Jackson said the Beavers and Cougars approached the WCC about affiliating just three or four of their sports. With the dissolution of the Pac-12, Jackson said he knew those remaining school’s priorities would be driven by football. Jackson said both schools are right in the league’s geographic footprint so travel won’t be an issue. WCC commissioner Stu Jackson said it was unprecedented to have an alliance between a Division I conference like his and Power Five institutions like Oregon State and Washington State. Oregon State and Washington State will be eligible for WCC’s postseason championships and the league’s automatic berths to NCAA championships. “This agreement represents an important step in our strategy to preserve options for the future viability of the Pac 12 conference,” he said in a statement. Washington State athletic director Pat Chun said the WCC affiliation gives 10 Cougar teams access to “championships as well as high-level competition.”
