-12’s television deal is finalized. https://twitter.com/GSwaim/status/1665199083579928576?s=20 Swaim also revealed that while Utah and Arizona State will be considered, the conference may settle for only two Pac-12 schools. Instead, the Big 12 would then look to the ACC to add any future members. Recent reports have indicated that the ACC is on the verge of collapse, so teams jumping ship would come to no surprise to many. Stay tuned to The Voice of Motown for updates on the Big 12’s expansion situation. (Photo by Arizona Athletics) 

The West Virginia Baseball team is set to travel to Lexington, Kentucky for the beginning of the NCAA Tournament. While being in the big dance is exciting, they will be dealing with less than ideal circumstances. Morgantown, WV - The West Virginia University Baseball team is set to compete in the Lexington, Kentucky region in the opening round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament. With the Mountaineers taking on Indiana this Friday night, the team will be making the trip to the Bluegrass State in the coming days. While this is certainly an exciting feat, Randy Mazey’s bunch will have to deal with less than ideal circumstances when they arrive in Lexington. According to Ben Upton of the 11Point Podcast, there are no hotels available within 100 miles of Lexington. Due to this, West Virginia and all of the teams competing will be forced to stay in dorm rooms on the campus of the University of Kentucky. https://twitter.com/Ben_Upton5/status/1663380804733378561?s=20 In an email that the school sent out to the teams, each opponent will be charged $92.50 per night for the residential suites. This will not include the extra money the school will charge for their laundry room nor anything else that may be a luxury. Of course this will not be fun, but the Mountaineers can make up for it all by stringing together some wins. Let’s hope that they do. (Photo by WVU Athletics)