Geoffroy disappointed with Nebraska, Colorado’s decisions to leave Big 12
President Geoffroy spoke during a brief press conference regarding Iowa State’s position in the Big 12 on Friday, June 11, 2010, outside the Memorial Union. Geoffroy expressed his disappointment at the choices Nebraska and Oklahoma have made, but believes Iowa State will end up in a good position. Photo: Logan Gaedke/Iowa State Daily
June 10, 2010
VIDEO: Watch Geoffroy’s entire speech here.
ISU President Gregory Geoffroy said Iowa State is disappointed by the decisions of the University of Nebraska and the University of Colorado to leave the Big 12 Conference.
Geoffroy talked to reporters Friday in front of the Memorial Union to answer questions about the future of the Big 12 Conference after announcements this week that Nebraska and Colorado will be leaving.
Nebraska will be moving to the Big 10 and Colorado to the Pac-10.
Geoffroy said he wants Iowa State to remain in the Big 12, but said the future of the conference is not completely in Iowa State’s control. He said what “a set of southern schools” decide to do will have a big impact on that.
“I think that ultimately will determine what happens to the Big 12 conference and of course will influence what we end up doing,” he said.
Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech are expected to announce their plans next week.
He said Iowa State and the remaining schools that appear to be the most vulnerable if others decide to leave – Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri and Baylor – are staying in close contact.
He said there are other options being explored if the southern schools decide to leave, but declined to go into detail.
“It’s just too premature at the moment to comment,” he said.
When asked if he thought the situation Iowa State was in was fair to the university, he said he wasn’t sure how to answer.
“Well we don’t like it, we certainly don’t like it,” he said.
